Steel Cut Oats for Breakfast

I came across this article in Dr. Andrew Weil's daily blog. He recommends using steel cut oats instead of rolled oats so I thought I'd give them a try. I found these directions helpful.

Steel cut oats are the inner part of the oat kernel. They are processed less than rolled oats so they require a longer cooking time. The result is a nuttier, chewier oatmeal, with a lower glycemic index than rolled oats.

It's definitely worth the extra cooking time in my opinion. I topped mine off with blueberries and strawberries.



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Energy Bars for the Road

I am making these bars for our trip to Eugene. They are great for road trips and camping. I usually hide them from my husband so he doesn't eat them all in one day.


Energy Bars

Combine and heat on low in oven so it mixes well:
2 cups rolled oats
2 1/2 cups puffed rice cereal
1 1/2 cups dried fruit (try raisins, cranberries, apples)
1 cup nuts (try peanuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds)

Heat until melted:
1/2 block butter
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 10 oz pkg marshmallows

Pour melted contents over dry ingredients and quickly mix together.
Spread and press into buttered pan.
Sprinkle with dried coconut if desired.
Cool and cut into bars.

These bars can be addicting. The bigger variety of fruits and nuts, the better.



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Veggie Burger Success

Instead of making an introductory entry, I must tell you about my chickpea burgers last night. I found the recipe on a vegetarian cooking website, The Veggie Table.

Here is a link to the recipe

I topped the patties with sauteed mushrooms and onions, avocado, tomatoes, and homegrown alfalfa sprouts. In an effort to avoid dairy, I used a home-made sunflower seed cheese spread over the buns. This could possibly be my favorite meal so far.