Healthy Oatmeal Recipe
—– Step 1: The night before…
- 100ml (0.5 cup) rolled oats (sprouted is best!)
- 300ml (1.5 cups) of water (or just 1 cup if not adding optional items below)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (or whey or lemon juice)
- [optional] 1 or 2 teaspoons of ground rye (freshly ground is best). This reduces anti-nutrients.
- [optional] 50ml einkorn flour (freshly course ground is best). Adds nutrition and thickness.
—– Step 2: The next morning, mix these into your oatmeal before cooking:
- 1/2 teaspoon or more of Cinnamon (Ceylon)
- Sprinkle some Cardamom
- Raisins (or blueberries or chopped apple)
—– Step 3: Bring to a simmer n a pot (glass, ceramic, or stainless. No aluminum!)…
- 200ml (1 cup) of water
- 1 tablespoon VCO (Virgin Coconut Oil)
- 1 teaspoon+ of butter or ghee
- Several pinches of sea salt (Himalayan Pink or Celtic)
The oats, wheat, and rye should soak for 8 to 12 hours, at a warm temperature of about 28 – 35 C (80 – 95 F).
In the Evening:
Step 1: Grind the wheat and rye, and mix the flour with the oats.
Step 2: Add 1 Tblspn of vinegar to 1+ cup of water and mix.
Step 3: Stir the water/vinegar combo into the oat/flour mixture.
Step 4: Cover and let sit overnight for at least 8 hours.
The Next Morning:
Step 1: Add raisins and cinnamon to the oatmeal, and mix.
Step 2: Bring one cup of water to a boil in a small pot, then add the salt.
Step 3: Stir in the oatmeal mix.
Step 4: Lower the heat, and stir the oatmeal for at least five minutes.
Step 5: Add the VCO and ghee (or grass-fed butter). These oils are quite durable, so you can add them after step 2 if you prefer.
Serve hot. Makes one large bowl of oatmeal.
NOTES:
Oatmeal and other grains are a tricky thing. If you do not pre-treat them somehow, they can wreck havoc on your health. On the other hand, if prepared properly, they are super nutritious. This recipe is one example.
Einkorn wheat is by far the healthiest and most nutritious wheat, as it is the oldest and ‘purest’ strain, being quite different from other kinds of wheat genetically. Commonly known by its Italian name, Farro Piccolo. It is not necessary for this recipe, especially since it is such a small amount; however, I like to introduce Einkorn to people as often as possible.
Rye is used to help ‘unlock’ the nutrition in the oats. Rye is very high in phytase, which neutralizes the phytic acid in all grains and nuts (when soaked together with apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, whey, etc.). Oats are very low in phytase, so soaking them alone is not very effective (although it does make them much more digestible). Depending on the person, the addition of rye can have a dramatic impact on the amount of nutrition absorbed.
You can use a small light bulb or lamp to keep your grains warm while soaking. I actually have a small 15W bulb in a box that I put the bowl on top of.
Details about phytase and phytic acid can be found here.
Thanks to a friend for mentioning Cardamom to me. This is another super healthy spice that also has a suitable flavor for this dish. You might even consider adding a touch of turmeric and black pepper just for the health benefits, but I would be careful not to spoil the flavor with those two spices. Cardamom is a flavor you will probably enjoy in your oatmeal.