Mairzy Doats

Oatmeal. It is something that I always felt I should like, but could never manage to eat without a certain amount of disappointment
Don't get me wrong. I never hated the stuff, but each time I noshed on my puny packet of porridge I would think to myself, "this really should be better." I mentioned this at one point to my grandmother (who LOVES oatmeal, and is about as Scottish as an American can possibly be) and she said, "Well, honey, it's because you eat it sweet. You should try your oatmeal with salt and pepper." So the next time I preped my packet (which was the same maple & brown sugar variety that I have used my entire life, and really the only variety I seemed to be aware of until well after my college years were over) I added salt and pepper. Better, but still not great.
I basically just gave it up... until recently when a very good friend of mine schooled me on the different kinds of oats available in your average cereal isle. It turns out that your jib is not the only thing whose cut is important, and the variety I had been eating all of my life was simply a shell of its former self... or rather a shell-less version of its former self. To make the squishy instant stuff oat groats (whole grain oats) are cut, then steamed (which removes most of the nutrients and natural oaty flavor) then flattened. (in the case of the most well known and be-hatted variety they are even MORE thinly rolled to create that "creamy" texture. Which is produced because they are one step away from being oat flour.)

Steel cut oatmeal (aka Irish, or Scottish Oats (I'm not getting in the middle of who's right in that fight)) is oat groats which have been cut in two or three pieces. (period.) The texture is heartier. The nutrients are in tact, and the difference in flavor is astounding. I LOVE these oats. I weep for the years I spent without them in my life. I will be making a sincere effort to eat them at least once a day. In fact, I am considering changing this blog to only oatmeal recipes. (Not really, but check this out...) On top of those mini miracles, they also help your body to produce serotonin (the "make you happy" chemical made by your brain) so eating them can literally make you a happier person. (also try mung beans, lobster, turkey, asparagus, sunflower seeds, cottage cheese, pineapple, tofu, spinach and bananas.) WooHooooo!! Pass the oats please.

A Brief History of Oats


My Favorite Oatmeal

EST TIME- 10 minutes total
EST PRICE- $6.00 (oats, nuts, berries)

Cook up a pot of steel cut oats (the variety that I prefer is "Irish" quick and easy steel cut...)it is generally a 2/1 ratio of water to oats, and 1 cup of dry oats produced two large, or three moderate servings.
(for one cup prep)
Add
3 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp salt
3 tsp crushed black pepper
1 tbsp honey (or some type of sugar, if you prefer)
1 tbsp butter (or more, if you're into it)
Right before it reaches your desired thickness toss in a handful of cashews (or walnuts), and a handful of dried berries or rasins (i use a mix).

(if you make it with milk instead of water, you have a totally balanced breakfast.)