Oatmeal = Winter Wonderful

Brrr!!! It's all of a sudden a bone-chilling winter in the Bay Area, which means rain, rain, rain. I've caught the nasty bug thats going around and haven't really felt it'd be adventageous to venture outside during it all. I need to be well in order to work! So, in between stringing together poetic sentences showcasing my talents as an employee (I'm STILL looking for a job), nursing this cold, and shaking the boredom out of my bones, I've been reaching into the depths of the pantry to rustle up some hot yummy winter meals.

Oatmeal is a staple in most homes, but one that I'd almost forgotten about. It wasn't a favorite of mine as a child, so its one of those meals I had to re-discover as an adult and have consequently grown to love. Some of the things I love about it: its cheap since I buy in unpackaged bulk, its EASY to cook, its good for you, and its so versatile!! This morning was gray, rainy, cold...and definitely an oatmeal morning.

Sprouted Buckwheaties Oatmeal (with goodies on top!)

The measurements and recipe are so easy, and easily tweakable.
Today I used:
2/3 cup WHOLE oatmeal (not instant) and "buckwheaties" mix. The mix was about 3 parts oatmeal to 1 part buckwheat.
1 1/5 cups water (you can also throw in some soy/hemp/almond/whatever milk)

Bring water to a slight boil, simmer grains for about 5-7 minutes.
Turn off heat, cover, let sit for 3-5 mins until water is absorbed. Makes one giant helping or two decent helpings.

Thats it! And here we have our blank canvas to work off of. Some organic maple syrup, crushed raw almonds, and dried cranberries made it delish and hearty morning meal!


Now, what in the world is a "Buckwheatie"?? A sprouted, dehydrated buckwheat "grain" (its actually closer to a fruit seed, and gluten free.)A little about the health benefits of buckwheat here. I borrowed the term from Juliano's Raw: The Uncook Book. I re-cooked them here, but if left raw, you can use them sprinkled on your fave faux-gurt, in salads, in raw bread alternatives, etc, etc, etc. Sprouting at home is one of the easiest, lazy chef things to do, as well as dehydrating if you have the proper equiptment. It will also unlock different health benefits you wouldn't find in unsprouted groats.
Sprouting Buckwheat Groats.
I made a gigantic batch probably months ago and have had them pantried ever since.


Speaking of dehydrating, one of my favorite things to add to my tea press-pot is dehydrated fruit! I've been on a blueberry and strawberry kick lately. Adding them to my green tea as its steeping adds just that much more flavor and antioxidant kick. I'm convinced the combo is helping to kick this cold out of my body!


Now bring on the day!