Cocoa Teff

OMG - this is the most delicious cereal/dessert ever. And it's soo easy. A friend gave me the recipe and I tried it this morning. mmmm mmmmm good. However I think I will reserve it for desserts from now on.

Recipe taken from Dinner with Jenette


Hot Cereal for Breakfast

Hot cereals, while good any time of year, are especially welcome in the fall and winter. They are made from cracked or rolled whole grains, and contain beneficial fiber, nutrients and disease-preventing phytochemicals. Hot cereals are also easily digested because of their warmth and moisture content. Overnight soaking before cooking increases their nutrient value and digestibility, and decreases their cooking time.

Here's a gluten-free favorite:

Cocoa Teff Cereal (Makes 2-3 servings)

This delicious hot cereal can also be more heavily sweetened and served with whipped cream for dessert!

½ c. teff (not teff flour, whole grain teff –the dark brown kind)
2 c. water
pinch of salt
2 T. cocoa OR carob powder
1-2 T. maple syrup OR sucanat (less IF using carob)
½ tsp. vanilla
1 T. coconut oil OR butter
Options: ½ c. walnuts, ½ c. dried cherries, ¼ tsp. cinnamon

1. Combine teff and water in the pot you’re going to cook them in. Let the pot sit on the stovetop uncovered overnight.
2. Bring teff to boil with a pinch of salt. Lower heat to medium and add the remaining ingredients, including any optional ingredients. Stir well.
3. Continue cooking for around 15 minutes, stirring often, until it’s thick and sticky. Note: It will not get thick and sticky until the last few minutes of cooking.
4. Serve with cream or butter, and maple syrup OR sucanat, if needed.


Fun Fact: Teff is the world’s smallest grain! It’s native to Africa and is used to make a spongy fermented Ethiopian bread called Injera. In Ethiopia, Injera is 100% teff, but in the U.S. it’s made with a combination of teff and wheat flours.

You can purchase Teff from here or here - the later one is where I purchased it.