I asked Maria Emmerich, the clever nutritionist behind Maria’s Nutritious and Delicious Journal, to provide a recipe for the Wheat Belly Blog.
Maria follows a very similar philosophy to that of Wheat Belly: nothing wheat, limited carbohydrate exposure, no gluten-free junk carbohydrates. Anyone who has perused her blog will quickly see how wonderfully creative her recipes are, not to mention how well displayed with exquisite photography. 
Breakfast is a perennial struggle for many people starting out on a wheat-free, limited-carbohydrate lifestyle. This approach eliminates ALL store-bought breakfast cereals, a land-mine of junk carbohydrate exposure. Here is Maria’s version of Blueberry Morning Cereal. Maria calls this a “healthified” cereal, i.e., a breakfast cereal with all the nutritional nastiness removed.
For sweeteners, Maria prefers the stevia glycerite, the thick liquid form, to minimize the bitter taste. She combines it here with erythritol. Maria also supplies a sweetener conversion chart on her blog here that allows you to use, for instance, Truvia, instead of the erythritol/stevia glycerite mix.
Blueberry Morning Cereal
1/3 cup erythritol
1 tsp stevia glycerite
1/3 cup crushed almonds/pecans/walnuts
1/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup vanilla whey protein, e.g.,JAY ROBB (hormone-free) or egg white protein
1/4 cup butter or coconut oil, softened
1 tsp pure organic blueberry extract
1 tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (170 degrees C). Combine 1/3 cup erythritol and stevia glycerite (or Swerve), 1/3 cup crushed nuts, almond flour, whey, blueberry extract and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in butter with fork or pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Place on a cookie sheet with defined edges or the butter will leak off. Bake for 12-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and gently stir while still hot. Let cool in the cookie tin (it will crisp up A LOT). Break pieces apart and enjoy with unsweetened almond milk. Makes 4 servings.
NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Post Cereal = 220 calories, 3g fat, 3g protein, 45 carbs, 2g fiber
“Healthified” Cereal = 220 calories, 9.2 g protein, 18g fat, 4g carbs, 2 g fiber
MILK COMPARISON (per cup)
Skim Milk = 90 calories, 13g carbs, 13g sugar
Unsweetened Almond milk = 35 calories, 1g carb, 0g sugar
Thanks, Maria! More of Maria’s wonderful recipes can be found in her book, Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism
My feelings exactly! When we let go of the sugar loaded junk foods, why not let our taste buds get used to a more gentle, natural sweetness?
I have just finished reading your book. Well done! However, after taking my first glance at your website, I do have a comment about Maria’s breakfast cereal recipe. Why promote Erythritol? It is just another one of the sugar alcohol substitutes that usually cause stomach upset. It would be so much better to keep the recipes clean of chemical compounds. (not that I am a fan of stevia either), but I think people need to focus on real food, or just use fresh fruit and no sweetener at all.
Thanks for listening!
Just purchased your kid’s cookbook and am eagerly anticipating it’s arrival… Time to kick grain-free/sugar-free in to high gear for my kids, too!! Thanks for all the work you’ve put into researching and developing recipes we can all enjoy!!
I bought on e of Maria’s book from Amazon and have made many of the recipes. They are all wonderful, get her books, try her peanut flour peanut butter cupcakes-delicious! Will probably get all her books
Thank you for your support! :)
Hello everyone, I have Ben trying some of the dessert recipes in the book. Just recently the carrot cake. The batter was very dry, I think it was the coconut flour. Any suggestions on how to make it more moist. I am not a baker so I try to stick strictly to the correct ingredients? Can I add more oil or sour cream to alleviate this problem? Would love some suggestions, the husband has a terrible sweet tooth and I’m trying to convince him to stay away from the jellny belly binges. Thanks, Eclare
Yes, Eclare: Add more sour cream or coconut milk.
That’s the easiest fix.
Maria, can I use Truvia? And what can substitute
for the other sweetner? Other than that it looks
good.
This is quite tasty, but too sweet for my taste. I wonder if I misread the recipe – does it call for 1/3 cup nuts total, or 1/3 cup of each nut, which would be 1 cup total nuts. More nuts would might make it less sweet, but could also make this mixture less cohesive.
Many thanks for the introduction to Maria Emmerich. Her blog and recipes are both very interesting. I made the “healthified calzones” and even my wheat loving hubby liked it! It really was delicious. Maria has her recipes also on Pinterest, which makes them easier to browse.
But the biggest thanks of all go to Dr. Davis. The information about the changes in wheat and the subsequent changes on human health is eye-opening, to say the least. Frankly, it’s revolutionary.
