The subject is grains. Breakfast grains. An appraisal of orders at various brunch places around town reveals that New York harbors a number of secret oatmeal fans. Count me among them, but eyeing the bins of unusual cereals and grains at my local coop, it’s was time to finally start experimenting with how to use them. Still, copies of some of these recipes have been stuck to the front of my fridge for a while.  Cooking grains for breakfast recipes sounded like more work that anyone would want to handle of a morning. But the trick is to avoid the time-consuming breakfast prep. With a little pre-planning, it’s pretty easy to cook up a batch of the grains and store them in the fridge or freezer until it’s time to make breakfast. Here’s four to try:

• Red Quinoa — A little Internet research turns up that quinoa is actually a seed, which explains the way it cooks up into kernels that pop in the mouth, sort of like Rice Krispies (and a reason that quinoa is turning up in artisan chocolates as a kind of organic-alternative Crunch bar). That texture will make the kids either love or hate a hot quinoa cereal, but the fact that quinoa is a complete protein source is a good enough reason to give it a whirl.  This Sweet Breakfast Quinoa is a keeper, with a nutty, sweet taste and pretty color. Try topping it with a spoonful of yogurt instead of the ricotta suggested in the recipe, since we’re all more likely to have the former on hand.
• Wheat Berries —Sunset magazine reports that wheat berries, actually whole-wheat kernels, are one of the least processed of all grain products, which means they retain fiber, nutrients and chewiness after cooking. Wheat-berry cereal was a nice surprise — sweet, chewy and satisfying. And it’s a good do-ahead, since wheat berries freeze well after cooking.
• Buckwheat Groats (aka kasha) — Here’s a grain in serious need of a name change. Groats? Although, come to think of it, we all jump for joy at the thought of buckwheat pancakes—so go figure.  Apple-Scented Breakfast Oatmeal and Buckwheat, picked up from Whole Foods, actually seems to benefit from making it ahead; the apple “scent” and cinnamon flavor come to the fore after sitting in the fridge overnight. Although I’m still not sold on buckwheat groats, or at the least the variety I had, which cooked up with a kind of grassy note that seems more suited to savory dishes. (Could just be the Eastern European in me.) This recipe definitely benefits from the addition of some fruit and a pinch of salt in the pot, and a little touch of butter in the bowl, to round out the flavor.
• Bulgur — A quick cooking grain you might know better from as a main ingredient in Middle Eastern recipes for tabouli. Bulgur is made from wheat that’s parboiled and dried, so it’s requires only pouring some hot water over, and letting sit, covered, until it’s absorbed. Try this innovative take: Bulgur and Coconut Breakfast Cereal.