Crazy About Oats

I've been having fun with oats this week--making hot oatmeal with both rolled and steel-cut varieties; putting together overnight concoctions with raw ingredients in Mason jars; mixing up batches of granola and muesli; and finally making a couple of loaves of oatmeal bread with some leftover cooked oats. I'm still jazzed about this once humble grain that seems to have metamorphosed into a new superfood.

I started on this project courtesy of my friend Cherry, who shared a recipe for an overnight oatmeal that she said had helped reduce her levels of unhealthy cholesterol. Then another friend sent me her recipe for oatmeal with almond butter, nonfat yogurt and fresh fruit. My little (new and improved!) brain started to tick.

My ties to oatmeal go way back. One of my early food memories is of my mother stirring a pot of the thick, beige stuff with a wooden spoon. She used old-fashioned Quaker Oats from the trademark red and blue canister with the smiling, black-hatted, white-haired gent on the front. A native of Glasgow, Scotland, Mom often served oatmeal, which she called porridge, with a little milk and sugar, plus raisins if we wanted (I wanted!). I still eat it that way, though sometimes I add other dried fruits, a few roasted nuts and some maple syrup.

These days Quaker has lots of competition. Oats--particularly the steel-cut variety and those labeled gluten-free and/or organic--continue to grow in popularity, with their health benefits topping the list of why many people choose to include them in their diets, especially for breakfast. An article in Medical News Today notes that oats are particularly rich in a type of fiber known to help lower the levels of LDL cholesterol, the so-called "bad cholesterol" that collects in our arteries and leads to strokes and heart attacks. Other studies have shown that adding whole-grain foods such as oats to our diets may reduce the risks of colorectal cancer. One benefit I've found is that oats are so filling (must be all that fiber!) that I don't really get hungry again for hours after consuming a bowl of oatmeal.

For Cherry, it's oatmeal's cholesterol-fighting properties that are the attraction. She's been dealing with high cholesterol numbers for several years. Slender, fit and a longtime vegetarian, she says the issue is primarily genetic. Her father died at 57 after suffering a stroke, and her older brother contends with life-threatening cardiovascular disease.  "My life's at stake," she told me.

My friend is experiencing some success in fighting genetics and high cholesterol by changing her diet. "My labs went up and down through the years, so it isn't just oatmeal that helped," she explained in an email. "It was the combination of decreasing my intake of fried foods, desserts, and increasing my exercise routine, plus more water." Cherry, a former nurse, said her levels of the "bad" LDL cholesterol dipped from 115 in 2013 to 75 in 2015. An LDL level below 100 is desirable, she said.

One of Cherry's friends attended a cooking class at Whole Foods and gave her a recipe for an oatmeal, fruit and nut concoction that sits in a jar overnight and is ready to eat in the morning. No cooking required. Apparently overnight oatmeal is all the rage right now. I found pages and pages of recipes when I did a search on Pinterest.

Cherry's recipe requires a bit of work--and expense--to gather the ingredients. But if you shop the bulk bins, you can buy just the amount you need and cut the costs way down. I recently bought organic rolled oats at Whole Foods for $1.69 a pound (the steel-cut variety was $1.79 a pound), far less than comparable packaged products. Dried fruit and nuts can also be purchased in small quantities from the same bulk bins. The spices really add a lot of flavor to the recipe and have many reported health benefits. For instance, antioxidants in cinnamon have been linked to lower inflammation. Chia seeds, another popular superfood known for its omega-3 fats and fiber, is an optional ingredient in this recipe.

Ingredients for overnight oatmeal.

The recipe is also gluten-free (assuming you buy gluten-free oats)* and vegan--and quite delicious, especially with some added fresh fruit. Enjoy!

