Creamy Cinnamon Oatmeal Porridge

There are days when a smoothie just isn't going to cut it for breakfast.  On these days I wake up craving something warm, filling, and cinnamon-y.  These days call for homemade spelt waffles, fresh from the griddle.  

But, if you're anything like me, you don't end up with warm, delicious spelt waffles.  Nope, if you are me, you end up oddly crispy, yet somehow undercooked waffle-imposters because you decided that you didn't need to follow a recipe for waffle batter.  (Apparently, Sonnet, apparently... you do.)  

No harm done though, because smarty pants you, you had some steel cut oats soaking.  Looks like you get to indulge in that hearty, delicious breakfast after all.  

The key to this porridge is soaking the oats for 12 - 24 hours.  Soaking grains increases their digestibility and makes them more nutritious.  Most grains contain phytic acid which can block mineral absorption during digestion, but soaking and fermenting grains neutralizes this acid and allows your body to absorb more nutrients.  In cool weather, soak the oats for a full 24 hours and in hot weather, soak them for 8 - 12 hours.  I recently soaked and fermented my oats for two days, resulting in a very intense, sour porridge.  For most palates, I would definitely recommend sticking with 12 - 24 hours.

The other important aspect of this recipe is the cinnamon.  I love using cinnamon in my cooking because it helps to balance blood sugar and decreases inflammation.  Sounds like a win-win! Eat up!

Note: If gluten-free, be sure to choose Bob's Red Mill brand for steel cut oats.  Although oats are naturally gluten-free, they are often contaminated with wheat during processing.  

Creamy Cinnamon Oatmeal Porridge

Slightly adapted from Wild Fermentation 

Serves 2 - 4

1 cup steel-cut oats

5 cups water

sea salt to taste

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Soak oats for 12 - 24 hours in 2 cups of water.  Keep container covered to keep dust and flies out.  The oats will absorb most of the water.

When oats are done soaking, bring an additional 3 cups of water to a boil.  Lower the heat and add the soaked oats with any remaining water.  Add the cinnamon and nutmeg and stir until the oats are hot and have absorbed all the water, about 10 - 15 minutes.  Stir constantly as the oatmeal gets thicker to prevent it from burning.  Serve warm with your favorite toppings. 

Cranberry & Pecan Power Bars

Do you have a little voice inside your head that tells you what to do?  Does it tell you things like eat your greens!  Or, get off this couch - NOW!  Or, stop looking at that pizza like that!  'Cause mine does.  Tell me about your little voice; I promise I won't judge.

The little voice inside my head kicked my butt through 42 miles of cycling on Saturday.  Up and down and up more hills, through long winding flat road, and even through a little bit of rain.  That voice pushed me to go harder.  Sometimes that little voice sounds a lot like Jillian Michaels.  I'm not sure if that's a good thing.

Lucky for me I made these delicious and energizing power bars before my ride.  It wasn't until I started doing long bicycle rides that I understood the point of the power bar.  Before this summer, I had never done a workout longer than 2.5 hours and I didn't realize how badly your body needs carbohydrates and glucose during long workouts.  Having a nutritious and healthy snack during a long ride or workout really makes a difference.

 

The original recipe called for rice cereal, but I substituted puffed millet and also added in some quinoa flakes for a little extra protein.  There is a lot of room for substitutions and adjustment on this recipe so feel free to get creative.  These bars are chewy, nutrient dense, and definitely keep your energy up.  I also love them with a cup of tea for breakfast or as a post-workout snack.  

Cranberry and Pecan Power Bars

Adapted From Enlightened Cooking

Makes 12 bars

1 1/4 cup puffed millet cereal
1 cup uncooked quick-cooking oats
2 Tablespoons quinoa flakes (optional)
2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed (flaxseed meal)
1/3 cup dried cranberries (or another dried fruit)
1/4 cup cup chopped pecans (or another nut)
1/3 cup brown rice syrup
1/2 cup almond butter (or any nut butter of your choice)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine the millet, oats, quinoa flakes, flaxseed meal, cranberries, and nuts in a large bowl.

Combine the syrup and almond butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until melted and well-blended.  Stir in vanilla until blended.

Pour almond buter mixture over cereal mixture, stirring until coated (you will probably have to get your hands in it to thoroughly mix it).  Press mixture firmly into an 8-inch square pan (sprayed with nonstick cooking spray) using a large square of wax paper to really tamp it down.  Cool in pan on a wire rack and chill at least 30 minutes to help it set.  Cut into 12 bars, wrap tightly in plastic, and store in refrigerator. 

Easy Overnight Oats

I was recently told that I look like the girl from the TV show Northern Exposure.  I know that I live in the Pacific Northwest and all, but this is not exactly the best compliment.  It must be time for a haircut.  And time to stop wearing hiking boots to work.

