Though oats have been in savory dishes for a long time, when American food journalist and author Mark Bittman brought them back into the spotlight, the blogging world went wild. Well, I kind of went wild too. Oats were finally getting the respect they deserve.
Now’s the time to think of oats as what they are—a simple whole grain. Usually the first thing people think of is a morning bowl of porridge. But once you shift your perspective, a whole new world of meal ideas opens up. For instance, imagine a nutritious risotto made with long cooking oat groats or steel-cut oats warming your house in a Dutch oven on a cold winter night. Then push the oat envelope even further with homemade potato-oat gnocchi, stir-fried oats and oat dosas, which are lacy crepes studded with cumin seeds and cilantro.
No one will turn their nose up at Not-from-a-Box Mac and Oat Chez, Eggplant Pizza Sliders or Burgers of Beany Goodness, so there are plenty of traditional family favorites too!
Cheryl, my grown-up picky eater, loves her boxed mac and chez, so it can be hard to get her into gourmet territory. If she’s not interested in trying one of my experimental dinners, she always pulls a box of mac and chez out of the pantry. Now I have a much healthier and inexpensive option for her to eat, which makes me feel better.
½ pound (227 g) whole wheat elbow pasta (*use gluten-free pasta)
1 to 1½ cups (237 to 355 ml) unsweetened nondairy milk
½ cup (90 g) DIY Oat Chez Powder (see recipe)
1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegan margarine or coconut oil, optional (**leave out to make oil-free)
½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar or ½ to 1 teaspoon prepared mustard (to add tang)
salt and pepper, to taste
Cook pasta according to package directions and pour into a strainer to drain when done.
Add 1 cup (235 ml) of the milk, chez powder, vegan margarine (if using) and apple cider vinegar to the pot that you just cooked the pasta in and turn the heat to medium. Whisk often until the sauce thickens up. If it gets a bit too thick, just add more milk.
Once it’s thick, stir in the drained pasta and mix well. If the sauce seems too thick, you can add some more milk here too. Add salt and pepper to taste before serving.
PER SERVING: Calories 267.0, protein 10.0 g, total fat 4.8 g, carbohydrates 46.1 g, sodium 217.1 mg, fiber 6.0 g
Use snack-sized Ziploc bags to portion out the chez powder and put in mason jars with the elbow macaroni. If you include a card with the recipe, then you either have a gift or a ready-to-go recipe to store in your pantry.
These patties combine beans, veggies and oats into something worthy of being the star of your dinner plate. The seasoning blend plus the mushrooms give this patty a big burst of flavor. Don’t worry; it’s much tastier than the Salisbury steaks of your youth!
1 (15 oz [425 g]) can kidney beans drained and rinsed
½ cup (35 g) minced mushrooms
½ cup (112 g) sweet potato or pumpkin purée
¾ cup (69 g) rolled oats
2 tablespoons (14 g) ground flaxseed mixed with 4 tablespoons (59 ml) warm water
2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons (10 g) ground coriander
2 teaspoons (10 g) smoked paprika
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon dried thyme
¾ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
½ teaspoon sage
¼ to ½ teaspoon black pepper, to taste
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Tear a piece of parchment paper to fit a small baking sheet and set both aside.
Mash the kidney beans in a medium bowl with a potato masher. There can be some chunks left. Mix in the rest of the ingredients until thoroughly combined.
Portion the mix into six oval patties on the baking sheet. The mixture will be very wet so don’t try to make the patties in your hands. Instead, make 6 piles of the mixture on the parchment-lined baking sheet, press down with a spatula and then shape the edges with your hands.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the middle is firm. Serve with mashed potatoes, mushroom gravy and roasted green beans for an old-fashioned yet healthy dinner.
PER PATTY: Calories 131.2, protein 5.7 g, total fat 1.7 g, carbohydrates 23.6 g, sodium 449.2 mg, fiber 6.2 g
Sometimes you’re craving a decadent treat but want something healthy and guilt-free. These little sliders have a base of cooked eggplant and rolled oats flavored with sun-dried tomatoes, basil and oregano.