Overnight Oatmeal

Ingredients: 

  

1/2 cup raw oatmeal (rolled or quick variety)

1 tablespoon seeds, such as chia, pumpkin or hemp

1 tablespoon unsweetened, shredded coconut

1 tablespoon sliced almonds, chopped

1 tablespoon walnuts, chopped

1 tablespoon pistachio nuts, chopped

2 tablespoons dried Calimyrna figs or dates, chopped*

2 tablespoons raisins

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 cup non-dairy milk (preferably almond milk)

1 teaspoon honey or agave syrup

Notes:

*Oats are naturally gluten-free but cross-contamination

 from other grains can occur, so if you have celiac

disease or are otherwise gluten-intolerant, it's better

to buy oats that are certified gluten-free.

**You can use a combination or another dried fruit.

Directions:

1. Mix oatmeal, nuts, dried fruit and spices in a Mason jar or other container with a secure lid.  You can make 2 or more jars at a time.

2. Add almond milk and honey or agave to the jar and shake it vigorously. Put the jar in the refrigerator overnight.

3. The next day add a little more milk, as the mixture may be quite thick. 

4.  Options: If you're like me and prefer your morning cereal warmed up, you can zap the mixture briefly in a microwave or take the chill off it in a saucepan. You can also add fresh fruit or more nuts if you like to the finished product to perk up the flavor. I threw in a few fresh blueberries and a chopped, roasted almonds.

Nutty Shortbread With Raspberry Jam

I've been fiddling in the kitchen trying to distract myself yet again. Twelve days ago I was in surgery. Ten days ago I was released from the post-critical care unit at St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica with a prescription to go home, rest and take my meds. I'm a pretty good girl, but resting isn't really my thing. Also, as I'm not completely out of the woods, and the doctors are still trying to figure out my next steps, I definitely needed to focus my mind on something other than my health.

'Twas the night before Christmas and I thought shortbread was in order. Perhaps it was my mother's Scottish heritage kicking in, though I can't recall her ever making these dense, butter-rich cookies. She may even have served Walkers Shortbread in the trademark red plaid tin, but mostly she baked everything "with my own fair hands," as she liked to say, feeling embarrassed if she ever served anything that was store-bought.

I'd made a great shortbread recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks, The Cheese Board Collective Works. It was for Hazelnut Shortbread, except that I used a mix of nuts, including hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds and pecans. I loved the crunchy, buttery taste and decided to make it again, thinking I might wrap a few cookies to give to one of my neighbors, recently widowed, who was facing her first Christmas without her husband.

Unfortunately, I must have measured the butter wrong or put in too many nuts, because, even after working the dough more than usual and letting it sit overnight in the fridge, it simply wouldn't hold together when I tried to roll it out. My first thought was that I should discard the crumbly dough and start again, but that went against my frugal upbringing (yes, the thrifty Scot in me!). I decided to gently mix in a tablespoon or so of melted butter, press the dough into the bottom of the cookie sheet, spread a thin layer of raspberry jam thinned with a little orange juice and spiked with orange zest, and sprinkle with the remaining shortbread crumbs and chopped nuts. After baking, cooling and cutting into little rectangles, I was pleasantly surprised by the result--crisp, buttery, nutty and just a tad jammy, but not sticky. Perfect with a cup of English Breakfast tea while staring out the French double doors at another perfect Southern California winter day!

Happy baking!

Nutty Shortbread With Raspberry Jam

Makes about 30 cookies

Ingredients

2/3 cup (about 11 tablespoons) unsalted butter at room temperature

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts or mixed nuts of your choice

1 to 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter (optional)

1/2 cup raspberry jam

1 to 2 tablespoons orange or lemon juice

1 teaspoon orange or lemon zest

1/4 cup chopped toasted nuts 

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or spray with oil an 11-by-17-inch baking pan.

2. Cream butter and sugar in a mixer for about 4 minutes or by hand until light and fluffy.

3. Add 2 1/4 cups of flour on low speed or by hand until blended. I found this easier to do by hand. The recipe in The Cheese Board Collective Works suggests adding the remaining 1/4 cup flour a tablespoon at a time. By the time I added the first tablespoon, the dough was so crumbly, I didn't add any more.