I've also recently been told that I look like the girl from the Verizon poster in the downtown Seattle bus tunnel.  That's slighty more flattering, thanks. 

A few years ago when I had much longer hair, I was often compared to Kelly Clarkson and, my personal favorite look-alike, Catherine Zeta Jones.  I guess since I don't hear that comparison anymore it can only mean one thing:  forget the haircut, it's time for a make-over.  

My breakfast also needed a makeover recently.  And since I apparently need to spend much more time on my appearance, my new breakfast had to be quick as well as healthy and delicious.  I used to always go straight for my morning green smoothie, but overnight oats are a nice option too and just as quick.

Have you ever heard of overnight oats?  You take regular rolled oats and instead of cooking them, you soak them in milk overnight and serve them cold.  Genius!  I love this version with chia seeds added in.

If you've never heard of chia seeds before, you're probably wondering what they heck they are and why you would want to eat them.  Chia seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and are high in antioxidant properties.  They look like small greyish seeds that form a thick gel when soaked in liquid.  This "chia gel" is very filling and hydrating and I've heard it's used by athletes after races. 

The trick with the chia seeds is to make sure they are well-soaked.  When I was first experimenting with them, I tried a chia pudding recipe that called for soaking them ten minutes before eating.  This is definitely not long enough.  When you eat chia seeds they shouldn't have any crunch to them at all, but should simply taste like a soft gel.  I know that sounds so delicious that you must be rushing to your kitchen to make this.

 Alright, if you're not already convinced then know that it's really the toppings that give this dish the extra oomph.  Try topping it with some warm berries (my personal favorite), your favorite nut butter, fresh fruit, dried fruit, chopped up walnuts, and/or a drizzle of some pure maple syrup.  You can add whatever other toppings you like, just don't forget to put your oats in the fridge the night before.

Easy Overnight Oats
From Oh She Glows
Serves 1

2 tablespoons chia seeds
1/3 cup regular rolled oats
3/4 cup milk (rice, soy, and almond all work great)
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Mix together ingredients in a bowl.  I like to add my chia seeds first and make sure they are well mixed in with the milk before adding the oats.  Since the chia seeds are light, they can sometimes float to the top (and do not absorb the liquid) so I usually check them about 10 minutes later and stir them again if necessary.  Put the bowl in the fridge to sit overnight.  Wake up in the morning, top with your favorite toppings and serve cold. 

Olive Oil Granola

I don't know about you, but it's been a really long week.  It was one of those weeks where a lot happened professionally and personally and my brain and body were just kinda stuck in the middle of it.  Luckily, it's a three-day weekend and I just made granola.  It's amazing what the smell of cinnamon and toasted oats can do for one's mood.

If granola is the high of my week, my shoulder pain has definitely been my low.  I'm still recovering from a shoulder injury from last August and this week my physical therapist told me I needed to stop running.  Since my shoulder is already irritated and having a hard time healing, my recent training has been making it worse.

For anyone that has ever had to stop doing something they love because of an injury, I'm sure you can share in my frustration, anger, and sadness.  I was feeling really sorry for myself all week, thinking negatively about my body, and skipping the gym out of frustration.  Obviously, this made me feel worse about the situation.

Yesterday I had to change my attitude.  I returned all of my marathon training books back to the library.  I put on my cutest workout top.  And I told myself that if cycling is all that I can do, then I'm going to do it!  I went to the gym, got on a bike, and I rode for two hours.  It didn't make me feel better about not being able to run, but it sure made me stop being negative. 

I've been trying to find other things besides exercise to get excited about.  Since I won't be able to participate in any races for the next couple of months, I decided to put that money towards registration for the Vida Vegan Blogger Conference in Portland this August.  I bought myself a new toothbrush.  Then I cleaned and organized my refrigerator.  These might sound like insignificant things, yet somehow, they help make it better.  And I might not be able to go running, but I sure can make a good batch of granola.  That's something to be thankful for. 

This is one of my favorite granola recipes.  The olive oil and salt add just enough "oomph" to separate it from the sweeter granola varieties.  I love having this with almond milk in the morning or with some soy yogurt for dessert.  If you're worried about all the calories in granola, you can have half granola and half puffed (unsweetened) brown rice cereal to help cut some of the fat and sugar.  This is usually what I do in the mornings when I don't want to start my day with something too sweet. I also like to add in some flax seeds and hemp protein powder.

Ingredients:
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup almonds, chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup agave or pure maple syrup (I usually use a mix of both)
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup chopped dried apricots (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300.

I ran my almonds and walnuts through a food processor for a few minutes, but you can also chop them by hand or leave them whole.  In a large bowl, combine your oats, nuts, seeds, cinnamon and salt.  Mix in your olive oil, agave and/or maple syrup.

Spread the mixture on a large rimmed baking sheet in an even layer and bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown.  Stir occasionally. 

Once cooled, transfer to a large bowl and mix in the apricots.