Banana Coco-Nut Teff Oatmeal
By Isabel Smith, MS, RD, CDN
My favorite breakfast is hot cereal with added fruit, nuts, seeds, and shredded coconut; sometimes I’ll also add cacao nibs or goji berries to really kick it up a notch. This morning I was out of oats, so instead I decided to make one of my old-time favorites, teff cereal! Teff is a grain that is related to quinoa, and it too is a complete source of essential amino acids making it a complete protein. Teff is an Ethiopian grain that is used to make teff injera. It has a nuttier taste and the grain is smaller than quinoa. To make this (and any hot cereal meal) complete, it’s key to add healthy fat or protein, like nuts or seeds, and always try to avoid loading up on too much fruit and added sugar. You can also replace teff in this recipe for quinoa or even oats (if you didn’t run out like I did!).
Ingredients
Cereal
- ¾ cup (140 g) uncooked teff grain (can be replaced with quinoa)
- 1 ¾ (625 ml) cups water
- dash of sea salt
Toppings
- 1 banana, sliced
- ½ cup (75 g) blueberries, fresh or frozen
- 2-3 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 2-3 tbsp cashews or other nut
- 2-3 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
- dash of cinnamon
Directions
- Add water, teff and salt to a medium stockpot and bring to a boil.
- Once the water boils, turn the pot off and leave the pot overnight (alternatively, reduce and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until the grain has expanded and is slightly sticky and the water has reduced and disappeared).
- The following morning (skip to step 4 if you cooked the teff at the same time to eat it), add 3-4 tbsp water to the pot and turn the heat to medium, stir every 20-30 seconds to prevent teff from burning.
- Add sliced banana, blueberries, flaxseed and cashews to the pot while cooking, and stir every 1-2 minutes for a total of 5-7 minutes or until the teff is heated and the other ingredients are mixed in.
- Serve the teff into dishes and add shredded coconut and cinnamon to each bowl.
- Serve and enjoy!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes (if done overnight); 40 minutes if cooked on the spot
Total Time: 25 - 45 minutes
Servings: 2
Calories: 420
Fat: 10g
Trans Fat: 2g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 20mg
Carbohydrates: 65g
Fiber: 15g
Sugars: 12g
Protein: 14g