It has been a while! (Err, ehem...two years exactly.) I am still here, now a mom of a three and a half year old, my own Pilates practice, and a budding Pilates-inspired line of tops, tanks and shirts. I am also still eating in, dining out, and cooking for family 100% gluten free. Can’t quite believe it’s been 12 years since taking the gluten free plunge but when something works, you stick with it! (I did take a nearly three week experimental break in 2017 where I went all in and tried to add gluten back into my life. Let’s just say it didn’t end well...but more on that in a future post.)
Since I last wrote I have had the chance to read some excellent books, including devouring four books by Brené Brown. In one of them she states a great definition of the word 'culture'. Simply put, Brown references culture as “the way we do things around here.” I love it. It is lacking in boundaries and jargon, but full of opportunity for meaning. As I contemplated picking up my food blogging again for the #? time, I asked myself...what do I really want to write about? What I came up with was to share the way we do things around here. Let’s start with breakfast.
Since I last wrote I have had the chance to read some excellent books, including devouring four books by Brené Brown. In one of them she states a great definition of the word 'culture'. Simply put, Brown references culture as “the way we do things around here.” I love it. It is lacking in boundaries and jargon, but full of opportunity for meaning. As I contemplated picking up my food blogging again for the #? time, I asked myself...what do I really want to write about? What I came up with was to share the way we do things around here. Let’s start with breakfast.
When Life Hands You Lemons, Make...Oatmeal?
Does anyone else feel a bit overwhelmed with making the ‘best’ breakfast choice? Err, I do. With the Paleo diet on the rise it’s tempting to think a dozen eggs a week ain’t that bad...but then turn the other way and you come across Deliciously Ella in your Instagram feed (spoiler alert: she reversed a major health issue by going vegan) BUT THEN you read an article on the Plant Paradox and you want to start shunning tomatoes. Arg, what’s a girl to do? Having committed to a gluten free diet for over a decade it can feel a bit stressful to limit even more food options. Of course, I want to cook the healthiest I can for my family and myself. I imagine you do, too. Luckily, a conversation with my son's pediatrician encouraged me to check out the Weston Price way of cooking grains, including the humble oat. Let me explain.
Overnight Your Oats
Weston Price educators instruct on the proper preparing of some foods, such as grains, to make them easier to digest. For oats, it turns out soaking them overnight with a little bit of acid helps break them down even before they enter your mouth. You can read more about the process on their website but in sum...
"Science has demonstrated the wisdom of these careful preparation methods as all grains and legumes contain phytic acid, an organic acid that blocks mineral absorption in the intestinal tract. Phytic acid is neutralized in as little as 7 hours of soaking in water with small amounts of an acidic medium such as lemon juice or cider vinegar. Soaking also neutralizes enzyme inhibitors present in the hulls of all seeds and adds beneficial enzymes which increase the amount of nutrients present – especially the B vitamins."
Sweet. For someone with a sensitive digestive track who is also genetically low in B vitamins I have been all in. So here is what I do...
For the oatmeal:
1 cup of gluten free rolled oats
2.5 cups of water
A juicy slice of lemon juice
Morning add ins:
A pinch of salt
Almond and/or peanut butter (my son loves a combo)
Good quality maple syrup or honey
Cinnamon (mom’s contribution to this tasty breakie)
Almond milk
Directions:
In a saucepan, combine oats, water, and a good squeeze of lemon juice (about two teaspoons of lemon juice). Cover and let sit overnight. In the morning add a pinch of salt and cook until your desired consistency. This ratio makes for a thicker porridge. You can easily add more water for a thinner porridge. It serves 2-3 people, depending on how hungry you are. My mom, my son, and I share this cooked “mush” in the morning with a spoonful of almond and/or peanut butter, a drizzle of honey or maple syrup and a shake of cinnamon. Lastly, we douse it with almond or cow milk and dig in. It’s truly a wonderful, warm meal to start our morning. It’s how we do things around here.
I hope you try it, and let me know how you feel. For me, a bowl of cooked oats and cup of hot tea is a super satisfying meal that carries me over till my first break, which is sometime not until lunch time. My stomach is happy and mind can be focused on my clients. It’s a win win for everyone.
Happy eating (and thanks for reading),
Francine
"Science has demonstrated the wisdom of these careful preparation methods as all grains and legumes contain phytic acid, an organic acid that blocks mineral absorption in the intestinal tract. Phytic acid is neutralized in as little as 7 hours of soaking in water with small amounts of an acidic medium such as lemon juice or cider vinegar. Soaking also neutralizes enzyme inhibitors present in the hulls of all seeds and adds beneficial enzymes which increase the amount of nutrients present – especially the B vitamins."
Sweet. For someone with a sensitive digestive track who is also genetically low in B vitamins I have been all in. So here is what I do...
For the oatmeal:
1 cup of gluten free rolled oats
2.5 cups of water
A juicy slice of lemon juice
Morning add ins:
A pinch of salt
Almond and/or peanut butter (my son loves a combo)
Good quality maple syrup or honey
Cinnamon (mom’s contribution to this tasty breakie)
Almond milk
Directions:
In a saucepan, combine oats, water, and a good squeeze of lemon juice (about two teaspoons of lemon juice). Cover and let sit overnight. In the morning add a pinch of salt and cook until your desired consistency. This ratio makes for a thicker porridge. You can easily add more water for a thinner porridge. It serves 2-3 people, depending on how hungry you are. My mom, my son, and I share this cooked “mush” in the morning with a spoonful of almond and/or peanut butter, a drizzle of honey or maple syrup and a shake of cinnamon. Lastly, we douse it with almond or cow milk and dig in. It’s truly a wonderful, warm meal to start our morning. It’s how we do things around here.
I hope you try it, and let me know how you feel. For me, a bowl of cooked oats and cup of hot tea is a super satisfying meal that carries me over till my first break, which is sometime not until lunch time. My stomach is happy and mind can be focused on my clients. It’s a win win for everyone.
Happy eating (and thanks for reading),
Francine
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