7 Grain Cereal

• Hot breakfast cereal.
• Contains barley, wheat, rye, durum, oat groats, flax, and buckwheat groats.
• Simply add boiling water and let sit for 5 minutes. 
• Stove-top cooking instructions also included on the package.

Benefits and Ingredients

If you’ve ever looked up the benefits of grains online (and we suspect you have), then you already know the benefits all grains share. For the sake of repetition, here’s a quick overview of their benefits:

• Fiber: Essential for digestion, satiety, and helps with weight-loss efforts
  
• Minerals: Essential for various bodily functions like the transport of oxygen (iron) and increasing/maintaining bone density (calcium)
  
• Phytochemicals: Essential for helping to ward off various diseases

While all grains share common benefits, each type has its own specific benefits based on the ratio of their natural components:

• Barley: prevents gallstones and decreases the risk of gallbladder surgery
• Wheat: prevents colon cancer
• Rye: for people suffering from Metabolic Syndrome, it has the ability to reduce inflammation
• Durum: high contents of vitamin E (antioxidant properties) and B (promotes cell health and brain function)
• Oat groats: contains diverse minerals
• Flax: a great source of delicious protein
• Buckwheat groats: gluten-free

Making 7 Grain Cereal Bread

The possibilities are endless here. You can make the bread on the sweet side or the salty side. You can make it waft of berries’ aroma or of thyme and oregano. While the recipe may be flexible in terms of flavor-adding ingredients, the staple ones remain:

• 7 grain cereal
• Hot water
• Active yeast
• Bread flour
• Olive oil

For utensils and tools, you’ll need:

• Food scale (for perfect ratios)
• 3 Large bowls
• Bowl scraper (for lifting the dough and keeping your countertop as clean as possible)
• Loaf pan (most helpful when making sandwich bread)
• Peel or oven mittens (just be careful!)
• Mixer (or do it manually)
• Knife 

Time for the instructions:

1. In the large bowl (bowl 1), pour half a cup of the 7 grain cereal
2. Add 2 cups of hot water and stir a little
3. Add 1/4 ounce (the equivalent of 7 grams) of active yeast and stir a little
4. In the other bowl (bowl 2), pour 4 cups of bread flour (for nutritional value, whole-wheat flour is recommended)
5. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar (whichever type you prefer), the same amount in salt, and mix
6. Mix one cup of bowl 2 into bowl 1, whisk until you have a homogeneous mixture
7. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and repeat the previous step until the dough is formed
8. Knead the dough until it becomes smooth, then mold it into a ball
9. Oil a third bowl (bowl 3) where you will transfer the dough and let it breathe until it doubles in size (cover it and put it in the refrigerator if you intend on baking it the next day)
10. Fold the dough onto a slightly oiled surface
11. Flatten it (you can add whatever type of seeds you prefer on top of it), stretch its corners, then form a ball and let it rest for 15-20 minutes
12. Stretch the dough and fold it again then put it on an already-oiled loaf pan (to avoid the bread from sticking)
13. If you don’t have a loaf pan, just shape the dough into whatever shape you like
14. Put your loaf on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes
15. After taking it out of the oven, allow the bread to cool down for 10-20 minutes on a cooling rack before cutting it, unless you prefer to have soft bread
16. Bon appetit!

How to eat 7 grain cereal

One of the huge benefits of grains is their versatility. They can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or as a snack, and they can serve as a main dish or a side dish.

The simplest way to have the 7 grain cereal for breakfast is to prepare it as you would usually prepare oatmeal; either in an instant pot or a milk pan (with water, of course). It can be topped with berries, dark chocolate, or any other topping you prefer. We love the topping combination of cocoa, dark chocolate chips, and a sprinkle of shredded coconut.

For a quick lunch, cook it in an instant pot with garlic and water for 5 minutes. Then, add tomato sauce (or any other delicious sauce) to it, then eat it with a side of chicken breast and baked broccoli.

And for dinner, we recommend adding it to a salad of your choice.

How to cook 7 grain cereal

There are 4 ways to cook our 7 grain cereal:

1. On a stovetop: boil water first, reduce the temperature after adding the grain cereal, let it cook for about 10-15 minutes while occasionally stirring, turn the heat off, and let it cool down for 5 minutes
2. In the microwave: In a microwavable bowl, mix half a cup of 7 grain cereal with a cup of water and a pinch of salt. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir, then let it sit for 5 minutes
3. In a Crock-pot: Pour the 7 grain cereal in the crock-pot and add triple that amount in water. Add a pinch of salt and stir well. Let it cook on slow for about 5 hours (or on high for about 2 hours). Once done, stir again and serve
4. In an instant pot: The instructions are the same as those for the microwave, except you should let the pot cook for 4-5 minutes

How to eat as a hot cereal

This is pretty straightforward. You’ll need a milk pan or a pot, water, salt, and the grain cereal.

1. Pour 2 cups of water into the pot and add a generous pinch of salt.
2. Close the lid of the pot and bring the water to a boil.
3. Take the lid off and pour 1 cup of the 7 grain cereal and stir.
4. Turn the stove’s temperature to low and put the lid back on. Let it cook for 10-15 minutes.
5. Turn the heat off and let it rest for 5 minutes.

Your hot cereal is now ready. Feel free to have fun with the toppings. You can add almond/peanut butter and coconut milk, or drizzle maple syrup/honey on top of it. Make your own special and tasty recipe.

How to use it in an instant pot

This is a no brainer. It’s fast, easy, and most convenient.
Follow these quick instructions:

1. Pour however much you like of the 7 grain cereal in the instant pot.
2. Pour water (2:1 ratio; i.e. 1 cup of cereal = 2 cups of water)
3. Mix and close the lid.
4. Make sure you seal the pot’s knob
5. Push the pressure-cook button and set it to 5 minutes
6. Once it’s done, turn the knob to depressurize and open your lid
7. Now, you have free reign to add whatever toppings you like.
8. Bon appetit!