Look, dear reader, I am not going to tell you that cold cereal isn’t good. It is. Even after this week’s episode and knowing all the ins and outs of dangerous plastic toys or the Kellogg’s whole debacle with sugar, I still look forward to digging into a bowl of Cheerios - what can I say? They are comforting, delicious, and, perhaps best of all, you can eat cereal at just about any time of day. Sure, it’s a breakfast food - on paper. But the world is your oyster, and when it comes to milk, bowl, and spoon, you make the rules. Step into your power, dear reader, and eat cereal at night!
On the other hand, it can be helpful when learning what something is, to figure out what it isn’t. Perhaps our appreciation of icy cold milk and perfect little oaty-o shapes in our bowl would be increased if we knew to what cold cereal was reacting. With that in mind, dear reader, here is a recipe for the hot stuff; old-fashioned, stove-top, stir-till-your-arm-aches oatmeal. This is the stuff mothers all throughout 1950s America traded in for the cold, easy, kid-friendly version: no stirring required. But it’s possible that they gave up something kind of important when they ditched hot, homemade breakfast for boxed cereal. I appreciate that you can still have hot oatmeal, out of a packet with fancy flavours, straight from the microwave - but I also think it’s possible that the resulting half-heated, watery gloop may not be the same experience as a bowl of hot, creamy oatmeal, dished out for you by someone who cares, your portion swimming in cream and brown sugar. On a chilly January morning, facing down the inevitable commute to work and the toil of the day, that steaming bowl might actually be quite a good defense against the cold and drudgery, in a way that no bowl of mass-produced flakes ever could.
So, with that in mind, let us turn our attention to the old-fashioned, stick-to-your-ribs bowl of breakfast of yesteryear. This recipe makes one serving, so feel free to size it up for a bigger crowd.
Ingredients
½ c Old-fashioned oats (do not use microwave or ‘minute’ oats here: the original stuff is what you want)
1 c Liquid - water, milk, or a mix
1 pinch Salt
Instructions
Pour 1 cup of water or milk into a small saucepan. Turn the stove to medium heat and bring the liquid to a gentle boil.
Stir in 1/2 cup of old-fashioned oats and the pinch of salt.
Lower the heat to medium or medium-low so the mixture bubbles gently. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally so the oats do not stick to the bottom of the pot.
Remove the pot from the heat. Let the oatmeal sit covered for 1 minute to absorb any remaining liquid and reach a creamy consistency before serving.
Oatmeal on its own is quite plain tasting (although it does have a subtle nuttiness which some folks like all by itself). But that plain flavour is a feature, not a bug. You can add all manner of things to make oatmeal delicious - milk or cream, seasonal fruit, maple syrup, cocoa powder, nuts and seeds, chia seeds or hemp hearts, brown sugar, dried fruit like raisins, spices like cinnamon or nutmeg or ginger, honey, and nut butters. And that’s just the sweet version - popular, but not your only choice. For a savoury version, consider toppings like a fried or soft-boiled eggs, bacon or sausage, smoked salmon, baked tofu, edamame, or roasted chickpeas, all manner of veggies and greens, grated parmesan, a drizzle of olive or sesame oil, chili crisp, hot sauce, tamari, toasted sesame seeds, or black pepper. This is a more Asian approach to oatmeal, treating it a bit like the savoury rice porridge congee. Here’s where cold cereal cannot compete at all: it is very squarely set in the sugary camp. So give this oatmeal a try and see just how many topping combinations you can come up with - possibly sweet AND savoury at the same time? Again, dear reader, the world is your oyster: at breakfast time, at least, you make the rules! Enjoy!
Jennifer