Hi, Cammie–
I believe the 1/3 cup of nuts was meant to be 1/3 cup of your choice of nuts.
Maria Emmerich is truly healthified personified!
Revolutionary, yes. My mind is still reeling from the ‘this-makes-so-much-sense-to-me’ feeling…we’re newly converted and I never hope never to return down the vapid and health-less wheat road…
Hello everyone,
I am new to this blogging thing… but I must say I have so enjoyed and learned so much especially from reading the “older entries”. I still have a ways to go but I’ll get there. I hope to pick up a copy of Wheat Belly today!
I do have a question for Dr. Davis: What is the truth about the phytic acid connection and almonds and other nuts? Is there an issue in what our daily consumption of foods made with almond flour should be? In other words, should we limit our intake of almonds and other nuts? I tried to research this on the net but it quickly became too confusing. RE: Maria Emmerich… I have followed Maria’s blog for some time and have made several of her recipes… they are very good especially the Blueberry Morning Cereal! I especially like that she gives the nutritional breakdown which helps me monitor my carb intake.
More later… thanks so much for all the information,
Louise
Texas
Pick your battles in nutrition, Louise. Some battles need to be fought vigorously, while other battles need not be fought at all.
While phytates pose a theoretical threat, I am not convinced that they pose a real threat to health.
That does not mean, of course, that you get a “Get Out of Jail Free” card to consume the phytates and other components of modern wheat!
Thanks Dr. Davis… it would be nice to have one less battle to fight!
Louise
Been wheat free for over 2 weeks now but then wasn’t a big wheat eater anyway. Have been doing Dukan diet since Jan 2012 and have lost of weight but have done it without oats and yogurt. Not feeling brilliant to be honest. Still getting windy tummy and windy back pain which was unbearable yesterday. Just had to lie down. System is really sluggish despite drinking lots of water. I only weigh 147 lbs and am 5 feet 6 so am doing this more for health. I take no medication. there’s a history of Alzheimer’s in family mum, her sisters and maternal grandmother so am anxious at. 60 to avoid this. been paraplegic for 40 years and do not smoke or drink. Just want to get rid of these digestion problems so I can avoid the family curse and live life to full again.
I made flaxseed crackers and felt they upset me and worried about eating too many nuts. Also worried about using stevia and others things of that ilk when I have always used brown unrefined sugar.
Love reading this site after I ordered the book.
You raise an important issue, Alison: Beyond wheat withdrawal, there are a number of people who have delayed benefits, slowed by a number of factors. Some are nutritional deficiencies, e.g., iodine, while others are due to slowed or stalled improvements in bowel health, e.g., shift in bowel flora.
This is such an important issue that I believe this should be the focus of a blog post in future.
Thanks for sharing this Dr. Davis! I had pretty much given up on ever having any kind of cereal again. I’ve tried many of the LC cereals over the years, but never did like them much. And it seems like so many use flax, which I find to have a slimy texture. Looking forward to trying this!
Hi Missy, I personally don’t like Truvia. Please take to time to listen to this show. Tons of great info on sweeteners. I like Swerve but also good source Erythritol and Stevia Glycerite (non-bitter form of Stevia) the best. :) http://livinlavidalowcarb.com/blog/atlcx-episode-18-the-truth-about-sweeteners-dr-david-getoff/14520
IMHU (understanding), when we find ourselves overweight, there had to have been a sub-optimal diet and metabolic compensation that caused the weight gain in the first place that resulted in the present overweight status- (weight gain usually caused by high-grain, low-fat diets). So, it follows that, during the weight loss process- on the way back down- there have to be some funky alterations (corrections, offsetting mechanisms) in order for the weight to come back off. Unfortunately, because we have an easy blood test for total cholesterol and some other blood concentrations, those tests are conducted and then they lead directly to fear of the humble, crucial cholesterol molecule. These isolated tests and ‘labs’ have become salacious and synonymous with death and are meaningless at best and frightening and dangerous to mental health and common sense at worst. High cholesterol levels are associated symptoms of some illnesses and low cholesterol levels are symptoms of other diseases.
Dr D, you should know about a blog & forum I visit regularly. Basically, it’s run by a woman who was into WAPF, but had celiac and also casein intolerance, so didn’t get well until she went gluten-free and dairy-free.
