Spelt Berry Breakfast Bowl

    

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups spelt berries
2. 2 apples, sliced
3. 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
4. 2 T butter
5. 2 T brown sugar
6. 2 tsp vanilla
7. Cinnamon
8. Kefir or plain yogurt

Preparation:

1.  Rinse spelt berries several times, set aside (may soak spelt berries 6-8 hours prior to preparation).

2.  Bring 6 cups water to boil, add rinsed spelt berries and reduce to simmer.  Cover and cook until tender (approximately 45 min)

3.  Slice apples, add to pan with 1 T butter, 1 tsp vanilla and sprinkle with cinnamon over medium heat.  Cover; may add 1 - 2 T water to steam.  Stir as needed to prevent from burning.

4.  Add 1 T butter and 2 T brown sugar, 1 tsp vanilla to pan on high heat.  Stir and add walnuts.  Continue to stir (3-4 minutes) until walnuts have sufficiently browned.

5.  Add cooked spelt berries to bowl, top with apples, fresh fruit, walnuts and kefir or plain yogurt if desired.  Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Serving size: 4

Health Benefits of This Meal:

• Spelt Berries: Similar to quinoa, spelt berries are high in fiber; 19 grams of fiber and 25 grams of protein per cup--wow that is a lot!!
• Apples: high in fiber and antioxidants (in the skin)
• Walnuts: fatty acids in walnuts have cardioprotective benefits
• Cinnamon: antioxidants help promote proper glucose utilization as demonstrated in patients with diabetes
• Butter: short-chain fatty acids are easily absorbed; butter is better than margerine, but both are fat and most people should limit their intake of unnecessary calories.
• Kefir / yogurt: Excellent source of probiotics--good bacteria for your intestines as well as systemic immunity and metabolism