1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 ml) olive oil (*water sauté instead)
1 cup (160 g) minced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup (74 g) green pepper, minced
3 tablespoons (10 g) sun-dried tomatoes, minced
2 teaspoons (10 g) dried basil
2 teaspoons (10 g) dried oregano
¼ to ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
1 tablespoon (15 ml) tomato paste
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (237 ml) water
5 cups (410 g) peeled and diced eggplant
1 cup (92 g) rolled oats, chopped small in food processor
1 tablespoon (6 g) nutritional yeast
Heat the oil (*or water) in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot add onion and sauté until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and green pepper and sauté for another 5 minutes.
Add the sun-dried tomatoes, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, tomato paste, salt, water and eggplant to the pot. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until the eggplant is fully cooked. The eggplant will meld into the mixture after 30 to 45 minutes.
When the eggplant is just right, remove the cover. If there is a lot of liquid, cook a little longer. Remove the pot from heat and stir in rolled oats and nutritional yeast. Cover and leave off the heat for about 15 minutes or until the oats thicken up the mixture.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and prepare two cookie sheets with parchment paper (*or by spraying them with oil).
Using a 2½ or 3-tablespoon (37 to 45 g) scoop, portion out the sliders on the cookie sheets and flatten with the back of the scoop. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until they are just firm enough to flip.
They will still be soft, so flip carefully. Cook for another 15 to 20 minutes or until they seem firm. Serve on dinner or slider rolls.
PER SLIDER: Calories 35.2, protein 0.9 g, total fat 1.3 g, carbohydrates 3.8 g, sodium 23.8 mg, fiber 0.9 g
Serving Suggestion: Toast your slider rolls in the oven with marinara sauce on the bottom piece and some vegan shredded cheese on the top piece.
Steel-cut oats mimic the mouthfeel of vegan crumbles while being completely free of processed ingredients. They also add heartiness to the veggie and bean mixture. This is the perfect way to sneak in some veggies for the picky eaters in your house. My picky eater, Cheryl, loves this!
1 cup (237 ml) water
¼ cup (20 g) steel-cut oats
¼ cup (27.5 g) minced carrots
1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil (*or use water to make no oil added)
½ small onion, minced (about ¼ cup [50 g])
¼ cup (37 g) minced green pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1 (14 oz [500 ml]) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon (15 g) chopped green chilies
1 cup (67 g) minced kale (or other green)
juice of ½ a lime
2 tablespoons (2g) to ¼ cup (4 g) cilantro, to taste
salt, to taste
In a saucepan, bring the water, oats and carrots to a boil, then turn the heat to low. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the steel-cut oats are cooked through but still chewy.
While the oats are cooking, heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, then add the green pepper, garlic and spices and cook for another 2 minutes.
Once the oat mixture is cooked, add it to the sauté pan and mix the oats in with the veggies.
You want to keep cooking until the oats dry out some and begin to separate. Keep cooking until it starts to look like crumbles.
Mix in the kidney beans, green chilies and kale. Cook until the kidney beans are thoroughly heated. Right before serving, add the lime juice, cilantro and salt. Serve in hard or soft taco shells, or in burritos. They are also amazing on top of nachos.
PER ⅛ RECIPE: Calories 87.8, protein 4.0 g, total fat 2.2 g, carbohydrates 14.6 g, sodium 108.8 mg, fiber 4.3 g
Feel free to leave out the beans and replace the chili powder and cumin with basil and thyme. You can also leave out the green chilies and green pepper and replace with either sliced mushrooms or sun-dried tomatoes. You can also use both to make a nice lasagna filling.
These simple bean burgers are not only easy to throw together on a weeknight, but they are full of flavor too. This recipe makes my favorites. We have them on buns, on top of salads and crumbled up in burritos. Make a double batch and freeze some for later.
