I was served a raw oatmeal at a breakfast that I attended a few years ago and was completely blown away at how amazing it was. I am a true oatmeal lover, but I don't function at full capacity in the mornings. The thought of standing at the stove for half an hour to prepare breakfast is not only the last thing I feel like doing but something I do not have the luxury of time for. Preparing a batch of raw oatmeal on the weekend so it is at the ready for the week ahead allows me to enjoy all of the benefits of a hearty bowl of oatmeal each morning without any fuss at all.
As this dish can be made ahead of time and served at room temperature, it is my go to recipe to serve when I teach morning cooking classes at my home. I like to set a large bowl of it out with an array of toppings for my class to enjoy. I often have to twist a lot of arms trying to persuade people to try it as they are skeptical about this bowl of glop on the table, but nine out of ten of them are shocked at how truly delicious it is. Even those that don't really care for oatmeal seem to like it. This oatmeal recipe not only offers the benefits of convenience and good health but it tastes absolutely delicious
Oats are an excellent source of the minerals manganese, selenium, and phosphorus, and iron as well as vitamin B1. Oats are also a fantastic source of dietary fiber. The oat bran's dietary fiber is high in beta-glucan, which is what gives oats their reputation for being beneficial in lowering cholesterol.
Top a serving of raw oatmeal with a sprinkling of a few other nutritional powerhouses such as almonds, ground flax seeds, fresh berries, or unsweetened coconut and you have a truly perfect breakfast that will sustain you for hours.
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Raw Oatmeal Porridge (gluten-free) 8-12 servings For all ingredients, please consider using those that are grown organically. |
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| 2 cups | gluten-free steel cut oats |
| 10 | dried calmyrna figs, if you cannot find calmyrna figs use any dried fig available |
| 1/2 teaspoon | ground cinnamon |
| pinch | freshly ground nutmeg |
| Serve with toppings of your preference. A few suggestions might include the following: | |
| fresh berries, sliced bananas, or grated apples | |
| ground flax or chia seeds | |
| unsweetened coconut flakes (I like mine toasted) | |
| chopped nuts of your choice | |
| ground cinnamon | |
| dried unsweetened fruits such as goji berries, tart cherries, cranberries or raisins | |
| unsweetened plant based milk such as almond, coconut, or soy | |
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Plan a little in advance. You will need to soak the oats and figs at least 10-36 hours prior to preparation. Put the oats in a medium size mixing bowl and cover with purified water. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 10-36 hours. Put the figs in another bowl and cover with at least 2 cups of purified water. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 10-36 hours. Drain the oats. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, put about 1 cup of the fig soaking water along with the drained oats and the soaked figs. Reserve remaining fig soaking water to adjust consistency of the porridge. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg to the oats and figs and process for 30-60 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and process again. The mixture should be smooth but coarse. You want the oats to maintain a bit of texture. The porridge should be thick with enough liquidity to easily pour into a serving bowl or storage container. It will get a bit thicker as it sets. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate until ready to use. Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days. An optimal serving size is about 1/3-2/3 cup of porridge on its own or with toppings of your choice. Oatmeal is rather filling so I recommend not overdoing your portion size. |
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