Soaked and Poached Oatmeal for Breakfast!

First the why...
I am trying out a more nutrient dense diet, trying to improve my health and that of our family.

I have been searching the internet, and reading books like "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon; which I highly recommend, although I have this one caviat. I do not subscribe to everything that is in the book (I rarely do.) Most of it seems sound.

So, on to the recipe...
I was looking for a soaked oatmeal that we could put together the night before and wake up to a nutritious, hot, breakfast for our family of six. Our experiences with crockpot oatmeal were not good. Apparently our crockpot cooks to quickly, even on low, for this type of recipe. It always turned out too dry, and when I tried to compensate, it was too wet. Never just right. This time our experiment turned out "Just Right!" (you get the Three Little Bears analogy, right? I'm sooooooo clever ;-) We poached it instead!

Here is our recipe:

Step 1: Soaking the day before
3 cups old fashioned or scottish oats
Water to cover by 1 inch
1 Tbl. Lime Juice (because we were out of both lemons and whey)
Combine in a large bowl, and soak for at least 12 hours. Longer is fine, up to 24 hours. Cover bowl with a tea towl (to keep out any teansie weinsie fruit flies) and let sit on your counter.

Step 2: Night before eating
Drain the oatmeal. Place in a greased (coconut oil is preferred) crockpot. Cover with fresh water to cover by one inch. Place on WARM setting, and let cook overnight. 12 - 14 hours is great. We just started it about 8:00 at night, cause we were thinking about it, and didn't want to forget to start it.

Next morning dish it up with whatever fixin's you want, or have on hand. We like 100% Maple Syrup and cinnamon. Say it with me now: "EASY!" Sometime I'm gonna try some soaked raisins (in rum!) just for the fun of it. NO I don't plan on serving it to the kids. I might be a lunatic, but I'm not crazy!

Easy Chili - Crockpot

Easy Chili - Crockpot

1 pound ground beef round or chuck
1 cup chopped onion
8 cups cooked pinto beans
2 (14 1/2 oz.) cans tomatoes, drained
1 green pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 to 3 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin
salt, to taste

In a large skillet, brown ground beef with the chopped onion. Put the ground beef, onions, and other ingredients in a 3 1/2 to 5-quart slow cooker. Stir well. Cover and cook on low for 9 to 11 hours.

Serves 8.

Leftovers freeze well

Scalloped Potatoes with Smoked Sausage (Slow Cooker)

Scalloped Potatoes with Smoked Sausage (Slow Cooker)

16 ounces rope Smoked Sausage, sliced
8 to 10 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
2 medium onions, peeled and thinly sliced
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of celery or cream of potato soup
paprika -- optional

Layer half of the smoked sausage, potatoes, and onions in slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then the shredded cheese. Repeat with remaining ham, potatoes, onions, salt, pepper, and cheese. Pour condensed soup over the top then sprinkle with a little paprika, if desired.

Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 9 hours, or until potatoes are tender.

Yield: 6-8 servings