- Makes: 15 (5 Servings)
- Ready In: 10 mins
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
I love breakfast. And though I believe that it is, indeed, the most important meal of the day, breakfast can be hard to keep exciting without going off the deep end, if you know what I mean. (Hello bacon and cream cheese stuffed french toast!) In my house, we keep a bunch of super healthy staples like oatmeal with flax, hard boiled eggs, smoothies and whole grain toast smeared with sweet potato “butter” on rotation, leaving room for a splurge every once and a while. And then, of course, there is cereal. With so few truly all natural, good-for-you options, cereal occupies the space between everyday and once-in-a-while breakfasts.
This balancing act is not easy to maintain and just one especially busy week can tip the equilibrium from mostly healthy mornings to only a couple of healthy mornings. The best way to keep that from happening regularly is to build, build, build your arsenal of healthy go-to breakfasts.
This recipe was born of that effort. Being the Italophile that I am, breakfast polenta is a favorite of mine. It’s so luxurious and rich, even glamorous. It’s so Italian! But, the truth is that polenta is a humble grain that takes all of 10 minutes to make. It’s even quicker and easier than its down-home American counterpart, oatmeal. The catch is that it isn’t quite a naturally nutritious.
In an attempt to turn breakfast polenta into one of my healthy, everyday breakfast staples, I add blueberries and almond meal. Vanilla and cardamom layer on the flavor, while a bit of honey lends some (but not too much!) sweetness. All in barely more time than it takes to pour cereal and milk. Now that’s the way to start a day!
- Calories: 242
- Fat: 14g
- Protein: 7g
- Sodium: 28mg
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 2g
- Sugar: 12g
Nutritional Information (per serving)
Ingredients:
- 4 c milk
3/4 c quick cook polenta
1/2 c almond meal
4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) butter
1/3 c honey
1 c fresh blueberries
1/2 tsp vanilla
Cardamom, to taste (up to 1/4 tsp)
Dollop plain whole milk yogurt (for everyday) or sour cream or creme fraiche (for special days), optional
Directions:
- Bring milk to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat.
- Reduce heat to low and add polenta, whisking constantly until smooth.
- Add almond meal and continue whisking until the polenta thickens to a creamy consistency.
- Add butter, continuing to whisk until it melts completely.
- Turn heat off and whisk in honey, blueberries, vanilla and cardamom.
- Serve with a dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche and an extra sprinkle of blueberries.
