Cherry Pie for breakfast?
That has been the state of affairs around here lately.
I recently combined my love for a morning bowl of sweet steamy whole grains with a longtime adoration of dark cherries.
And believe it or not, this comes out tasting like cherry pie.
As a matter of fact, I’ll announce to my husband Greg that we’ll be “Having cherry pie for breakfast when I get back from my run.”
No complaints from him. Â This treat is an all-around hit.
This is as easy as it gets.
Since acquiring my Zojirushi rice cooker a few months ago, using the porridge mode has been my favorite way to cook my morning grains.
First, meet my new rice cooker
I first encountered this rice cooker in my good friend Miyoko Schinner’s kitchen.
Yes, I mean the Miyoko of Mikoko’s Kitchen cultured nut product cheeses (and all-around mistress of anything veg in the kitchen) when I stayed for a couple of nights while we traveled together to Texas for Healthfest.
Something about the way the rice tasted coming out of this cooker sold me on the investment in one for myself. Â In contrast to my previous rice cookers (I have two previous models, it gets used that much!), my Zoji seems to steam the grains more than boil the heck out of them.
And the difference is tastable. And that, along with how often I use this puppy, justified the price.
Needless to say, Zoji – as I fondly call her – Â has stepped up an already busy rice schedule in our house.
Plus, she has an elephant on the label.
How can I resist? Â Each encounter with Zoji takes me back to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant orphanage we have visited several times in Africa, where our first-fostered elephant, Mbegu, is thriving.
How we roll with brown rice around here.
I buy organic short-grain brown rice in 12-lb. sacks at great discount at Costco –Â it’s something like $13 a bag.
Plus, though I don’t claim to be a ‘locavore’, it’s nice to know that Lundberg grows right down the road from us here in northern California.
Along with brown jasmine rice, short-grain brown is my favorite rice.
It is not only the perfect texture, sweet, and flavorful, it is extremely versatile and lends itself to not only the basic grains, beans and veggies, but provides the perfect backdrop to the beans and corn in my enchiladas and the chewy base of my Plant Burgers (recipe soon to be published in Plant-Based Journey!)
How to make breakfast-worthy cherry pie
Where were we? Â Oh yeah, back to the cherry pie.
I simple measure in one part whole grains, usually steel-cut oats to about three parts water. Recently I’ve been mixing it up with part polenta, brown rice cream- they’re all good.
It goes into Zoji, I close the lid, scroll through to the ‘porridge’ setting, and an hour later she’s all cooked.
Then, I grab my bag of frozen cherries from the freezer and pour in a few handfuls.
Dark tart cherries work too – I buy them by the bag at Costco or Trader Joe’s, where you can find sweet dark cherries in the freezer section.
I stir, close the lid for a couple of minutes – just long enough to thaw the cherries – and then serve in bowls with a splash of plant milk and quite often, a slice of toasted sprouted raisen bread with peanut butter.
Cherry pie – with crust!
The stir-frozen-cherries-in-at-the-last-minute method works for any fruit – and is a great way to plump up prunes, too.
Use the cooktop or microwave
Any rice cooker will do for this wonderful brekkie. Â You could also simply use a pan on the stove or the microwave. The pie part comes with just adding the cherries at the end.
There you have it! Â Breakfast-worthy cherry pie.
Let me know if you try it, and if you have some creative twists to share….by all means do tell!
Enjoy what you eat – always!
Lani,
What a great idea and does that look good! Cherries are my favorite fruit and it had never occurred to me to do something like this with them. Thanks for the great idea and pictures. And congratulations on your new rice cooker, it looks great!
Sharon
Thanks Sharon! Well then, we have a perfect match! Let me know if you try it out and how you likey! I swear, it has spoiled me for any other way to eat oats – for now!
I appreciate you stopping by, as always!
Lani
Sounds fantastic! And Happy Birthday!
Thanks Jacqui. Let me know if you try it!
And thanks for the good wishes. I think I know what I will be having for my birthday breakfast 🙂
Lani
Sounds amazing! Thanks for the recipe, Lani.
Have you tried cooking your rice in the Instant Pot? I got rid of my old school rice cooker when I got tbe IP. I love how it turns out. Is it that worth getting the Zoji?
Jodie,
I have tried cooking rice in my Instant Pot and have not had good success. Have you? It either didn’t cook it enough, or had a bunch of water on the top. Maybe I need to try it again.