She is about cooking EVERYTHING from scratch, except I think maybe gluten-free pasta. Does a lot of coconut, lentils & beans, pastured meats, veggies, etc. She also sells a weekly menu mailer, to help people organize their shopping and meals for the week and whatnot. And she has courses on going gluten-free and learning to cook and food storage and cooking on a budget and whatnot also. KerryAnn’s site is “Cooking Traditional Foods” @ http://www.cookingtf.com/ – IMO, she is to gluten-free what Jenny is to diabetes.
IMO, the blog is good, but the forum even better. Though I am neither gluten-free nor dairy-free, I find it a very nice place to hang out and get practical cooking tips, recipe ideas, and a lot of support for full time cooking with a less than full time commitment.
Thanks for the tip, Jpatti. It’s interesting to see how many people are coming to similar conclusions from their unique starting perspectives.
Good to see you here, by the way!
Thank you Doc for the recipes!
I’ve just finished the book, and on my 3rd day wheat free. Yesterday I was quite cranky! One interesting observation, my eyelids look much different, I’ve always had a bit of swelling which I assumed was seasonal allergies. They are no longer swollen in the least bit, which makes me wonder if I have had issues with wheat all along and never realized it!
Hope you are well!
Heidi
Quite likely, Heidi!
The loss of puffy eyes is a very common observation, one that I suspect suggests body-wide inflammation and water accumulation, now gone minus wheat.
I’m ecstatic over this recipe!! Been missing my Kashi!!
Hi!
My wife and I read your book and we are into the thrid week without gluten or carb-loaded foods. Cold noodle is definately on. People tell me I lost weight, though body weight looks just the same. Still, I feel quite good, sleep well, no food cravings during the day. I don’t miss anything I enjoy your online recipes a lot and can’t wait for your cookbook to be published.
I do have some questions:
1. I got small lipomas in my arms, chest and belly, none noticeable without thightening the skin. Tried the apple cider vinegar but no success. Any chance gluten free diet will get these out of the way?
2. My wife is having unbelievable withdrawal behavior, aggressive, irritated, as if the new food policy at home is a violation of basic human rights. It’s not like she’s addicted to wheat or anything like that. She does appreciate health food, but the cold noodle is there anyway. What should we expect with the behavioral aspect? She also reports to feel sluggish, and that no matter how much she eats, she feels she’s still hungry, like there’s a void to fill. Does that have to do with some kind of chemical imbalance, the body not being able to recognize anymore it’s full?
Thanks in advance,
DK
Hi, DK–
On the lipomas, I can only say that I have seen lipomas recede a few times, but don’t have a sense for how common or predictable it is. No harm in trying, however. Let us know what happens.
It sounds like, as you suggest, you wife is having an awful time with the withdrawal. Unfortunately, the only real solution is to grin and bear it. On the bright side, she is likely to feel worlds better when it subsides. Besides the emotional fireworks, wheat withdrawal does not result in any harmful effects. But her experience highlights just how powerful this thing–the gliadin protein of wheat–is and how powerful the hold over the human mind in some people. It is consistent with the lifelong obsessive thinking about food some people experience, or the years of struggle with binging and purging or bulimia, the complete loss of control over diet and food choices seen in the super obese.
Make no bones about about: Wheat is a mind active drug.
DK,
The food cravings died down after the third week, in my case. My wife, however, was withdrawal free. Hang in there! The long-term pleasures are worth the initial pain!
I have dealt with people with addiciton problems for over 30 years, on different levels of involvement . . . though no Dr., (M.D. type) I know withdrawal when I see it, and I know withdraw when I feel it, and use the exact same verbal exprssions as others, I have seen, and treated! Genetic Modified Wheat–is a mind drug, indeed! My guess is that we do not know much about the long and short term affects (emotion-wize) and effects (physical-wize) but, we will, as more informed people, with the help of Dr. Davis, catch on, and add to the growing body of knwoledge. One can only hope!
I encouage you to re-read things on this site, and in Wheat Belly, on the Genetic Modified Wheat–and its connection with the Opiate Receptors in the Brain–as it relates to addiction–especially hunger.
Roger, OHIO
Thanks for the comments!
I am also wondering about the numbers the scale is giving me daily, a very minimal, slow downward movement, while outwardly I look thinner, feel thinner and people tell me I lost weight.
Yesterday evening I went for a run, I’ve been running on and off for the last 10 years and for the first time it felt like my body just flies forward effortlessly. I enjoyed so much I didn’t want to stop. The lightness is crazy new – but the scales keep bothering me – why does it show the same approx figures?—-
I’m not entirely sure why some people experience this, DK, i.e,. loss of belly fat, bloatedness, along with other improvements but with lagging weight loss. I suspect that at least some of it may be due to loss of inflammation and excess fluid that precedes more rapid loss of fat.