4. Stir in the nuts until incorporated, taking care not to overwork the dough.

5. At this point, you have completed all the steps for The Cheese Board recipe. If your dough is holding together well, you could make shortbread by rolling it out on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 1/2 inch, cutting into 2 1/2-inch squares--or whatever shapes you wish--and transferring with a lightly floured spatula to the prepared pan, placing the cookies at least one inch apart, and then following the baking directions in Step 11 (below). If you want to make the raspberry version, read on.

6. If your dough is fairly crumbly, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons additional melted butter, using a light touch.

7. Lightly press the dough into the bottom of the cookie sheet using a light touch and trying to maintain a thickness of 1/4 to 1/2 inch. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the dough.

8. Mix 1/2 cup raspberry jam with orange or lemon juice and zest, using enough juice to thin the raspberry jam to spreadable consistency.

9. Using a spatula or pastry or silicone brush, spread a thin layer of jam on top of the shortbread crust, making sure the jam reaches to the edges and is evenly spread.

10. Mix remaining shortbread dough with 1/4 cup nuts, sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle lightly over the top of the jam.

11. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 15 minutes. Rotate the pan for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the shortbread cookies (if you stopped at Step 5) are a light golden brown, or (if you made the jam version) the crumbs are a lightly browned. Let cool completely on the baking sheets on wire racks. Stored in an airtight container, these cookies keep for a week or more and should be good candidates for shipping.

  Happy New Year, world! Wishing everyone the best ever 2014!

Thanksgiving Recipe: Cranberry Orange Nut Bread

With Thanksgiving just a few days off, here's a recipe inspired by a 2005 post for Orange Cranberry Bread from veteran food blogger Nicole Weston, whose class at New School of Cooking encouraged me to keep blogging, even when readers haven't always shown up. I've made a few changes to the recipe, adding walnuts and sherry and switching some of the white flour for wheat. I think Nicole's idea of mixing fresh and dried cranberries makes all the difference, and I might even add more of the dried! The orange zest and fresh orange juice give it a distinct citrus flavor, an excellent complement to other Thanksgiving foods. A loaf of this bread is certain to make an appearance at our Thanksgiving table on Thursday, possibly a variation on the recipe below, as I never like to make anything exactly the same twice!

Cranberry Orange Nut Bread

(Adapted from Baking Bites recipe)

About 12 generous servings

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat or white whole wheat flour

1 cup sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice

1 tablespoon orange zest

1 tablespoon dry sherry

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 large egg

1 1/4 cups whole fresh or frozen cranberries (if frozen, unthawed)

1/4 cup dried cranberries 

1/2 cup toasted walnuts, toasted, plus more for garnish

Mixing cranberries and nuts into the batter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan." 

2. Measure white and whole wheat flour, and put into a large bowl, along with sugar, baking powder, soda and salt. In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together orange juice, zest, sherry, oil and the egg. Mix the two together until combined, but be careful not to over-mix.

3. Gently fold in fresh and dried cranberries and toasted, chopped nuts. Pour into prepared pan and place a few untoasted walnuts on top for decoration.

4. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The top should be a golden brown, but neither pale nor dark. Cool for about 15 minutes in the pan before carefully inverting the bread onto a wire rack. If you can stand it, allow the bread to cool completely before slicing. (Unfortunately, I seldom follow my own advice!)

   

*Note on baking pans: This is such a decorative loaf that you might want to make it for holiday gifts. If you want to divide the batter into smaller loaf pans, you can. I found the recipe filled one 8x4 1/2-inch pan and a second 5 1/2 x3 1/4-inch pan). By my calculations, it should be enough to fill three of the 5 1/2x3 1/4-inch pans if you prefer to make several small loaves.

Nutritional Info (each 3/4-inch slice)

Calories: 220

Fat: 6 grams

Carbs: 39 grams

Fiber: 1.5 grams

Protein 3 grams

Weight Watchers points: 6

Tinkering

1. Although the bread is great as it is, I thought I might add more spice to it next time--perhaps a half teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon each nutmeg and ginger.

2. Speaking of ginger, in memory of my mother, whose pound cake with candied ginger was a staple at our house, I may add a bit of chopped candied ginger, along with the dried and fresh cranberries. 

