Homemade Grain Bowls with Chef Brad

School is starting soon and we are all looking for great ways to feed our children and get them off to school. I am adamant about making sure children get a good start with a great breakfast that not only taste good but will provide them with enough to get them through to lunch.  Studies have shown that children that eat a good high fiber breakfast do better then children that eat a sugar low fiber breakfast.

I have issues with cold cereals, pop tarts, doughnuts, white flour pancakes and waffles, just to mention a few items that we feed our children and then expect them to exceed in school.  I have poled many teachers over the years and have asked them about how mornings are in the class room and each one, 100% have told me that the children are starving by mid morning. And they have expressed that is a huge issue with concentration and focus. Literally, they are starving  and need nutrition. When children eat a high fiber breakfast, they are able to concentrate and focus better.  

So if you are guilty of low fiber sugar breakfasts, change. For me it is worth the effort to get up early each morning to fix my children a high fiber breakfast. They have loved it and have expressed many many times to me how they feel better throughout the day. They have felt the difference when they don’t eat a good healthy breakfast. Yes it is hard to get up early each morning, but as in all things the benefits out way any inconvenience we may have. 

And just what might be the benefits,  let me list a few:

There are some easy things we can do for breakfast. Whole grain muffins can be made ahead and frozen for a quick meal. Remember a lot of the muffins sold in stores are really just cake in a muffin paper, full of sugar and garbage. Whole grain pancakes are a great way to start the day. Honeyville has all natural chemical free pancake mixes that are easy and taste great.  Even a high fiber breakfast smoothie can be a good choice.  Remember high fiber is the key, it burns slow and provides optimal health.  

My favorite is what I call “Grain Bowls”.  This is fast and oh so good.  I cook my grain in the Fagor Electric Pressure Cooker and the great part is I do them ahead of time. So for example, on Sunday I will cook up a pot of brown rice in the pressure cooker. Let it cook and place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The rest is easy. For breakfast I will remove the grain from the frig and in a non stick pan I will place extra virgin coconut oil and let it warm up. I will place the desired amount of cooked chilled rice in the pan and re-fry it in coconut oil.  It is amazing. I will place the cooked grain in a bowl and cover it with a scoop of yogurt, fresh fruit or freeze dried, and drizzle it with agave. This is the best breakfast ever.

Below you’ll find my basic Brown Rice Bowl recipe, as well as a few of my favorite Grain Bowl recipes that you can create using the basic recipe. Cook them up ahead of time, try them out, and let me know what you think!

Brown Rice Bowl

Ingredients:
3 cups Honeyville Brown Rice (or any other Whole Grain)
5 1/2 cups Water
1 tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Coconut Oil

Directions:
Cook Brown Rice in your Fagor Pressure Cooker. To cook, place 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil in bottom of pan. Saute Brown Rice in oil, add water and salt. Pressure cook for 12 minutes and let pressure down naturally. Let grain cool, place cooked rice in airtight container and place in refrigerator.

Cashew Fruit Bowl

Ingredients:
Cooked, chilled Brown Rice
2 Tbsp Coconut Oil
Freeze Dried Fruit
Agave Nectar
Greek Yogurt
1/2 cup Cashews

Directions:

In a large saute pan add a Coconut Oil. Add  cashews and toast lightly. Add desired amount of brown rice. Continue stirring until rice is lightly toasted. Remove from heat and place rice in bowl. Add a scoop of yogurt on top of rice, cover with re-hydrated freeze dried fruit, and drizzle with Agave Nectar.

Chicken Pineapple Bowl

Ingredients:
Cooked, chilled Brown Rice
2 Tbsp Coconut Oil
1 cup Honeyville Freeze Dried Chicken
1 1/2 cups Honeyville Freeze Dried Pineapple
Balsamic Vinegar
Agave Nectar
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:
In a large saute pan, place coconut oil and re-hydrated chicken. Saute and splash with balsamic vinegar and lightly splash with Agave Nectar. Add grain and mix well and toast. Add pineapple and let cook and simmer for a couple minutes. Serve with steamed vegetables.

Steak Bowl

Ingredients:
Cooked, chilled Brown Rice
2 Tbsp Coconut Oil
Thin sliced Steak
sliced Onions
Baby Carrots
Soy Sauce
Agave Nectar
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:
In saute pan place coconut oil. Add carrots and saute until tender. Add onions and saute. Add steak. Drizzle with soy sauce and add grains. Lightly drizzle with Agave Nectar. Saute until grains are lightly toasted.

Wishing you the best in feeding your children.  It really does make a difference what you feed them.  Please help them have a better day by starting them out with a better choice. 

Chef Brad~America’s Grain Guy