1 (15 oz [439 g]) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
½ cups (48 g) rolled oats
¼ cup (37 g) minced bell pepper
¼ cup (27.5 g) grated carrot
2 tablespoons (14 g) ground flaxseed mixed with 4 tablespoons (59 ml) warm water
¾ teaspoons granulated garlic
¾ teaspoons smoked paprika
½ teaspoon cumin powder
½ teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon chili powder
salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Mash the black beans in a bowl with a potato masher and then add all the other ingredients except for the salt and pepper. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes so the oats can expand a little.
Add salt and pepper to the mix. The mixture will be wet, so make 4 even piles and gently form into patties about 1” (2.5-cm) thick.
Bake 20 minutes on one side, then using a large spatula carefully flip them over and bake 10 to 15 minutes until the middle is firm.
PER PATTY: Calories 205.1, protein 11.9 g, total fat 2.5 g, carbohydrates 35.1 g, sodium 5.8 mg, fiber 11.7 g
Oats stand in for the traditional rice in this stir-fried dish. Feel free to change up the veggies to use up what you already have in the fridge. If you use the kala namak, also known as black salt, it will add a slight eggy flavor to your dish.
1 cup (237 ml) water
1 cup (92 g) rolled oats
¼ cup (60 ml) low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon (5 g) grated ginger
1 tablespoon (14 g) toasted sesame oil or tahini
1 teaspoon yellow miso, optional
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ (15.5 oz) container of extra firm tofu (I used Trader Joe’s sprouted)
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon kala namak, optional pinch ground black pepper
⅛ teaspoon granulated garlic
1 to 2 tablespoons (15ml to 30 ml) olive oil or veggie broth
2 cups (142 g) broccoli florets (fresh or frozen)
2 cups (364 g) frozen mixed veggies or fresh veggies cut in a small dice
1 tablespoon (15 g) black sesame seeds
1 cup (67 g) minced kale or other green
Add the water to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the rolled oats and turn heat to low, cooking for 10 minutes. When they are done, remove the saucepan from heat.
Make the sauce by combining the soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, miso (if using) and garlic in a measuring cup.
Make the scrambled tofu by crumbling the tofu and mixing in the turmeric, kala namak (if using), black pepper and granulated garlic.
Now that all the parts are ready to go, heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli, mixed veggies and black sesame seeds. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add the cooked oats and sauce. The mixture will be fairly wet and will never dry out like rice would. Turn heat to medium and cook about 7 minutes until the veggies are almost done.
Mix in the scrambled tofu and greens and cook until the tofu is thoroughly warmed.
Serve with sriracha on the side to spice things up a bit if you want.
PER SERVING: Calories 302.9, protein 12.7 g, total fat 13.0 g, carbohydrates 32.2 g, sodium 651.5 mg, fiber 6.0 g
This is a one-dish meal that cooks quickly once you have all the elements prepped and ready to go. You can even do that the night before so all you have to do is throw everything in the night you want to make it. Change the veggies to use what’s in season—just make sure you have a few bright colors in the mix to keep it pretty.
This scramble is autumn in a bite. I love Brussels sprouts with a tang of apple cider vinegar mixed with the sweetness of maple syrup. Add in tempeh, tons of colorful vegetables and a little liquid smoke, and you’ll have a dish that you’ll love any time of the year.
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 (8 oz [227 g]) package tempeh, steamed and diced
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil (*or broth sauté)
1 cup cooked steel-cut oats (½ cup [40 g] oats cooked with 1 cup [237 ml] water)
2 cups (176 g) shredded Brussels sprouts
1 cup (110 g) shredded carrot
½ cup (35 g) shredded red cabbage
2 tablespoons (30 ml) maple syrup
½ teaspoon liquid smoke
salt and pepper, to taste
MARINADE
1 tablespoon (20 g) maple syrup
1 tablespoon (15 ml) soy sauce
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
½ cup (118 ml) white wine (substitute broth or water if you don’t imbibe)
½ cup (120 ml) vegetable broth (or water with 1 vegan bouillon cube)
Mix the marinade ingredients together in a container that has a tight-fitting lid. Add in the steamed tempeh, cover and marinate in fridge for 1 to 24 hours.
Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once it’s hot, add the cooked steel-cut oats and break up with a spatula. It’s okay if there are still some clumps. Add in the tempeh, marinade, Brussels sprouts, carrot and cabbage, and sauté until the veggies are tender.
Once the liquid has mostly evaporated, add in the maple syrup and liquid smoke and mix in well. Before serving, add salt and pepper to taste.
PER SERVING: Calories 270.7, protein 12.5 g, total fat 10.4 g, carbohydrates 33.8 g, sodium 258.4 mg, fiber 4.5 g
Oat upma is toasted rolled oats cooked with assorted veggies and spices, then topped with fresh chopped cilantro. This is not a spicy dish, but it is very flavorful from the whole spices; it makes a great dinner or a savory breakfast.
2 cups (184 g) rolled oats
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil (*or use broth)
2 teaspoons (10 g) cumin seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cardamom pods
10 crushed curry leaves or ½ teaspoon curry leaf powder
½ cup (80 g) minced onion
½ cup (74 g) bell pepper, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons (12 g) minced ginger
2 cups (364 g) bite-sized mixed veggies (peas, carrots, green beans, cauliflower, etc.)
2 cups (474 ml) water
salt and pepper, to taste
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
Toast the oats in a large sauté pan over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, then set aside.
In a Dutch oven or small soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Once warm, sauté the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, turmeric, cinnamon and cardamom. Cook until fragrant, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Add in the curry leaves and onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes, then add the bell pepper, garlic, ginger and chopped veggies. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes until the pot becomes a little dry, then add the water and turn the heat to high.
Once the water almost comes to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and let the veggies cook for about 10 minutes. Stir in the oats, cover and cook for 5 more minutes.
Serve topped with cilantro.
PER SERVING: Calories 285.8, protein 8.5 g, total fat 10.6 g, carbohydrates 42.6 g, sodium 44.4 mg, fiber 8.4 g
Dosas are Indian crepes, and there are many kinds of them. This recipe builds on the wheat (rava) dosa. Unlike a French crepe, this one will be crispy. The more lacey holes that you get in your dosa, the crispier it will be. To make these, do the exact opposite of what you would do to make a French crepe.
½ cup (48 g) rolled oats, processed to a powder, it does not have to be as fine as flour, just a coarse grind
¼ cup (40 g) rice flour
¼ cup (32 g) semolina flour
¼ cup (4 g) chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon torn curry leaves (dried or fresh), optional
⅛ teaspoon chili powder
pinch salt
pinch black pepper
1½ to 2 cups (355 to 474 ml) water
Mix the oats, flours, cilantro, cumin, curry leaves, chili powder, salt and pepper together in a bowl. Add in 1½ cups (355 ml) of the water and stir well. Let sit for 10 minutes.
The batter should be pretty watery, but you may need to add more water as you go along.
Heat a griddle or pancake pan (flat bottom) over medium heat. You can spray a little oil before cooking each dosa or use a nonstick pan and wipe out between dosas.
With a ¼ cup measuring scoop, lightly pour the batter in a circle on the hot pan. Start with the outside outline and then pour inside of that. Cook on one side until the edges begin to look dry (about 2 to 3 minutes) then flip and cook 1 to 2 minutes more. (You may need more time if yours doesn’t have many holes.)
Repeat until you’ve used all your batter. Serve with coconut chutney (recipe below).
PER DOSA: Calories 74.1, protein 2.1 g, total fat 0.7 g, carbohydrates 14.9 g, sodium 25.8 mg, fiber 1.2 g
Hing or Asafoetida is used in Indian cooking to enhance the flavor. It has a very strong smell and needs to be stored away from other spices.
½ teaspoon crushed curry leaves (dried or fresh), optional
¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
pinch chili powder
pinch hing, optional
¼ to ½ cup (60ml to 120 ml) water
½ cup (40 g) finely shredded
coconut
2 teaspoons (10 g) grated ginger
Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl. You can dip your dosa in or spread it on top.
