Five Grain Hot Cereal

• 1 cup dry oatmeal
• 1/2 cup quick barley
• 1/2 cup dry brown rice
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal

You need a blender to make this recipe. Get out your blender. Measure the dry oatmeal into it. Whirl the oatmeal until it is powdery, like flour. Dump the oatmeal into a mixing bowl. Measure the barley into the blender. Process it until powdery. Dump it into the bowl with the oatmeal. Measure the brown rice into the blender. Process it until powdery. The rice will take longer processing than the oatmeal or barley. It will be a tiny bit coarser after blending too, that is alright. When it is as powdery as you can get it, dump it into the bowl with the other grains. Add the whole wheat flour and the cornmeal. Stir the mixture up to combine it thoroughly. Transfer the mixture to a resealable container and label. Store on the pantry shelf. Makes 3 cups

To Cook:

• 1/3 cup 5 Grain Cereal
• 1 cup cold tap water
• Dash Salt
• 2 tablespoons apple juice concentrate or honey

In a small saucepan combine the cereal and cold water. You use cold water because it prevents lumps. Add the salt and juice concentrate. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for about 3 to 5 minutes. Serve with milk. Makes 1 serving.

To make 4 servings: use 1 cup of 5 Grain Cereal, 3 cups of cold tap water, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/3 cup apple juice concentrate.

This is a very healthy and hearty way to start the morning. I like this cereal much better than most other mixed grain cereals I have tried. The rice gives the cooked cereal a nice chewy texture which contrasts nicely with the smoothness of the whole wheat flour and cornmeal. If you don't have quick barley, you can replace it with more oatmeal, or even wheat germ, or wheat bran. I've also thought that Rye Flour &/or Ground Flax Seeds might make nice additions. By adding 1/2-cup of each, you would come up with a 7-Grain Hot Cereal. The measurements of cereal to liquid for cooking would remain the same. This cereal is an excellent source of B vitamins and fiber.