There are five fruits that Eretz Yisroel is praised for: grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates. Because of their chashivus they get a special beracha achrona called May’ayn Shalosh. (ShA1 – MB1)
A porridge cooked from the five grains, split or peeled, is Mezonos before and Al Hamichya afterwards. These are: wheat, barley, spelt, oats and rye – not corn. Even if the grains were put into the pot whole, but then dissolved through cooking, also say Mezonos. (ShA2 – MB2,3,4)
If other ingredients were added to the porridge, they become toffel to the grain even if the grain is the minority. But if the purpose of the grain is only for consistency, not for flavor or satiation, the grain is toffel to the other ingredients. (ShA2 – MB8)
The grains are Hoadama if eaten whole – whether raw, roasted or cooked. Their beracha achrona is Boray Nefashos. There is an opinion that doubts what the beracha achrona should be, and therefore holds you shouldn’t eat them except in a bread meal. (ShA4 – MB15)
Porridge of peeled barley is Mezonos and Al Hamichya. (MB16)
Plain flour from the five grains is Shehakol. If you mix it into a liquid, the drink is still Shehakol as long as it isn’t thick enough to eat. When it can also be eaten, it becomes Mezonos and afterwards Al Hamichya. (ShA 5,6 – MB22)
A drink made of split grains cooked in a lot of water needs two berachos. Since, in this case, the pieces of grain are not bottel, say a Shehakol on the broth and the Mezonos on the grain. The Chayay Odom says it’s better to say Shehakol on something else and have in mind to exempt the broth. (MB23)
Rice eaten whole is Hoadama whether raw or cooked. Once the cooking begins to dissolve the rice, even if just the peel falls off, it is Mezonos. Rice bread is also Mezonos. (ShA7 – MB26)
Since rice is not one of the five grains, it gets only Boray Nefashos afterwards, no matter the form. (ShA7 –MB29)
Since rice is not one of the five grains, it doesn’t make a mixture Mezonos when used as a minority ingredient. (ShA7 – MB30)
Legumes (including millet, corn, buckwheat) that are good raw or cooked are Hoadama. If they disintegrate completely from the cooking, or they are not as good cooked, say Shehakol. (ShA8 – MB33,37)
Bread made from legume flour is Hoadama if the legumes are grown for that purpose and it is the normal way to be eaten in that form. (MB33)
Completely mashed legumes are Hoadama if they are normally eaten that way or if the essential legume is still somewhat recognizable. (MB38 – ShaH42) What berachos do you say on products made from a mixture of grain (5) flour and legume flour?
If at least 1/8 is grain flour and if you taste it:
Bread will be Hamotzi and afterwards Birkas Hamazon if you ate 1 k’zayis of grain (i.e. 8 k’zaysim of this mixture) within the time it takes to eat 8 k’zaysim.
Porridge will be Mezonos and afterwards Al Hamichya if you ate 1 k’zayis of grain within the time it takes to eat 8 k’zaysim.
If you ate 1-8 k’zaysim: according to Shulchan Aruch – Al Hamichya, and according to Gr”a – Boray Nefashos. (ShA9 – MB43,44,47 – ShaH46)
If less than 1/8 is grain flour, but you can taste the grain:
Bread will be Hamotzi and after only one k’zayis say Al Hamichya according to Shulchan Aruch and according to the Gr”a Boray Nefashos no matter how much you eat. (A yoray shomayim shouldn’t eat this food except in a regular bread meal when the benching will remove the doubt). Do not protest against someone who relies upon the Shulchan Aruch.
Porridge will be Mezonos and afterwards Boray Nefashos. (ShA9 – MB46,47)
If the grain flour cannot be tasted it is bottel to the other flour (rice – Mezonos, all others – Shehakol) – afterwards say Boray Nefashos. (MB45 – ShaH46)
If you cook a stew that has Mezonos grain, potatoes and beans in it, do not say Al Hamichya afterwards unless you ate a k’zayis of grain within the abovementioned ratio of 1 portion grain to 7 portions of other ingredients. (MB48)
What beracha achrona do you say on a k’zayis of pas haboh b’kisnin (e.g. sugar cookie) where there is not a k’zayis of grain in it? The minhag haolam is to say Al Hamichya anyways, reasoning that the non-grain ingredients are included in the shiur k’zayis. It is best to eat enough cookies to amount to a k’zayis of only grain. (MB48)
See the entire nusach of Al Hamichya in the Mishna Berura. Some people omit “v’nochal mipiryoh v’nisba mituvoh”, but do not reprimand those who want to say it. (MB50 – ShaH51)