IT'S HOT CEREAL SEASON

Here's how to make your morning better, smarter and infinitely more delicious (hint: forget everything you know about your childhood oats).

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Hello!

I’d planned to write you today about a favorite pasta dish, but this morning, in the early hours of daybreak, I made a bowl of oats for my crew that was so delicious that I had to sit down and write you about it.

Lately, we’ve been rotating my blueberry/cranberry muffins, these scones, or the blueberry ginger yogurt bowls I wrote you about last week for breakfast. But the temps have dropped hard this week (it’s a frigid 22 degrees when my daughter leaves for her bus), so last night, I had the foresight to soak some grains overnight for a filling hot breakfast before school.

Truth: It had been a while since I’d made a bowl of hot cereal that felt worth it. When my kids were little, we leaned on Bob's Red Mill’s various hot cereal blends or straight-up oats, and I found ways to make them more nutritious and dreamy. But there’s a flip side to hot cereal. If you rush or short-cut your grains, you can end up with something resembling wallpaper paste—instead of a luxurious bowl of hearty grains (I know adults who still have nightmares about the chalky, too-thick oatmeal at summer camp or the gelatinous glop at the hotel breakfast buffet!).

We eat oats and whole grain cereals because we’re told they’re good for us (oats, for example, are full of fiber, antioxidants, and minerals like magnesium, thiamine, and zinc). But shouldn’t our breakfast also be delicious?

For a second, I think of my childhood cream of wheat laced with brown sugar and half-and-half. So nourishing and rich. And yet, I know this meal won’t serve me now—or my kids (I want to slink back into my bed and pull up the covers!). Our 2025 hot cereal can feel like a treat—without leaning too hard on the classic high-glycemic toppings (I’m looking at you, brown sugar) or making us feel tired all day.

I offer you a meeting point: halfway between sensible and downright delicious. In the vein of our Loving the Foods That Love You Back learnings (a gut-health-friendly column that we’ll be returning to this season), let’s dive into how we can get the most out of our morning bowl.

A PORRIDGE PRIMER:

To master porridge, you need only whole grains, water, salt, and your dairy/non-dairy of choice—plus a good imagination to keep the toppings fresh and new each day. But first, the grains…

MIX + MATCH

The first rule of delicious oats is to mix them with other grains for the best texture and flavor. Oats mixed with cornmeal, millet, or buckwheat can be truly memorable. Or try cutting oats with a hot cereal blend. Today’s bowl, for example, was 1 part old-fashioned oats and one part Bob’s Red Mill Mightly Tasty Gluten-Free Hot Cereal (a blend of brown rice, corn, sorghum, and buckwheat). The larger and smaller grains play nicely together, and it helps you avoid that gloopy, one-note bowl of oats some of us remember from childhood.

FLAVOR STARTS IN THE POT

Add one to two aromatics to the pot while cooking (and soaking) for more flavor. My favorites are two pieces of peeled fresh ginger, a stick or two of cinnamon, or a split vanilla bean. Cinnamon and vanilla often trick the brain into thinking something is sweeter, which is a win when it comes time to serve.

MORE SALT, LESS SUGAR

Always include a pinch or two of sea salt in your water while cooking your grains. A little salt equals a lot more flavor and less need to add brown sugar, syrup, or honey to enjoy.

LET THE WATER DO THE WORK

Soaking your grains overnight in water softens them and speeds up the cooking time. Most Irish oats (steel cut) recipes call for soaking the grains overnight, but you can steal this trick with any breakfast grains. The next morning, give the grains a stir and add more water before you begin cooking to keep them loose and lovely. They will thicken as they set and cool.

TO DAIRY OR NOT TO DAIRY

Whether you love dairy or are going dairy-free, a drizzle of creamy liquid gives a lot of oomph and a luxurious finish to any hot cereal. Shake nut or oat milk well before drizzling to keep it creamy and rich. If you plan to bulk-cook breakfast grains for a few days, add the dairy or non-dairy mix-ins later when you serve them. Note: For children and pregnant women who need fat for brain development (and adults who need a special treat!), a small drizzle of half and half or cream is heaven on hot cereal.

NAIL THE TOPPINGS

Win the gut health lottery by loading your porridge with fresh fruits, toasted nuts, seeds, and seed butter (peanut butter, tahini, almond butter, or sunflower seed butter). For easy toppers, keep fresh berries washed and hulled (and frozen berries defrosted in the fridge) and dried fruits (which naturally sweeten your finished porridge) in the pantry. See also my favorite All-Purpose Jammy Porridge Topper. The more fiber you add, the more satisfied you will be. Your microbiome will thank you.

SWEETEN SMART

If you’ve followed this formula, you won’t need much to sweeten your serving. Taste first, and opt for a drizzle of maple syrup, a small spoonful of honey, or a dash of cinnamon sugar if needed. Of course, a bit of brown sugar is a non-negotiable on special days (see the recipe below)—just not every day. Organic, dark brown sugar is best for a more potent flavor; you’ll need less.

Below is the complete recipe for today’s bowl, with cinnamon, ginger, and sour cherries. In the meantime, I’m sending big love. Tread gently, my friends.

xx

Sarah

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Listen—

A reminder that you can listen to my letters if you don’t have time to read them. Look for the “PLAY” button on the top right of the substack app. It’s not my voice reading to you, but a nice, relatable voice still delivers all my sentiments while you listen. I’ll drop the App button below to give it a try.

Onward to today’s recipe:

Mixed Grain Hot Cereal with Sour Cherries and Cream

This bowl of goodness takes cues from both our gut-health learnings (more fruit, more grains, more fiber!) and the bowls of cream of wheat drizzled with cream and brown sugar my mother would serve us in deep winter. Here, we’ve cut the wheat completely with a blend of old-fashioned oats and whole-grain, gluten-free hot cereal mix (that includes cracked brown rice, corn, sorghum, and buckwheat), cooked with cinnamon and fresh ginger.