Butterscotch and Baked Oatmeal Recipes

I posted this on my 'food' blog but decided to post it here as well.  My sister asked for it and I was pleasantly surprised to be reminded I had already written it out!  ;-)

A note on the 'Butterscotch Oatmeal' recipe: We have started playing with this basic recipe and LOVE it.  Our current favorite is to add an apple -peeled and diced into small pieces- with the oats the night before and then adding about 1 tsp of cinnamon to the final cooking the next morning.  Super yummy.  Then one time I added some canned pumpkin (about 1/4c) and some pumpkin pie spice (maybe 1/2tsp) to the leftovers and made a pumpkin pie flavored baked oatmeal!

They are both very versatile and very forgiving.  Oh, and even better, very healthy!

Butterscotch Oatmeal

Ingredients:

2 cups Oats -Old Fashioned, Rolled

4 cups Milk/Water (I prefer 2c whole milk and 2c water)

1/4 cup 'Acid' -lemon juice, raw vinegar, cultured buttermilk, kombucha, yogurt, or kefir

1/4 cup Natural Sweetener (raw cane sugar is our fav but honey or maple syrup is good too)

2 teas Molasses

2 Eggs

1 teas Vanilla

Directions:

The night before: Mix in med to large pot the oats, 2 cups of liquid (1c milk and 1c water), and the 'Acid'. Cover and leave on the counter to soak overnight -at least 8 hours.

In the morning: Add the remaining 2 cups liquid (1c milk and 1c water), sweetener and molasses. Stir well and heat over medium heat until it starts to bubble. Turn down to simmer and cook about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a heat-proof bowl. Temper the eggs (add a little of the hot oatmeal at a time and stir quickly until the eggs are as hot as the oatmeal) and then add to the pot -stirring quickly and well to prevent eggs clumping.

Remove from heat, add vanilla.

Yummy with nuts, fresh fruit and/or cream!

Baked Oatmeal

Ingredients:

Leftover Oatmeal

Eggs

Milk

Directions:

Mix all ingredients and pour into a buttered baking dish. Can be baked immediately or refrigerated and baked later.

Bake 350* for about 30 minutes -until center is set.

What I do:

Let the oatmeal cool and then add 1-2 eggs and just enough milk to make it slightly runny and creamy and mix well. Sometimes I add fresh or dried fruit (blueberries, cranberries, apples, peaches, etc). Sometimes I add a touch of cinnamon, allspice or other spice (I love the 5-spice Chinese blend). You can also add a touch of pumpkin puree instead of the milk for a yummy variation.

I love this recipe as it spreads out 2 cups of oats for two breakfasts for all of the children!

A note on the 'Acid'.

Oats (and all grains) are coated with an enzyme that inhibits our bodies from digesting them properly. This same enzyme/acid protects the seed/grain while it is waiting to be germinated. When you soak the oats/grain in an acid as I mentioned, it breaks down the enzyme/acid and allows our bodies to fully digest and benefit from all the nutrients in them. This is why grains were almost always fermented by our ancestors -not only does it preserve the grains but it makes them much more healthy! If you want to learn more, here is one article to get you started: http://www.westonaprice.org/food-features/be-kind-to-your-grains