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Check out my review of Whole-Grain Mornings, and get the recipe for blueberry breakfast bars.
I’ve mentioned before that breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, so much so that I’ve been known to eat breakfast foods for every meal rather than what one is “supposed” to eat. Of course, sometimes I get stuck in a rut of what to make, so it was I’ve mentioned before that breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, so it was perfect that I received a review copy of Megan Gordon’s Whole-Grain Mornings: New Breakfast Recipes to Span the Seasons before Christmas.
In my mind the mark of a good cookbook is how many recipes I bookmark on the first read, and there are plenty of Post-Its littering the edges of this book. The first recipe I tried was the nutty millet breakfast cookies, as I had a bag of millet kicking around my pantry I wasn’t quite sure what to do with. The cookies were tender and hearty, with the millet adding pops of crunch in each bite. They’re a great breakfast solution for busy mornings.
The pear-hazelnut oat muffins were also quick and easy, though I felt the spices didn’t shine through the flavor of the hazelnuts, so I’ll be sure to add more next time. I also really enjoyed the bacon and kale polenta squares — even though I’m generally not a polenta lover, the combination of flavors made for a really satisfying dish.
The recipe that will surely become a staple at our house is the whole-grain pancake mix. We make pancakes nearly weekly, and I’ve dabbled at whole-grain recipes that are edible, but generally a flop in the taste department. Gordon’s version cooks up just as light and fluffy as our “regular” DIY mix, and the whole grains are hardly noticed. And when it comes to swapping out favorites of your children, that means a lot.
Gordon’s book is arranged by season, but don’t let the assigned season deter you when it comes to choosing what to make. She notes substitutions and encourages you to make the recipe your own, and doesn’t make a big deal about using frozen fruit over fresh. The photos are vibrant and show off each recipe without being fussy, and Gordon’s conversational tone makes the “whole grain” notion seem like less of a challenge. (Let’s face it, sometimes the whole grain versions of things are challenging!)
Included in the front is a handy chart on cooking whole grains, which is especially useful when it comes to the more unfamiliar grains, such as amaranth or wheat berries. Those ingredients, as well as other nonstandards, form the only complaint I have about this book. While I can get buckwheat flour, spelt flour, and a number of other “specialized” ingredients at my nearby suburban grocery, other ingredients require a trip to the massive Whole Foods or doing some online ordering. I’m glad Gordon has provided substitutions for many of the recipes, because I do hope those living in less urban areas will also enjoy cooking from Whole Grain Mornings.
These fruity breakfast bars were a hit at our house. Because my son is so picky about blueberries, I swapped in some frozen blackberries I had saved from the summer, and the result was perfect. Gordon notes that if you don’t have rye flakes you can use more oats, which is what we did.
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Blueberry Breakfast Bars
Ingredients
BLUEBERRY FILLING
- 3 cups / 720 ml fresh blueberries or 1 12-ounce / 350 g package frozen blueberries, unthawed
- 1/4 cup / 45 g natural cane sugar
- 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon water
WHOLE-GRAIN CRUST
- 1/2 cup / 50 g rolled oats
- 1 cup / 100 g rye flakes
- 3/4 cup / 60 g sliced raw almonds
- 1/4 cup / 30 g raw sesame seeds
- 1 cup / 120 g whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup / 75 g packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 8 tablespoons / 115 g cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes, plus more for greasing the pan
- 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch square pan.
- To prepare the filling: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the berries, sugar, flour, lemon juice, lemon zest, and water. Stir over medium heat until the mixture begins to simmer. Continue stirring until berries just begin to break down and the sauce thickens, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- To prepare the crust: In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, pulse together the rolled oats, rye flakes, almonds, and sesame seeds just until they form a chunky, mealy texture, about 30 seconds. Add the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder and pulse a time or two to combine. Add the egg and butter. Add ice water slowly and pulse until mixture just begins to clump together.
- To assemble and bake the bars: Press approximately half of the crust mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Pour the berry filling onto the crust and spread evenly. Scatter the remaining crust mixture across the top as you would for a fruit crisp or crumble—messy and haphazard, but evenly dispersed. Don’t worry about pressing down; it will bake into the bars beautifully.
- Bake until the top crumble is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan. Slice into bars. If wrapped and kept at room temperature, the bars will keep for 3 days.
Notes
Recommended Products
Nutrition
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate based on online calculators. Any nutritional information found on Stetted should be used as a general guideline only.
About Megan
I learned how to cook by exploring seasonal ingredients, and you can too! Meal time shouldn’t be stressful or complicated, and with fresh ingredients and easy methods, I’m here to help you enjoy the time spent in the kitchen. Read more…
Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day! Most mornings I just eat a bowl of yogurt & granola, but I have a recipe for a delicious blueberry cream cheese casserole that my 5 year old and I would eat every morning if we could.
I love the weekends because I will go and have a croissant with egg and cheese at the French bakery in my neighborhood. Yup, I’m spoiled.
The bars look amazing, what great color!
My favorite weekday go to is homemade banana bread with peanut butter and a piece of fresh fruit. One the weekends it is a more liesurely cooked meal of homemade pancakes, homemade bacon and fresh eggs a fruit salad.
This cookbook looks amazing, I love baking and making breakfast stuff, and I’ve definitely been wanting more diversity of grains and more whole grains in our menu. My kid would love those bars you made, with blueberries or blackberries, either way.
Right now my favorite breakfast is plain low-fat yogurt with quinoa, and cut-up banana and apples. Plus some dried coconut if we have it.
My favorite breakfast is really not that healthy, but I love homemade burritos with eggs, potatoes, chives. So yum.
I’m really a sucker for breakfast tacos. Bacon, potatoes, eggs, sometimes some peppers or onions — all topped off with fresh salsa!
Chilaquiles are pretty high on my list of favorites, but a cup of coffee, pastry and fresh cut fruit would do any day of the week.
My favorite breakfast is vanilla yogurt with fruit and homemade granola. These blueberry bars look great…can’t wait to try them!
I love french toast with pretty much anything on it; brown suger & cinnamon, jam or syrup and a side of bacon. Om nom nom nom nom!
I try to have breakfast when I can. Because of health reasons, I cannot over indulge with the cheese and butter. My favorite breakfast is oatmeal with a banana, nuts and some cinnamon. When I do not have a banana and nuts, I take my oatmeal with honey. It is simple but food comfort. Thanks.
Sausage biscuits are my first breakfast choice and yogurt with blueberries is a close second.
My hardest breakfast decision is always sweet vs savory. I started making jams last year and granola this year. Those two plus yogurt are a recent favorite. More whole grains in the morning sounds like more planning and more filling. Thanks for the chance!
Farm fresh eggs, herbs from the garden, and a sliced tomato. If there’s fresh ramps, all the better. Washed down with plenty of French press coffee.
This book looks great!
I usually grab a protein bar on my way out the door!
anything with oatmeal! granola, pancakes, granola bars, baked oatmeal! Thanks for the giveaway!
Usually an Egg Beaters Omelet with some fruit or yogurt
I love parfaits, smoothies, and fruit coffee cakes! Usually I just have cereal though. Boring! 🙂
My favorite breakfast indulgence is breakfast tacos, but an everyday love is steel cut oats with berries!
Frittata with veggies and goat cheese! My favorite!
My favorite everyday breakfast is steel cut oatmeal…but on a weekend my ideal is a poached egg, bacon, croissants, and coffee!