Grainless Raw Cereal

Grainless Raw Cereal

written by Charlene Wieler (aka KiWiGiRl)

In this month's segment, I've decided to prove just how simple eating raw can, and should be! Unfortunately, when people are first introduced to the concept of eating only raw foods, the first thing that often comes to mind is salad, salad and more salad. That, or carrots and celery sticks. Really, eating raw food is far more exciting… the possibilities are endless!

When transitioning more raw foods into your lifestyle (whether your goal is 60, 80, 100 or whatever percent raw!), the best advice that I can provide is to keep it simple, but also to have fun! Honestly, this is a lifestyle, not a DIET! And in order for us to be successful, we need to find a balance that works for us—and this is often the biggest challenge, not the lifestyle itself. There are often many variables involved, such as our hectic schedules, limited resources, not to mention the dynamics of our family unit (e.g. toddlers, spouses, teenagers, etc.). All this having been said, we need to find BALANCE!

For Martin and I, we have found that it is absolutely essential to have a few favorites that are fast, simple and convenient! Meals that can be thrown together in no time! And although we don't have cereal for breakfast every morning, this raw cereal is versatile, filling and enjoyable. Not to mention, it is totally and completely without grains, which is something that we enjoy being without in our home (reasons to reduce or avoid grains will be explained in a Raw-4-Life segment).

Grainless Raw Cereal

by Martin Wieler (aka Rawkin)

Ingredients:

1 – 2 sliced bananas (usually the base together with the almond mylk), then add variety:

chopped soaked and dehydrated nuts — combination of almonds, walnuts and pecans

organic, un-sulphured dried (or fresh) fruit — raisins, currants, figs, apples, blueberries, strawberries

un-sweetened dried coconut, hemp seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds

serve with freshly home-made almond mylk:

1 cup raw almonds (soaked for a minimum of 8 hours, then rinsed well)
4 cups filtered water
4 large pitted dates
1/2 tsp. Frontiers Alcohol-free vanilla extract or 1'' piece vanilla bean

Directions:

In a blender, combine all the ingredients for your almond mylk and blend on high until the almonds and dates are blended as finely as possible. Strain through a nut milk bag, cheesecloth or a fine strainer . This milk will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.

Delicious variations to top your Grainless Raw Cereal:

› a combination of cinnamon and nutmeg, or the Chai Spice Mixture.

› your favorite dried and/or fresh fruit (e.g. apples and raisins topped with cinnamon and nutmeg!),

› buckwheat, soaked then dehydrated till crunchy (of course only an option if you have a dehydrator),

› be creative and use several combinations of nuts, seeds and fruit that you already have on hand.

BUT OF MOST IMPORTANCE — KEEP IT SIMPLE & HAVE FUN!!!