I tried making these dosas with rolled oats, but it would work just as well and be chewier with steel-cut oats. Just cook them per package directions, since they need to cook much longer than the rolled oats.
The apple adds a hint of sweetness to this oatmeal, but it definitely gets its savory taste from the herbs. You could eat it plain; I love having the seared vegan sausage coins on top. You could also roast a can of drained and rinsed chickpeas with the spices from 1 recipe of Steel-Cut Oat Sausage Crumbles (recipe). This would make it gluten-free and soy-free in addition to oil-free!
1½ cups (355 ml) water
½ cup (80 g) steel-cut oats
1 medium apple, peeled and chopped small
½ teaspoon thyme
⅛ teaspoon ground rosemary
⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste
2 vegan Italian sausages cut into coins and seared
Add the water, oats and apples to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn to medium-low, and add thyme, rosemary and garlic powder. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the oats are tender. Make sure to stir every 5 to 10 minutes so the oats don’t get stuck to the bottom.
While the oats are cooking, heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat, and cook the vegan sausage coins until they brown on one side. Then flip and brown on the other side.
When the oats are done, stir in salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with the crispy vegan sausage coins.
PER SERVING: Calories 487.5, protein 36.3 g, total fat 16.2 g, carbohydrates 53.6 g, sodium 621.0 mg, fiber 15.2 g
There’s more than one way to get your daily dose of oats! This mushroom risotto has the perfect al dente texture and has a B-vitamin boost from the nutritional yeast. You’ll be surprised at how well the steel-cut oats mimic that chewiness normally provided by Arborio rice. Plus, oats are much cheaper!
1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 ml) olive oil (*or use water to make oil-free)
½ small onion, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1½ cups (105 g) minced mushrooms
¼ cup (37 g) minced green bell pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried marjoram
⅛ teaspoon ground rosemary or
¼ teaspoon regular rosemary
1 cup (80 g) steel-cut oats
2 tablespoons (7 g) minced sun-dried tomatoes
4 to 5 cups (946 to 1183 ml) water or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons (12 g) nutritional yeast
salt and pepper, to taste
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a saucepan or Dutch oven with a thick bottom until it sizzles when you add a tiny drop of water to the pan.
Add onions and cook until translucent, then add the garlic, mushrooms, bell pepper and herbs. Sauté the veggies for 5 to 20 minutes, until the mushrooms have browned and released their juices.
Add in the oats, and stir to prevent them from burning. Cook until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and 1 cup (237 ml) of water. Simmer over medium heat, stirring often to keep the mixture from burning on the bottom.
Once the first cup of water has been absorbed by the oats, add a second cup of water and keep stirring. Add the third cup of water once the second is absorbed and keep stirring (isn’t risotto fun?). When the third cup is absorbed, add one more cup water (the fourth). After it’s absorbed, try a bite of the oats to see if it’s cooked through. You want it to be al dente, still tender but a little chewy.
If it’s not tender yet, add an additional cup of water. The oats should still have a chewy texture and not be mushy. Right before serving, add the nutritional yeast, salt and pepper.
PER SERVING: Calories 135.4, protein 5.2 g, total fat 7.9 g, carbohydrates 12.8 g, sodium 39.5 mg, fiber 2.9 g
This recipe elevates oats to a new level. Your family will have no idea that there are oats in these pillowy dumplings. Don’t be nervous if you haven’t made gnocchi before; it’s an easy and forgiving process. Gnocchi are traditionally made with semolina flour and potatoes. We’re using oat flour in place of wheat, which makes these little dumplings gluten-free.
4 russet potatoes
1½ cups (150 g) oat flour (or finely ground rolled oats)
½ teaspoon salt
Peel the potatoes and cut into small chunks. Boil until tender, and drain well in a colander. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and mash well.
Add in ½ cup (50 g) of the flour and salt. Mix well with your hands, adding the other 1 cup (100 g) of flour a ½ cup (50 g) at a time.