3. If you want the bread a little less tart, reduce the fresh cranberries to 1 cup and add 1/2 cup of dried cranberries. Because most dried cranberries are slightly sweetened, they do balance the acidity of the fresh berries.

4. To make the bread even sweeter, sprinkle a little cinnamon and sugar on top, along with chopped nuts.

5. You can ramp the sweetness up even further with a streusel. Mix 1 tablespoon of flour, 3 to 5 tablespoons of brown or white sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 tablespoon of butter and 1/4 cup chopped walnuts. Blend together the topping until crumbly with your fingers or a fork and sprinkle over the top of the loaf. Bake as directed. 

Disappearing fast!

Pumpkin Pecan Bread: Less Fat, More Pumpkin

To me, pumpkin bread is the ultimate in comfort food. But, even when I feel the need for comfort, I avoid making it in summer because to me pumpkins mean autumn--even if here in Southern California, temperatures are registering in the 90's. Whatever the thermometer reading, I felt justified in making pumpkin bread this week.

The recipe I chose is adapted from a reduced-fat and calorie pumpkin pecan bread I found at MyRecipes. Here's my version, with nutritional information and suggested variations at the bottom. I used homemade pumpkin puree, which is very simple to make and I think enhanced the bread's flavor and texture. You can read about how I did it elsewhere on my blog. If you're pressed for time (and who isn't?), use the canned variety. It will be great either way!

Pumpkin Bread With Toasted Pecans

(Two 9x5-inch loaves)

Ingredients

2 cups white all-purpose flour

1 1/3 cups white whole wheat flour (or regular whole wheat)

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup dark or light brown sugar, packed

3/4 cup egg whites (from about 4 large eggs, or use egg substitute)

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk

2/3 cup water (or liquid from steamed pumpkin)

15 ounces of pumpkin (2 cups fresh pulp minus 1 ounce--or one 15-ounce can)

1/3 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray two 9x5-inch loaf pans with oil.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together flours, baking powder, soda, salt and spices. Whisk the dry ingredients until well-combined.

Place the sugars, oil, egg whites (or substitute) and buttermilk in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer (or by hand) at medium speed until well blended. Add the pumpkin and water, beating at low speed until combined. Add the flour mixture and beat briefly at low speed, making sure that all ingredients are incorporated but not over-mixed.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Sprinkle toasted pecans on top.

Bake in the oven for 50 minutes to an hour, checking toward the end to make sure the loaves aren't browning too quickly. If they are, place some foil loosely on top. The bread will be done when a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaves comes out clean.

 After Words

Each loaf makes about 12 generous slices. To reduce the calories even further, cut them in half! The bread keeps for 2 or 3 days at room temperature and freezes well (for about a month) when wrapped tightly in a double thickness of saran, then placed inside a deflated plastic bag. Warmed in the microwave for a few seconds, it tastes as if it just popped out of the oven!

Nutritional Info (1 3/4" slice)

Calories: 183

Fat: 6 grams

Carbs: 31 grams

Fiber: 2 grams

Protein: 5 grams

Weight Watchers points: 5

Variations & Enhancements

1. Mix toasted, chopped pecans with 2-3 additional tablespoons of brown sugar and about 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Sprinkle on top of the loaves before baking.

2. Allergic to nuts? Substitute lightly toasted rolled oats for above.

3. Fold in 1/2 cup dried cranberries, raisins or chopped dried apricots--or 1/4 cup chopped candied ginger--just before pouring the batter into the loaf pans.

4. Use chopped walnuts or mixed nuts instead of the pecans. Incorporate the nuts in the batter, then sprinkle a few more on top.

5. Add the grated zest of an orange to the wet ingredients, substituting orange juice (preferably fresh) for the water.

6. Spread the bread with cream cheese, pumpkin butter--or both--for a decadent treat.

7. Serve heated with a scoop of pumpkin or vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Zucchini Muffins: 2 Versions

Back in the Dark Ages (ok, the mid-'70s), I was living in San Francisco's Richmond District, scraping by on a temp worker's salary and trying to figure out what to do with the rest of my life. To while away date-less evenings, I often baked something sweet to share with my roommates. One of the popular items of the day was zucchini bread. The version I remember making was a dark, somewhat dense loaf with the bright green zucchini bits subdued amid the raisins and nuts.

