Photo credit to thebittenword.com.
Anyone who knows me well, knows I am not a morning person in the least. Left to my own devices (this essentially means pre-regular employment, and especially, pre-baby), I naturally don't emerge from the safety of my covers until past 8 am, sometimes even 9 (I make up for it, of course, by staying up till nearly midnight). These days, though, with a bright-eyed munchkin who doesn't like to waste valuable playtime by staying in bed, I have to greet the day a bit earlier.
That being said, anything that can make my morning a little easier, is a welcome find. And, lately I've been following a tip from one of my favorite writers on how to simplify breakfast. Somewhere (Walking on Water? Circle of Quiet? I don't actually remember for sure where I saw it) I remembered Madeleine L'Engle talking about starting her day off with Irish oatmeal. As I recall, she said she'd make a double batch once or twice a week at night, dish it into bowls, and put it in the fridge; microwaved with a splash of buttermilk, it made a healthy and delicious breakfast.
Not actually knowing what Irish oatmeal was, at the time (I assumed it was basically just regular oatmeal), I stored this tidbit of information away and didn't think much about it. But as I was recently re-reading Troubling a Star for the several-hundredth time, Vicky's repeated references to oatmeal piqued my interest, and made me look into this stuff further. So I did some research, discovered that it's not quite the same thing as your typical Quaker rolled oats (the oats are cut, not rolled, and the finished product has more of a chewy, nutty texture, along with the creamy oatmeal consistency - like a cross between tapioca pudding and oatmeal, sort of), and also that steel cut oats are pretty healthy for you. Also, there aren't any crazy additives when you make it yourself in this fashion.
So that's what I've been doing lately. I make a double batch twice a week, and pour it into about four bowls. I then cover it with tinfoil, refrigerate, and each morning I pull out breakfast, almost ready to go. Usually a splash of cream, a drizzle of maple syrup, and a sprinkle of dried cranberries is enough to really put my day off on the right start, but the possibilities are pretty endless; this last weekend, when we went out to breakfast for my husband's birthday, I actually tried "crispy steel cut oatmeal", which is a pan-fried, somewhat more savory version, and it was pretty good as well.
Regardless, it's quick, it's easy, it's basically mindless, but also really nutritious. I can feel good about eating it myself, and giving some to my toddler as well (who actually really likes it). So thanks, Madeleine, for the great suggestion. It's not the first or the last thing I have to thank you for, if ever we meet "upon the other shore."
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5 comments:
I've made steel cut oats before (obviously since you were no longer living here), but I've actually cooked them in the morning (which is time consuming). Grammy Swift's grandmother used to cook oatmeal in a double boiler overnight. Some people cook theirs in a crockpot. I actually like steel cut oats, but I haven't bought them in awhile. Got to get around to doing so again.
Abby, I'm not a morning person either. Like you I would much rather sleep in and stay up late. But I agree that starting off the day with a bowl of oatmeal definitely helps. I've been recently experimenting with adding a spoonful of almond butter or shredded coconut to my bowl. The possibilities are endless! yum!
Josee - shredded coconut - that sounds really good! Note to self - buy coconut at the store tomorrow :) The great thing about oatmeal is that it can change with the seasons, although in the summer I'm more apt to opt for something that doesn't remind me so strongly of winter mornings.
Oatmeal is one of our favorites, but we always have the quick options. I've never even looked into the time required for steel-cut, but if making it ahead of time is simple, I might give it a go! Warm breakfast always makes my day feel brighter :)
Have you tried the soak it overnight version. I did today, and it did speed things up.
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