Oatmeal is one of those breakfasts that I love, but never want to make because in my head it has the stigma of taking too long to cook and not really filling me up until lunch. The trick is to add some fat like butter, milk, and nuts, but somehow that strips away some of the healthy. Here is my healthier version and enough for a weeks worth of breakfasts. I make this on sunday and then dish it into containers for me to grab out of the fridge on the way to work. I just heat it up in the microwave when I get there.
Here is how I've made my oatmeal even healthier. Quinoa has more protein than oatmeal and it gives my oatmeal a little more texture. I usually have red quinoa on hand which would give this a nuttier flavor which in oatmeal, would be good, but below I made it with regular blond quinoa. I also added coconut oil instead of butter because in Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Cooking, she says "coconut oil is rich in lauric acid, which facilitates brain functions and boosts the immune system." Sounds like the perfect thing for a winter morning. I've also added flax seed meal, because it's filled with omega 3 fatty acids.
This recipe is inspired by Mark Bittman's oatmeal recipe in How to Cook Everything Vegetarian and Heidi Swanson's Seven Way Steel Cut Oats in Super Natural Cooking.
Quinoa Oatmeal
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup quinoa (scrubbed)
2 cups water
dash of salt
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup flax seed meal
In a large saucepan, add the oatmeal, quinoa, and salt to the water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn down the heat to simmer, stir and cover with a lid. Stir occasionally. In 10-15 minutes, remove the lid and cook off the rest of the water, if any. Stir in the coconut oil and flax seed meal.
I top mine with dried cranberries, cherries, sliced almonds, and a chopped apple. And, organic natural brown sugar. I know, brown sugar is bad. I tried to use honey instead of brown sugar, but it just didn't taste as good. I'm working on it.
Here is how I've made my oatmeal even healthier. Quinoa has more protein than oatmeal and it gives my oatmeal a little more texture. I usually have red quinoa on hand which would give this a nuttier flavor which in oatmeal, would be good, but below I made it with regular blond quinoa. I also added coconut oil instead of butter because in Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Cooking, she says "coconut oil is rich in lauric acid, which facilitates brain functions and boosts the immune system." Sounds like the perfect thing for a winter morning. I've also added flax seed meal, because it's filled with omega 3 fatty acids.
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| quinoa oatmeal for the week |
Quinoa Oatmeal
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup quinoa (scrubbed)
2 cups water
dash of salt
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup flax seed meal
In a large saucepan, add the oatmeal, quinoa, and salt to the water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn down the heat to simmer, stir and cover with a lid. Stir occasionally. In 10-15 minutes, remove the lid and cook off the rest of the water, if any. Stir in the coconut oil and flax seed meal.
I top mine with dried cranberries, cherries, sliced almonds, and a chopped apple. And, organic natural brown sugar. I know, brown sugar is bad. I tried to use honey instead of brown sugar, but it just didn't taste as good. I'm working on it.
yum. yum. yum
ReplyDeleteI have not cooked with coconut oil but have been reading about it. I'll give it a try.
ReplyDeleteDate sugar is made from ground up dates. It doesn't melt like sugar, so I don't bake with it, but it's great on oatmeal and can replace brown sugar for me...or I'll sprinkle on some chopped up dates (using scissors). Though, frankly, I allow myself a little brown sugar most oatmeal days.