Goodbye aughts, hello oats...

~ Oatmeal ~

The dour grain
Food of poverty
Feed for the dray
Gray in my bowl
Old and cold

Boiling water
Steamy kitchen
Hot coffee
Hills and vales of porridge
In my bowl
Rivulets of cream
And a handful of raisins

Puffed fat and creamy
Lovely in my bowl
Sticking to my ribs
Can be supper too
In another world

Congee gruel
Crispy fried scallions
Sweet or salty soy
Kanji, ganji, bubur
Okayu, juk, lugao
Barley, quinoa, rice
Sesame, chili, tiger sauce

Golden oat grains
Big, round, delicately brown
Crisp crumbled bacon
Sun in my bowl
Amazing rich and full

~ Gudrun Gausman


That was an original poem by ME. :=)

So, the "aughts" are over and it's a New Year once again. What exactly are we going to do to improve ourselves? Well, we don't want it to be too hard, and we don't want to give up being [n]aught[y] (even though the aughts are over). Hmmmm...

Oatmeal (1) may help reduce high blood pressure, (2) may reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes, (3) contains a wide array of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and is a good source of protein, complex carbohydrates and iron, and (4) may actually reduce the risk for certain cancers.

We all know about adding fruit, nuts, cinnamon, and sweeteners to oatmeal, but other things can make it very different indeed. It's not just for breakfast any more. So for the new year, eat more oatmeal! (And No, I don't work for the Quaker Oats Company.)


GOLDEN OATS MEDLEY (instead of rice, noodles or other grains) ~ The Quaker Oats Wholegrain Cookbook

Ingredients (Serves 4)

1 1/2 cups Quaker Oats, uncooked
1 egg, beaten
3 Tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup chopped green pepper*
3/4 cup chicken or beef broth
1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine uncooked oats and beaten egg in medium sized bowl; mix until oats are thoroughly coated. Saute green pepper in butter in a large skillet. Add the oat mixture to the green pepper mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for 1 to 3 minutes, or until the oats are dry, separate, and lightly browned. Add the broth and salt and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the liquid evaporates.

*Try some fried onion along with the green pepper.

VARIATIONS using the basic “Golden Oats Medley” recipe above...

GOLDEN OATS ORIENTAL: Substitute 3/4 cup water and 2 Tblsp soy sauce for broth. GOLDEN OATS PILAF: Substitute 3/4 cup mushroom slices and 2 Tblsp chopped green onion or chives for green pepper. GOLDEN OATS FLORENTIN: Substitute 1 cup chopped spinach or broccoli for green pepper. GOLDEN OATS ROMA: Substitute 1 cup thinly sliced zucchini and 1 garlic clove, minced for green pepper. GOLDEN OATS LORRAINE: Add 2 crisply cooked bacon slices, crumbled. GOLDEN OATS PROVENCAL: Add 1 medium sized tomato, chopped. GOLDEN OATS WITH HERBS: ADD 2 Tblsp parsley flakes, 1/2 tsp oregano leaves, 1/2 tsp basil leaves.


MARK BITTMAN'S OATMEAL WITH SCALLIONS AND SOY SAUCE

Ingredients (Serves one)

1 cup rolled oats (steel cut recommended)
2 cups water
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon scallions for stirring, 1 teaspoon for garnish
A couple shakes of sea salt

1. Combine water, salt, and oats in a medium saucepan and turn the heat too high. When the water boils, turn to low and cook, stirring frequently, until the water is just about absorbed (about 5 minutes).

2. Turn off heat, stirring in 1 tablespoon of scallions and soy sauce while the pot cools down. Sprinkle that last teaspoon of scallions on top for extra crunch.

Note: You can also do this in the microwave. Some will call this sacrilegious, and sure, maybe the texture is compromised a tad, but if you're in an office or getting anxious thinking about a pot, it's fine. Just cook the oats, water and scallions for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes, and add soy sauce and extra scallion garnish after.


A description of "congee" is here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congee