BUT I’ll tell you another thing. The Zoji is really lightweight so I can grab it by the handle and even easily put it in a cupboard with other pots and pans. So it’s much easier to use. I still use my IP all the time for potatoes, beans, and vegetables. But the rice and the breakfast cereal are another matter. It also has a steam rack and other settings. It even came with a cake receipe fuhcripesakes! Haven’t tried it. I’m really happy with Zoji even though it was pricier than my old $20 rice cooker! Let me know if you take the plunge.
Lani
Wow, I’ve never had a problem with my rice. Perfect everytime. To be fair, I haven’t tried the short grain brown rice. I’m hooked on jasmine brown rice. I do 1 cup rice, 1 1/4 cup water, set the multigrain button to 28 minites and natural release.
I might take the plunge in the future, I think right now the IP solves all my cooking needs. Please keep us updated with any new Zoji successes.
Jodie, thanks for your cooking tips. I’ll give it another whirl with rice in the IP – just to figure out my problem. I love brown jasmine rice too!
This looks yummy! I have a great Sanyo Rice Cooker I picked up from and Asian market. I’ve never used it for anything but rice, but it does have the “porridge” setting. Will have to try this out. Have been reading how good dark cherries (especially tart ones)are for inflammation/arthritis in the body.
Thanks for sharing this recipe. “Happy Early Birthday” and best wishes on your new website
Hi Cindy! Glad you like your rice cooker! I used my old one for just about everything – including making baked apples! Gotta try that in the new Zoji.
thanks for the birthday wishes, I had a great day yesterday and made some yummy eats- I should report in on that one too! Maybe post on the new site?
Thanks so much for coming by and saying hi!
Lani
My short grain brown rice does great in the IP- likewise the Coach’s Steel Cut toasted oats from Costco- every morning!
Congrats on all the changes in your life- and thank you for what you have been in mine- YOU were instrumental in getting my sister {190 lbs} to read your PDF about what you eat in a day… and she said “I can do that”. She is now a happy McDougaller- and IP owner and weighs 134 lbs. You posted about cooking your potatoes in the IP the week I got mine- and helped me not be intimidated. My fav absolute treat is Orange Tapioca Pudding- done in a dish inside the IP. Pure magic!!
For you precious Birthday Lady- turning a new page in your life…I am a tatter- I make lace with a shuttle- I would love to tat a cross for you- please tell me your favorite color… If you would rather a heart- tell me… it would so pleasure me to give back love & joy to you.
Hope,
Well, you’ve made my day and what a beautiful day-after-birthday message to receive. Thank you so much,I remember you had told me about your sister and am so excited she continues to do well! 134 pounds? My goodness! And can you post your recipe for orange tapioca pudding? I would love to try that!
Thank you for the good wishes, and my grandmother used to tat! I would a heart! Favorite color? Gee, that’s tuff. Green? Blue? Purple? You decide and thank you so much!
And all best wishes to your sister, she’s going to love Journey and we have ready quite soon the Preface, Introduction, and first chapter available for download as a sneak peek!
Thanks for sharing, and being you!
Lani
Best Birthday Wishes!
I have always cooked oats, rice, and porridge the usual way on the stove. But I always throw some fruit in there and especially enjoy the cherry pie for breakfast. No one else loves the cherries in my household, though, so we usually just get the bags of organic blueberries from Costco instead; but now I live in a lovely house with a large old cherry tree bursting with cherries (apple and plum trees, too!). They should be ready in about a month now, and I am looking forward to having my cherry pie for breakfast again 🙂 How delicious it looks in your pic!
Sarah, how could someone not like cherries! Sacrilege!
Love the blueberries, too. thanks for adding your thoughts!
Lani
I wondered where you had been. Evidently, I didn’t get your last posts. Good to hear you’re getting things fixed and improved. Looking forward to seeing the new site.
Bethery, thank you! I was devastated when I saw what was going on – the newsletter I sent out with the links to our trip to animal sanctuary in Indonesia didn’t get brought to everyone’s attention as I wanted, for example! Glad the problem got solved and thanks for coming in to say hi and for your support!
The Indonesia trip is the article right here:
http://www.lanimuelrath.com/travel-entertainment/three-videos-and-three-lessons-from-third-world-travel-back-from-indonesia-travel-adventure/
Talk soon!
Lani
Looks like a great ricecooker – and breakfast. You always inspire me to find new ways to make healthy delicious!
Hey Janice, music to my ears! I’m on a mission to get people unstuck from associating bland with good for you. Nonsense!