Flour a large cutting board and turn out the dough. Cut into 8 equal portions, then roll each one out into a thin snake (about ½-inch [1.3-cm] thick). Cut into small ¾-inch (1.9-cm) thick pieces.
You can leave them as is or press them against a fork to press the lines in the gnocchi for the classic “line” look.
Boil the gnocchi about 2 dozen at a time in a large pot of water until they float to the top, about 2 to 4 minutes.
PER 12 GNOCCHI: Calories 156.7, protein 5.7 g, total fat 2.3 g, carbohydrates 33.1 g, sodium 186.7 mg, fiber 4.3 g
You’ve heard that having some cooked grain ready in the fridge always makes your life easier. Most of us forget that cooked steel-cut oats can be used like most other grains; the proof is in the stuffed peppers!
4 large bell peppers
1 cup (234 g) cooked steel-cut oats
1 (15oz [425 g]) can of black-eyed peas or kidney beans
¼ cup (59 ml) vegetable broth
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon (20 ml) tomato paste
1 teaspoon marjoram
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon Cajun spice blend
¼ teaspoon granulated garlic
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C), and either oil or put parchment paper on the bottom of a casserole pan.
Cut the tops off the 4 bell peppers, remove the seeds and trim away the white from the ribs. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine the oats, black-eyed peas, broth, tomato paste, herbs, spices, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix well and stuff into the bell peppers. Place the filled bell peppers in the casserole dish, cover with foil and bake 40 minutes.
PER SERVING: Calories 339.7, protein 13.1 g, total fat 4.8 g, carbohydrates 62.0 g, sodium 612.4 mg, fiber 12.1 g
Top with some shredded vegan cheese after 30 minutes of baking and bake uncovered for the last 10.
This is a savory oat dish that combines the tartness of lemon juice with the richness of cashews. It has a few unusual ingredients, but I’ve listed easy-to-find alternatives. The two Indian lentils are soaked and create a crunch like minced peanuts, so if you don’t have them, you can just use peanuts in their place.
2 tablespoons (30 g) chana dal (or peanuts)
2 teaspoons (10 g) urad dal (or peanuts)
2 teaspoons (10 ml) olive oil (or use water or broth)
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon coriander seeds
pinch chili powder
2 teaspoons (10 g) grated ginger
2 tablespoons (30 g) cashews
½ cup (48 g) rolled oats
5 curry leaves, optional
1 cup (237 ml) water
juice of ½ a lemon
salt, to taste
Put the chana dal and urad dal in a small bowl and cover with water. Let soak for 25 minutes to soften.
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds and chili powder and sauté about 3 to 5 minutes until fragrant. Then add the ginger, cashews, oats and optional curry leaves. Cook about 5 minutes until the oats are lightly toasted.
Add the water and turn the heat to high until it begins to boil. Lower heat to medium and stir until the water is absorbed and begins to dry slightly. Add lemon juice and salt to taste before serving.
PER SERVING: Calories 260.3, protein 9.8 g, total fat 10.9 g, carbohydrates 33.3 g, sodium 23.9 mg, fiber 4.0 g
Everyone needs at least one healthy no-meat loaf recipe up their sleeves. This one is made up of cannellini beans, sunflower seeds, herbs and, of course, oats. Don’t let the long list of ingredients fool you, because this is a snap to make.
1½ cups (140 g) rolled oats
1 cup (135 g) roasted sunflower seeds
2 (15 oz [420 g]) cans cannellini beans or 3 cups homemade
4 tablespoons (28 g) ground flaxseed mixed with 8 tablespoons (118 ml) warm water
2 tablespoons (33 g) tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons (18 g) nutritional yeast
1½ teaspoons (1 g) basil
1 teaspoon marjoram
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon rubbed sage
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground rosemary
TOPPING INGREDIENTS
½ cup (120 g) ketchup
1 tablespoon (17 ml) vegan Worcestershire sauce
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and oil a loaf pan.
Mix the oats and sunflower seeds in a mixing bowl and set aside.
