Woodstock’s Finest Oatmeal

I’m too broke to juice.

Like everyone else who’s discoverd acai bowls and kale salads, I’ve discovered that making two glasses of my moring green juice involves a head of kale ($3.50, which by the way, makes about one ounce of juice), an organic apple (hello- ONE organic apple set me back $1.60 this week- no joke), a cucumber for another dollar (really, when did cucumbers get so expensive?) and a bag (yes, a whole bag) of carrots for about two bucks.

So, that’s more than $6.50 right there and it’s just a drink. I haven’t had any food for breakfast yet.

And yes, I’ve heard plenty of preachy health food junkies talking about how it’s “an investment in my health!” and all of that. But when you don’t have the funds to invest in the first place and have to say, pay a mortgage or fill your environmentally unfriendly car with gas, well, the juice gets pushed to the side.

First world problems.

So I found myself googling, “cheap superfoods” last night. Because, yes, I DO want to invest in my health. Just not 50 bucks a week making green drinks. And to my surprise I found plenty of great foods to eat that won’t break the bank.

The one I was most excited about though, was oats. Yes, oats.

According to Health magazine they are:

Full of fiber, oats are a rich source of magnesium, potassium, and phytonutrients. They contain a special type of fiber that helps to lower cholesterol and prevent heart disease. Magnesium works to regulate blood-sugar levels, and research suggests that eating whole-grain oats may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. 

But really why am I so excited about oats? They’re certainly not the sexiest superfood.

This is a REAL email I sent this week to a restaurant I ate in last weekend in Woodstock, NY called Oriole 9:

Subject: Your Glorious Oatmeal

Hi there-

Do you often get emails with that as the subject line? You should.
I ate in your restaurant for the first time last weekend during our short stay in Woodstock and I can’t seem to get your beautiful oatmeal out of my mind.
I tried to replicate it this morning with results that paled in comparison to yours- so creamy, so smooth.
What’s your secret?
I write a blog called 17 bites. Feel free to check it out (or not, this is not to promote myself.) But if you would feel so inclined as to share your oatmeal recipe and would be OK with me sharing it, I would promise to link to your restaurant and credit you with the recipe. OR, if you don’t want me to publicize this, but would just care to share, I would be overjoyed with that as well.
It really is a divine oatmeal. My son ordered it and I was lucky that he wasn’t that hungry because after finishing my barley salad (also so good), I had to grab his big bowl of oatmeal and finish that, too.
Oh, and kudos on the coffee. That was the best cup I’ve had in a long time.

Best,
Robin

Yes. I’m a nerd.

And here’s the thing. It’s your classic oatmeal recipe. The difference?

Cook it in milk (not water) and cook the sh** out of it. 

Simply put one cup of old fashioned oats, 2 cups of milk (whatever kind your healthy self likes to drink), 1/2 teaspoon total of a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg and a little cardamom, a pinch of salt and dried cranberries (or fresh blueberries) into a pot and cook over a low flame until “it reaches a soup consistency” which for me this morning, was about 10 minutes.

Creamy, beautiful superfood breakfast.

Buy one of those giant boxes are your nearest discount shopping store and you’ve got yourself 110 servings for $9 bucks.

Take that, green juice.

Besides, I much prefer my kale in a salad anyway.

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