Peanut Butter and Banana Ricy Hot

Ok, ok.  The title was a horrible pun.  I couldn't help myself.  There I was, looking for a way to describe the hot rice cereal I tried this weekend (its actual name is Arrowhead Mills Rice & Shine, which I figured might have copyright issues attached to it if I used it in the title), and suddenly I walked by my bathroom and saw there, staring at me from the counter...the Icy Hot.  O Icy Hot, blessed source of relief to strained muscles, you provide succor and comfort after many a butt-kicking workout. 

And you provided the basis of a really bad pun.

Which, in my book, is just as good as helping my sore muscles.

Just to be clear, though, the recipe doesn't actually call for Icy Hot.  (Now that would be some shit if it did.  "Hey, have I got a great recipe for you!  It involves poison!")  It is, however, way more delicious than I anticipated.  Since the estomago was still displeased this weekend, I decided to up the ante on my rice intake.  I'd seen this cereal in the grocery store and had just assumed it would turn out to be a crappy substitution for Cream of Wheat (which, back in my glutinous days of yore, I looooooved).  However, I was quite pleasantly surprised: as it turns out, it was really good -- it was a lot like Cream of Wheat, but was obviously GF and totally safe. 

I decided to adorn it with one of my favorite sandwich combinations: peanut butter and banana.  I remember making myself a PB & banana sandwich one day when I was a kid, and I was utterly convinced that no one in the entire universe had ever before conceived of this amazing flavor combination.  I thought I was a culinary renegade.  A revolutionary.  I took my wondrous creation to my mom, who informed me that although peanut butter and banana are delicious together, such sandwiches are actually quite common in England.

Oh well.

As it turns out, though, PB and banana go beautifully with some Ricy Hot.


Channeling My Inner British Person PB & Banana Ricy Hot
1/4 Cup Arrowhead Mills Rice & Shine cereal
3/4 Cup water
1/2 banana
2 Tablespoons peanut butter
Agave and cinnamon to taste

Combine the cereal and water in a small pot and bring to a boil.  Stir constantly until thick (about 3 minutes).  Pour into a bowl and top with peanut butter, sliced banana, agave, and cinnamon.