In a food processor, combine the cannellini beans, flaxseed mixture, tomato paste, garlic, nutritional yeast, basil, marjoram, thyme, vegan Worcestershire sauce, rubbed sage, ground black pepper, salt and ground rosemary. Process until smooth, then scrape out into the dry mixture of oats and sunflower seeds.
Mix until well combined, and put the mixture into the oiled loaf pan.
In a small bowl, mix the topping ingredients and spread over the top of the loaf. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Take off the foil and bake for 15 minutes more.
Serve with mashed potatoes and steamed veggies.
PER SERVING: Calories 277.1, protein 13.0 g, total fat 11.8 g, carbohydrates 32.1 g, sodium 209.0 mg, fiber 4.4 g
One innovation that the Paleo food movement has brought to the table is all the wonderful things made from cauliflower. Here’s a pizza crust with cauliflower as the main ingredient. While this crust isn’t grain-free, it is gluten-free and lower calorie.
1 cup (92 g) rolled oats
½ medium head cauliflower
¼ cup (28 g) ground flaxseed mixed with ½ cup (120 ml) warm water
1 teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon ground rosemary
¼ teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Process the oats into a flour (or as close to flour as you can) in your food processor, then pour into a large mixing bowl.
Process cauliflower in your food processor until it looks like tiny grains of couscous or millet. Then pour 3 cups of the cauliflower into the large mixing bowl with the oats. You can use any leftovers in stews, soup or rice or even sauté a small batch as faux rice for another dinner.
Mix the rest of the ingredients together and pat into a rectangle on the cookie sheet. Make this as thin as possible to create a crunchy crust that holds together well.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the edges turn brown and the crust has cooked at least half way through.
Pull the crust out and add sauce, veggies and vegan cheese. Bake another 10 to 15 minutes. The crust will not get crunchy in the middle, so be prepared to eat this pizza with a fork.
PER PIZZA CRUST: Calories 123, protein 5.7 g, total fat 3.9 g, carbohydrates 19 g, sodium 0 mg, fiber 5.9 g
Here’s a no-guilt pizza dough that’s full of whole wheat and spelt along with oats, of course. Mix up the dough for the crust before work, and it will be ready to go when you get home. Cooking from Julie Hasson’s Vegan Pizza gave me the inspiration to branch off to create my own oaty version.
1 cup (237 ml) warm water
1 teaspoon agave nectar, maple syrup or sugar
2 teaspoons (10 g) yeast, room temperature
1 cup (120 g) white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour (*use gluten-free baking mix)
1 cup (120 g) spelt flour (or use more whole wheat flour)
1 cup (224 g) oat flour (or 1 cup [225 g] rolled oats processed fine)
1 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C) and either oil a pizza pan or use a nonstick one.
Measure out 1 cup (235 ml) of warm—not hot—water. It should feel warm to the touch but not hot to the inside of your wrist. If it is too hot, it will kill the yeast.
Stir the agave nectar into the water and sprinkle the yeast on top. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. The yeast should grow in size, indicating that it’s ready to go.
Mix the flours and salt together in a large mixing bowl. When the yeast mixture is ready, add it to the flours and mix well.
Cover the dough and put in a warm, draft-free place for 3 to 4 hours. The dough will grow larger—but may not double—especially if it’s a cold day. Please note that you can leave the dough for longer while you are away from work so that it can rise.
Flour a large cutting board (with any of the flours you are using) and either roll out half the dough into a thin round pizza or use all the dough and make a thick one.
Top with a red sauce, pesto, veggies and even nondairy cheese—really whatever you’d normally like on your pizza.
Depending on how thick the crust is, bake for 10 to 15 minutes.
PER PIZZA CRUST: Calories 345.5, protein 11.1 g, total fat 3.8 g, carbohydrates 66.1 g, sodium 0.3 mg, fiber 10.5 g
I use a nonstick pizza pan that has holes in the bottom of it. This makes a crispy thin-crust pizza. You can use a pizza stone, a regular pizza pan or even a cast iron skillet if that’s what you prefer.