And why some people experience high-velocity weight loss while others experience this little-by-little effect is also unclear to me. But, as time passes and the experience broadens, the experiences are becoming clearer and clearer. So perhaps sometime soon an answer will become clear.
Hello again Dr. Davis and forum,
I wrote here about my wife’s detox process. It’s like nothing physical is wrong with her but she feels bad, like she’s on a fast and like, and this is a quote ‘she needs to taste something good.’ Now my wife is really not a wheat addict, in fact she eats really little of anything. Wheat products were not awaringly a sacrifice for neither of us. In addition, I took care to bomb our family with all sorts of healthy foods. Today I used fennel for lunch for the first time in my life and it was unbelievably good. I’ll use it really often from now on. My wife, though, feels as if there’s something she’s not getting enough or at all of. And this, in the midst of an ocean of various nuts, fish, meats, eggs, vegetables, cheese, berries and some citrus fruits. We’re also taking fish oil, vitamin D and chlorella in the morning. In regard to vitamins and diversity we would get a 10, but she feels like something is missing. It appears to be some type of cravings or pseudocravings because her body is getting everything it needs and none of the rest of us complains – we got four kids – about similar experiences… She goes like “If this is what it’ll feel like for the rest of my life then that’s some life!”
Daily.
So any thoughts would help.
Thanks in advance!
As powerful as elimination of wheat can be, DK, it cannot cure everything that can afflict humans.
We can still, despite a perfect diet, have thyroid dysfunction, adrenal dysfunction, bowel dysbiosis, vitamin B12 deficiency, etc. She may benefit from an intelligent assessment, preferably from a functional medicine doc or a naturopath.
Dr D, I adapted the Wheat Belly flax seed wrap recipe today for a breakfast dish.
I made an omelette – eggs and tomatoes – and added a touch of baking powder and a few tablespoons of flaxseed meal. It turned out like a little pizza, or stuffed tomato bread.
It would make a great little pizza base, and I did indeed use it so, putting turkey on top.
I put my leftover mixture into a bowl and can use it (I hope) tomorrow – a variation of what The Tightwad Gazette’s Amy Daczyzcyn called refrigerator dough.
I’m very pleased. I still need to remember to use a bit more oil, and by the way, I made it in my frypan. :)
Very nice, Jill!
And it sounds like it turned out fine in the frypan version!
Thanks to both of you for the information. It is very useful.
Try substituting 1/2 c of the almond flour with 1/2 c garbanzo flour . Also add 1 tsp xanthun gum This helps hold it together. i like to add 1 or 2 tsp vanilla extract Many of us had trouble with the crumbly thing, and this seems to fix it I like to let it cool completely in the pan before turning it out
Garbanzo flour has 53 grams of carbs and 10 grams of sugar per cup. This will spike your blood sugar greatly and is way to much for most people. If you use blanched almond flour the recipe will work perfectly. ;)
I am so glad that I do not have to give up taste, to go wheat free!
In time, more people are going to understand Dr. Davis, and be enlightened and informed on the body, how it works and how it responds to Genetic Modified Wheat, and other forms of Franken-Trash so-called “experts” want us to eat. Much of my former ill health, was from page after page, book after book, year after year–of “EAT HEALTHY WHOLE GRAINS.”
One of the first things my wife asked me, after I explained to her what Dr. Davis had to say on the flyer I received in the mail, was, “Then, what do we eat”? At that moment, I did not have many answers, nor did I have a copy of Wheat Belly, but, at least, I knew what not to eat, and why.
Many more enlightened people will add to the knowledge base of Dr. Davis–and I cannot wait until I get his book on Wheat Free FOODS! Soon, I will have a good many Wheat Free Books, etc. and I will learn to substitute and modify existing recipes.
This is not as difficult as I thought–and, I do not have to give up taste!
I am thankful for the real experts he cites on this site!
Getting Healthy, Losing Inches, Losing Pounds . . .
Roger, OHIO
Exactly right, Roger: Give up wheat, but not taste!
In fact, as you likely have observed given your wonderful response to wheatlessness, taste improves off wheat. Taste is heightened and appreciation of food is increased. You eat to suit physiologic need, not because an opiate has been prodding you to eat junk foods to the benefit of Big Food.
That is one thing I forgot to put in the e-mail I sent you, Dr., becasue, as time goes on, I have noticed changes, not just my food addiciton going, going almost gone, but, my sense of taste is improving!
