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Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Cooking with oats

Rolled oatsImage via Wikipedia

Original Article

I've found oats to be a good substitute for rice and bread crumbs in a number of recipes. Adding them to any soup turns it into more of a stew. They take on the flavor of the dish and don't add much flavor on their own, unless you toast them first - then they get a nice nutty flavor.



Tuna or Salmon cakes:



2 cups rolled oats (instant or standard)

1 6oz can water packed tuna or salmon


Salt, pepper, garlic or onion powder - to taste

Veggie flakes (optional)



Put the oats and the fish (undrained) into a bowl and mix well with a fork to get the moisture and the fish .evenly distributed. If it looks dry, add water, a little bit at a time, mixing well before adding more. Add salt, chosen spices, and veggie flakes mix well again and let sit for a couple of minutes, so the flavors meld.



Shape into cakes and heat in a frying pan for about 2 minutes per side on med-high heat, pressing down with a spatula. If using a non-stick pan, no oil is needed. In not, put a little oil in and brush a small amount on the up side, so you don't have to bother re-oiling as you flip them. I use a small piece of paper towel for this. Make the outside as crispy as you like. They are great with a bit of hot sauce.



Pan-cooked oatmeal cookies

-Rolled oats

-Raisins


-Nuts and seeds: chopped walnuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, slivered almonds. Whichever you like or any combo

-3 drops vanilla extract and your choice of sweetener - I add it to the water before, so it's dissolved.

-Cinnamon



Mix a cup of rolled oats with about half the water that the package calls for. Add the sweetened water with the vanilla and mix thoroughly. Check the moisture, if too dry, add a bit more water. They should not be sloppy, more the consistency of bought cookie dough. Add the raisins and nuts, if you like.



Roll into balls and flatten to about 1/4 inch and place into the pan. If the dough is not too wet, you won't need any shortening in the pan. Cook for about 2 min per side. Then sprinkle a bit of sugar in the pan and put cookies on top of it. The sugar will caramelize and give them a sweet crust.



Fast and Hearty Bean and Bacon Stew

- Can of your favorite Bean and Bacon soup - prepared per the instructions on the can.


- Rolled oats ( as much or little as needed to thicken the soup to your taste.



I usually toast the oats for this. Just put them in a frying pan over medium heat and toast them as you would breadcrumbs. Then add them to your hot soup and let them cook in for about 3 minutes. You can get two filling meals out of this. Again, add anything you like to spice it up.




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