That's the way the cookie crumbles...

Today I went to the Green Grocer in Half-Moon to continue my search for unsweetened carob chips. This little store was surprisingly really great, and they had carob!!! Sunspire unsweetened carob chips are naturally sweet, so they're great for those of us avoiding sugar. They are kind of a let down if you're expecting chocolate though. so just think of them as something almost, but not quite, unlike chocolate.

While I was shopping, I realized I did not yet have any vegan oatmeal dishes. So I set out to make a vegan, slow-carb oatmeal cookie. I was perhaps a bit too ambitious.

Here is the recipe:
4 tablespoons natural peanut butter
4 tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 cup carob powder
1/2 cup dried currents
1/2 cup unsweetened carob chips
1/2 cup date pieces
2 teaspoons baking powder
Dash of cinnamon


I just kinda mixed all the ingredients together in no particular order, then spooned it onto cookie sheets. Then baked for 15 minutes.

I didn't add any flour; I let the carob powder, almond meal, and oats provide all the starch. The sweetness came from the carob, currants, dates, and applesauce. And I hoped applesauce would work instead of eggs. This was where I went wrong I think.

The result was a tasty, mildly sweet, sorta chocolatey, crumbly mess. They looked like cookies, until you bit into one and they completely fell apart. Next time, I will use egg-replacer.

(Photo taken with a glass of unsweetened almond milk)

Grits?

One of my favorite things to eat for breakfast is grits with poached eggs, butter, and hot sauce. So today I made up my oatmeal just like I would a bowl of grits. It definitely hit the spot.

Here's a cool trick for a perfect poached egg: pace a few drops of water in a small bowl. Crack an egg in it and cover it with a saucer or small plate. Then microwave for 45 seconds, though individual microwaves may vary.

Lox

Woke up this morning to find bagels and lox in the kitchen. The bagels were whole grain, but I wasn't sure if they had sugar added, so I decided to dress up my oatmeal as if it were a bagel.

Today's oatmeal: steel cut oatmeal topped with smoked salmon, dill yogurt sauce, roasted red peppers, pesto, and a touch of paprika.

Granola!

Today we went to the Trader Joe's in Albany looking for some unsweetened carob chips. I should have stocked up on these at the Brattleboro Co-op, because the Trader Joe's employee we spoke to had never even heard of carob.

So instead I bought a multigrain hot cereal with oats, barley, and rye. I also got some almond meal, coconut oil, and a few different unsweetened dried fruits.

So tonight I made up a batch of toasty warm granola, served on plain yogurt, with a little bit of balsamic vinegar. This should have been breakfast, or possibly desert. It's good to eat breakfast for dinner once in a while.
Here is the recipe for this granola:

1/2 cup multi grain hot cereal
1/4 cup almond meal
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup dried strawberries
1/4 cup dried apple pieces
1 dash of apple pie spice
1 tablespoon coconut oil




In a medium bowl combine the first 6 ingredients. Add coconut oil to a hot skillet. When the oil has melted, add the granola, stirring constantly. Stir for 2 or 3 minutes, serve warm with yogurt.

Back in NY

I wish I had thought ahead and made a Super Bowl themed oatmeal dish, but instead I just threw one together to go with a roast my parents were making.

So for dinner tonight was roast beef with steel cut oatmeal with roasted red peppers, olives, Parmesan cheese, and basil pesto. I really like these flavors together. I will have to make another dish sometime with a similar flavor profile.

Steak...

Today we made steel cut oatmeal with yellow peas, cumin, and chicken broth. Served this with sirloin tips, spinach, and sautéed mushrooms.

This will likely be my last post from my brother's place in Vermont. I've been here way longer than I anticipated, it's been a blast. Tomorrow morning we'll be heading back to my dad's house in Schenectady.

Chèvre

Today I made a yogurt oat bread, and filled it with bourbon soaked raisins and goat cheese. This is another dish that would have benefitted from the edition of brown sugar.

This bread was inspired by an Irish recipe I once made: St. Brigid's Oat Cakes. February 1st is the feast of St. Brigid, in Ireland. It is also the Celtic pagan holiday Imbolc, which is the cross quarter day between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. So happy Imbolc everybody, make sure you eat your oatmeal.