Wheat Breakfast Recipes -- Fruit Muffins, Scones & Cracked Wheat

I'm finding that I cook a lot with wheat -- I didn't realize I had so many recipes to share. I love to bake in the winter to keep the house warmer. It just feels nice too with the aroma of freshly baked goods. Even if I'm eating raw and mostly eat my sprouted wheat goods, it's hearty and healthy for the rest of my family.

Here's a favorite recipe that I morphed from a McDougall cookbook. I can apples every few years and use those for the muffins where it calls for apple sauce, but I'll write both. This recipe is so versatile. I've changed it up when I was out of apple juice and used grape juice instead, which made me think I should use berries to go with that stronger taste. That same day I realized my muffin pan was still at the school, so I made scones instead and they were an instant hit. I liked them because they had that muffin top wonder that tastes so much better than the bottom. So I'll post both recipes and will add at the bottom of each that they can be made into muffins or scones (or even a sweet bread if you have a mini-loaf pan). I've done all of the above.

Apple/Oatmeal Muffins
1/2 c. apple juice
1 c. canned apples or apple sauce
1/2 c. honey
2 eggs (optional if vegan -- bakes fine w/o them, just a little drier)
2 T oil (optional -- this was originally an oil-free recipe -- I find my kids like them better w/oil because they're more moist, but they bake just fine without the oil too)
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1 1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. pumpkin pie spice
1 t. salt
3 c. wheat flour
2 c. oatmeal (old fashioned)

Mix ingredients -- wet first, then add in dry. Pour into muffin pan at 3/4 full. If you'd rather make them into scones, scoop w/ice cream scoop onto baking stone or sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes. If you make mini-muffins, it will only take about 20 minutes. If you want to make it into mini-loaves, it will take more like 45 minutes. These freeze well to keep fresh if you can't eat them all within a few days.

Berry Scones
1/2 c. grape juice
1 c. apple sauce
1/2 c. honey
2 eggs (optional if vegan -- bakes fine w/o them, just a little drier)
2 T oil (optional -- this was originally an oil-free recipe -- I find my kids like them better w/oil because they're more moist, but they bake just fine without the oil too)
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1 1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. pumpkin pie spice
1 t. salt
3 c. wheat flour
2 c. oatmeal (old fashioned)
2 c. fresh or frozen berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries)

Mix ingredients -- wet first, then add in dry. Fold in berries at the end. If the berries are fresh, they may come apart when mixing -- you can coat the berries with a little unrefined sugar to keep them together if you'd like. Scoop batter w/ice cream scoop or large serving spoon onto baking stone or sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes. If you'd like to make muffins, fill muffin tin to 3/4 full. If you make mini-muffins, it will only take about 20 minutes. If you want to make it into mini-loaves, it will take more like 45 minutes. These freeze well to keep fresh if you can't eat them all within a few days.

I'll have to make some and post a picture in the next few days.

-- I also like to make cracked wheat with just raisins and cinnamon (and often flax too) on cold mornings. If you haven't tasted plump cooked raisins, you're in for a treat!

Cracked Wheat & Raisins
3/4 c. cracked wheat (either by hand or from the store)
3 c. water
1/2 c. raisins (usually just a handful)
1 t. cinnamon
1 T. ground flax seed

Put wheat, raisins and water into pan, rice cooker, or large glass bowl. There are a variety of ways to cook your cracked wheat. I've done it in the microwave for about 14 minutes on high in a glass mixing bowl. It sometimes boils over and microwaving destroys nutrients, so I don't do it this way anymore. But it's still better for you than most cold cereals and is a hand option if you don't have a rice cooker or the time to stand near the stove.

If you have a rice cooker, follow the instructions for the cooker for brown rice and it will cook up the wheat just wonderfully. If you use a pan on the stove, let water rise to a boil, add wheat and raisins, let boil for about 15 minutes, stirring and watching so it won't burn.

Stir in cinnamon and flax seed when it's all cooked. (You can add them before cooking, but they often end up boiling out and drying on the top edges of the pan or bowl). The finished cooked wheat should be moist. If too much water has boiled out, just add in some hot water to moisten it up. Super soothing and wonderful to warm you up.