Cracked Cereals Delight

Ingredients for 2 portions

1/2 cup cracked cereals (1/4 cup per person)

2 cups water (1 cup for soaking, 1 cup for cooking)

2 Tbs mixed seeds (flax seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds)

4 Tbs raisins or dried cranberries

1 tsp cinnamon

Topping

1 banana

coconut flakes

walnut

few cranberries

cacao powder

2 - 4 spoons whole milk yogurt (it tastes also good without – the yogurt makes it richer)

Preparation

In the evening*: measure 1/2 cup of cereals into a bowl
Soak the cracked cereals over night in 1 cup of water. *The soaking reduces the cooking time, if you forget to soak the cereals it works too, just cook them longer.
In the morning Simmer the soaked cereals with one more cup of water and the raisins (or cranberries), the seeds and the cinnamon for about 10 minutes. Stir and add water as needed to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Serve in bowls and add the toppings to taste.
Served with banana, yogurt, a walnut and cranberries for decoration and sprinkled with cacao.

I developed this recipe so that the cooked cereals are not just a 'mush' but that the seeds and sprinkled coconut flakes etc give a great bite-feel and that it also looks inviting!

On Cacao (read more on Wikipedia)

Prolonged intake of flavonol-rich cocoa has been linked to cardiovascular health benefits, though it should be noted that this refers to raw cocoa and to a lesser extent, dark chocolate, since flavonoids degrade during cooking and alkalizing processes. Studies have found short term benefits in LDL cholesterol levels from dark chocolate consumption.

On Cinnamon (read more on Wikipedia)

Cinnamon may also be an aphrodisiac. One teaspoon of Cinnamon contains as many antioxidants as a full cup of pomegranate juice and 1/2 a cup of blueberries.

In Ayurveda medicine cinnamon is believed to reduce high blood pressure.

Tip: this is a basic recipe, you can do a variation with barley, barley has a great bite feel and taste.