I have to admit that we used to love cereal. It was quick and easy, and I used to think it tasted great too. When we started eating real food and ditched the cereal, this was one item we really missed. Thankfully some wise women showed me that I could make my own cereal at home. I combined the knowledge that I had learned from them and started experimenting with my own recipes. I used ingredients that we were producing on the farm, and added cinnamon and homemade vanilla. I needed to make this highly digestible for some of us that struggle with health issues and allergies, and I wanted it to be nutrient dense as well.
The key to making this cereal digestible is the sourdough process that I now incorporate into all of my grain recipes. This process breaks down antinutrients like phytates, gluten, and lectins. It also increases the vitamins. The maples syrup in this recipe is a great source of trace minerals like magnesium, manganese, copper, and phosphorous and has a lower glycemic index (won’t raise your blood sugar as quickly). Since it’s not highly processed like the refined sugars in modern cereals, our bodies know what to do with it. Like the refined sugars, the grains are also so refined that they are unrecognizable to our systems and also devoid of nutrients. Along with the refined sugars and grains, they often contain non-food items like colorings, preservatives, and flavorings. I can’t think of any ingredient that is healthy in cereal because of the processing.
When it comes to making cereal, you can make it a variety of ways. You are basically mixing and baking a cake, processing it into small pieces, and drying it out. The drying can be done in a dehydrator or oven at about 200 degrees Fahrenheit. I like to use einkorn since it settles well with the whole family, but you could substitute any grain. I also like to use buttermilk, since it’s so easy to make, but you could also use yogurt. I believe it’s important to use quality ingredients in all of this and add natural salt, homemade vanilla extract, and Ceylon cinnamon.
Right now, this cereal recipe is a favorite on our farm, since our chickens have slowed down and don’t always meet our desire of 34 eggs for breakfast. I love to drizzle honey or maple syrup on top of the cereal after adding cold, raw milk to my bowl. I haven’t eaten cereal from the store for a long time, and I know I wouldn’t feel good if I ate it. I can also say that I’m sure it wouldn’t taste as good as I remember, but I really enjoy the flavor of this. I could eat a bowl of this for a meal and actually be satisfied until the next meal. That was not the case with processed cereals.
Are you ready to try your own homemade cereal? We love to hear from you!
Homemade Digestible Flavorful Cereal
Ingredients
- 2 cups levain
- 8 cups freshly ground einkorn
- 4 cups buttermilk
- 3 Tbsp. maple syrup use more if you like it sweeter
- 2 tsp. real salt
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp. Ceylon cinnamon
- 3/4 cup butter or coconut oil
Instructions
- Melt butter and allow to cool. Mix all of these ingredients and allow to sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours. Pour into a greased 9×13 pan and bake for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Don't overbake. Let cool and crumble the cake into small pieces (I like to use my food processor). You will want to turn the pieces every so often if using your oven, but if you use the dehydrator this is not necessary. This usually takes about 12 to 15 hours. . I like to store this in half-gallon jars in my refrigerator.