Over the weekend, in a nostalgic mood, I decided to try making more portable versions of the loaves in the form of muffins. I first tried a recipe for Zucchini Lemon Muffins from one of my favorite cookbooks of late, "The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion." I pretty much followed the recipe, but then amped up the sweet and crunch factors with a streusel topping (brown sugar, nuts and cinnamon). The result was a bit too sweet for my taste, so I would probably nix the streusel next time, but for those with a sweet tooth, I have included it in the following recipe, along with the changes I made to the original recipe in parentheses.

Zucchini Lemon Muffins (Version #1)

Ingredients:

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (I used 1 cup whole wheat)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Grated peel of 1 lemon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk (I used skim)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup packed, shredded, unpeeled zucchini

Streusel:

2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and lemon peel in a large bowl. Stir in walnuts and raisins. In a smaller bowl, combine eggs, milk and oil. Make a well in the dry ingredients, and add the wet ingredients. Stir until barely combined. Gently fold in zucchini. Combine brown sugar, nuts and cinnamon for the topping, if using.

Spoon into greased 12-cup muffin tin(s). Sprinkle streusel on top, if using. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the muffins spring back when you press them with your fingertips. Remove from the oven, let cool for 5 minutes on a rack, then  turn out of the pans to finish cooling.

Notes:

King Arthur says the recipe makes 12 muffins, but my recipe made 16.
Each had about 6 Weight Watchers points with the streusel. Subtract a point if you don't use it. Calories: Approximately 210 each with streusel, 192 without.

Zucchini-Carrot Muffins (Version #2)

Mini-muffins, fresh from the oven

After my husband, who is trying to lose a few lbs, complained about how sugary my muffins were, I decided to try coming up with a lighter, less sweet version. I halved the oil and added homemade applesauce (super easy to make with peeled, cored apples boiled until soft in a little water, then mashed with a potato masher) to replace the oil I left out. I also cut the calorie-laden nuts and raisins in the King Arthur recipe, replaced the lemon zest with orange, half the zucchini with shredded carrots, and used egg substitute and egg whites in place of regular eggs. I halved the salt as well and used a cup of Trader Joe's gluten-free flour in place of one cup of flour and switched the sweeteners a bit. The result was a tender, lighter-colored muffin with the bright taste of orange shining through. I put most of the batter in mini-muffin tins to reduce the calorie and point count even more. Microwaved for breakfast with a bit of low-sugar apricot jam, these hit the spot!

Ingredients:

1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 cup gluten-free flour (or flour of your choice)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
Grated peel of one orange
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup honey
2 egg whites
1/4 cup egg substitute (or 2 more egg whites)
1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup shredded zucchini
1/2 cup shredded carrots

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Mix flours, sugars, baking powder, salt, cinnamon (if using) and orange peel until well incorporated in a large bowl. Add raisins and nuts. Mix remaining ingredients, except zucchini and carrot, in small bowl. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and briefly mix together. Gently fold in the grated zucchini and carrots.

Spoon into greased regular and/or mini-muffin tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes for the regular-sized muffins, 15-20 for the minis. As muffins are light in color, you may need to check to make sure they're browned enough. I took mine out too early and put back to bake for a few minutes more. Cool 5 minutes in the pan, then finish cooling on a rack.

Notes: 

Makes about 16 regular muffins or 48-50 minis. Each mini has about 44 calories and 1 Weight Watchers Plus point, while the larger ones have about 126 calories each and 4 points.

You could easily freeze these in air-tight freezer bags and warm up in the microwave later. Most muffins fare better warm than cold, and lower-fat muffins are even less tender tasting when cold, so warming them up really makes the difference between tender and tough. Make sure not to overheat, however. Just a few seconds in the microwave is enough. A minute or so and you've got something not only scorching but terminally inedible.