My best guess, is, when the pull and draw of the decades of Human-Altered Plastic Foods dies off, in entirety, my sense of taste will be heightened, that a mistake in eating the slightest bit of Garbage, my taste-buds will recoil!
I can sit, eat and enjoy–and not have to inhale a lot of tasty, carb-sweets and like kinds, for my sense of taste improves, the futhur Genetic Modified Wheat is behind me!
Through the years, heart healthy whole wheat goodness and taste has been drilled into my brain . . .
On a side note, I am going back over my books on diet and nutrition–your cutting-edged science and connections, have made them, not only obstalete, but, I can see where I mindlessly absorbed the consensus, as: Governments, Experts, Top Scientists, YADA YADDA YADDDDDDDDDAaaa agreeeeee–about Whole Grain Goodness, Heart Healty Whole Wheat and a plethora of other slogans that I wish would clear my mind.
The power and well connected arguments, from the phamphlet that I received in the mail, had to drive decades of miss-information from my mind! And, Dr., you did not leave me hanging–as you provide Human Pesticide free foods!
The very first page, asks the question: Do You Have A Wheat Belly? My answer now: Not for much longer!
Losing Inches, Losing Weight, Getting Better–All The Way Around!
Roger, OHIO
Ah, my daily dose of Roger-ism enthusiasm. Keep it going, Roger!
It is truly incredible, isn’t it, that we have been led so far astray, enduring years of pain and discomfort, accepting multiple medications as our lot, being told to eat more “healthy whole grains” . . . then being blamed for the outcome.
This is a full-scale rebellion, Roger, make no bones about it. And people enlisted into the cause like you are our foot soldiers!
Oops. What I meant in the previous post is that I used almond flour rather than ground almond. Thanks
Is almond flour and ground almond the same thing? I just made the Apple Walnut Bread p from Wheat Belly
using wheat flour. The instructions say to press the dough into the bread pan. Mine poured in much like a cake. Then after cooling 20 minutes it fell apart while turning out the bread. It seams a little oily but the flavor is great. Have any advice? Thanks
Just a suggestion (since I ran into the same problem with a different recipe) you might want to check to see if the almond flour is defatted or not. Here the almond ‘flour’ is simply crushed blanched almonds and is *not* defatted, so I generally don’t use any additional oils when baking.
Too much liquid, Patty. You can always let your batter sit to thicken and/or add a bit more almond.
Almond meal is ground almonds. Almond flour is ground blanched almonds, often with oil pressed out. I prefer the meal, as it contains the nutrition of the whole nut and all recipes are written for the whole ground almond meal.
This sounds so yummy! I haven’t tried it but I think I am. Hopefully I can get used to the Almond milk though. I’ve not drank any straight before. Fresh blueberries might be good thrown in the mix to. She has such good recipes! I have this book and am reading it now. I can’t wait until yours comes out to!
I used to be a big milk drinker and didn’t think I would get used to Almond Milk. After two weeks, I love it even straight as long as it’s cold. Milk is yukky now. Digestion much better now..
Just wanted to say I’ve tried Maria’s recipe for cereal and LOVE it (she has another that uses peanut flour and cocoa powder – just as delish!) I made the 1st batch per instructions (minus the blueberry extract). The second batch, I used less erythritol (the first time was a bit too sweet for me & I love sweet things!). I haven’t bought a box of store cereal since! My husband loves it too!
Thanks you!
My breakfast usually consists of unadulterated almonds and walnuts with blueberries when available or another berry in season or pear, peach or apricot. This is moistened with heavy cream. Very, very low Glycemic Index and very low carb. Tastes great, easy to make in a couple of minutes and no cooking.
How many almonds do you use/slivered or whole? Sounds delish!
I take two Costco bags, one walnuts and one almonds (whole unsalted, etc.) and mix them in another larger zip lock. You could, of course use any other nut you prefer or used shaved. They should be salt free or it is really gross in the cream.
A handful works for me. Often, I don’t add any fruit. Depends on what is available but blueberries are to my taste the best match but strawberries or whatever works. One side benefit, besides crunchy goodness, is they won’t get soggy in the cream no matter how long you let it sit. You can’t say that about cereal. This is a real benefit if you get distracted by the phone, etc.
This sounds really good to me; I have missed my “whole Grains with dates , raisins, and pecans” with frozen blueberries for breakfast so I will definitely mix some of this up. I get the large bags of nuts at Sam’s Club. Thanks!
Sounds straightforward & tasty. What I like most is the recognisable ingrediants. Cheers mate.