We still have a whole month of winter left here in Seattle and I’m already pining for carefree summertime.
Long warm days spent lounging by the pool with refreshing drippy watermelon slices and icy cocktails are hard to beat, you know.
I LOVE fruit but it’s somewhat embarrassing to admit that snacking on chilled grapes and citrus (because room temp is no good) leaves me shivering for hours–and that’s not an exaggeration, sadly.
This cold blooded twiggy individual needs hot food during the winter months.
Oatmeal is my true savior but I was wanting to switch up the routine just a bit while still getting a cozy bowl of something piping hot in my system.
Hello cream of buckwheat!
Cream of buckwheat only takes about 10 minutes to whip up and yeah it’s creamy dreamy.
Basically a vehicle for some exciting toppings.
(Yes, cream of buckwheat might be a grandma breakfast but let me tell you, grandmas know best!)
So of course I wanted to involve some fruit here.
Bananas are the obvious choice (and berries, but those suckers are not in season and I don’t care to spend all my moneys on mediocre fruit flown in from Timbuktu… and apples don’t sit well. Ha.)
But grapes! Grapes are juicy, sweet and friggin’ delicious right now so I grabbed a bag of those guys and finally tried blasting them with some heat.
That’s right, grapes met temperamental oven for the first time in my kitchen.
No regrets, no regrets at all.
They get hot and jammy and turn into perfect buckwheat porridge topping material.
Who else is involved in this breakfast situation?
Original unsweetened almond milk, lots of ground cinnamon, a pinch of salt, nutty toasted pepitas, nutritious hemp hearts, and a generous drizzle of pure maple syrup.
Heck. Yes.
P.S. Be sure to get alllll that roasted grape juice off your pan and into your bowl.
P.P.S. Don’t scorch your mouth on those fireball grapes!
P.P.P.S. Yep, this recipe right here is gluten-free and vegan. Swap in honey for the maple syrup if you’re not a vegan being because honey and grapes are pretty tight. (I suppose a splash of vanilla extract would be nice too.)
P.P.P.P.S. Oh and make sure to toast your pepitas of course! The flavor gets amped up and we’re all about flavor… hemp hearts are optional but not really. Treat your body well peeps.