Oatmeal Breakfast Bar
The inspiration to focus on breakfast this month is twofold. The idea, brought to life by The Secrets of Happy Families 
book in Meg’s post last week, that family connections can be nurtured over the breakfast table.
Rise & Shine, the recently published and perfectly formed breakfast book written by our friend Katie Sullivan Morford of Mom’s Kitchen Handbook, brings a whole new world of do-able breakfast recipes to life. Katie delivers her culinary vision of “better breakfasts for busy mornings” into our kitchens.
Her chapter on Granola, Oats and Breakfast Grains introduces some serious flavor packed combinations such as apricot and ginger (I used ginger marmalade,) dark chocolate chips and raspberry, all designed to send you off to work, school or play with a bounce in your step. These are all delivered with “carbohydrates that count” such as whole oats and ancient grains.
This book has got me out of an oatmeal rut. I dived right in and made savory overnight oats, topped with quick microwave wilted spinach and mushrooms. From Congee in China to Scottish style salted oatmeal, savory grain breakfast dishes pop up across the globe.
I would make these recipes as wrote, on the stovetop. However this year our school mornings just got earlier and I need breakfast on the table by 6.15am. This 8 hour overnight oatmeal adaptation frees me up to sit at the breakfast table with my girls. We put our slow cooker twist on Katie’s suggestions and built our own breakfast oatmeal topping bar in the kitchen, putting a little fun back into breakfast as well as maintaining the integrity of the oatmeal.
I set up the toppings, the night before, next to the slow cooker and the girls enjoy building their own bowls.
To get started with delicious morning breakfasts we are offering buy 2 and get one free on our Sweet & Spicy blend for the month of September. Just remember to put a note in your online order. In addition share this blog post on facebook for a chance to receive a copy of Katie’s book and tag us with @ZenOfSlowCooking. We will draw the lucky giveaway recipient at 12pm CET, 30th September 2016.
Rise & Shine is not only packed with delicious recipes such as spinach and feta frittatas and breakfast sandwiches to make your mouth water, but on p156 we get a mention with Katie’s adaptation of our slow cooker cinnamon French toast!
- 1 cup steel cut oats
- 4 cups water
- 1/2 cup half-and-half
- use basic recipe above plus
- 2 tsp cinnamon or 1/2 packet of Sweet & Spicy Slow Cooker Spice Blend
- 1 cup steel cut oats
- 3 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 2 cups kale or spinach, torn up
- 4 chestnut mushrooms, sliced
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp butter
- mix the oats, water, half and half
- cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours/overnight
- mix the spices into the oats, add the water, half and half
- stir, cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours/overnight
- mix the oats, water, milk & salt
- cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours/overnight
- mix the kale and mushrooms in a small bowl with a tsp water, cover & heat on HIGH in a microwave for 30 seconds
- top the savory oatmeal with the kale, mushrooms, butter and season with pepper and sea salt
- brown sugar, maple syrup or ginger marmalade
- mix chopped apricots and toasted almonds
- freeze-dried raspberries and dark chocolate pieces
- chia, flax and hemp seeds
“I love sleep because it’s like a time machine to breakfast”
-Unknown
