savory oats

*

health woes; of which i shall not bore you; have forced me to metamorphose my entire way of eating. one thing i am to do is eat oats daily. i prefer my porridge to be swimming in an ocean of butter, & containing more brown sugar than a cake; & therein lies the problem. i am to avoid butter & sugar, as well as many other lovely things.

i choked down plain porridge for a few days, then had a brainstorm. congee! i know that this is traditionally made from rice, but why not from oat bran? i searched for some recipes, tried a few, & loved them! i have always been more of a savory-brekkie gal anyway.

this is my most favorite concoction:

savory oat congee

1 cup of oat bran

large handful of sliced mushrooms

garlic powder

salt & pepper

sriracha (a friend calls this 'rooster sauce')

drizzle of olive oil

1 tsp. nutritional yeast flakes

1 egg white

1 tbs. ground flax seeds

water

* in a pot, saute the mushrooms in a drizzle of olive oil. cook until they are how you like them.

* add the dry ingredients, & water. you want enough water to cover the ingredients, plus about a knuckle's depth more. adjust this to your taste. i enjoy a slightly runny conjee.

* cook on medium. as soon as the water begins to simmer, turn it to low, & stir in the egg white. you'll begin to see thin white ribbons, the same as with egg-drop soup.

* continue cooking until the conjee is the consistency you prefer.

* top with sriracha.

notes:

please adjust the seasoning & water to your own tastes. 

if you are not watching your cholesterol, skip stirring in an egg white, & top the conjee with a poached egg instead. i cheated one day, & can promise this is insanely delish!

my experiments have shown that anything you enjoy in a stir-fry works wonderfully.

if you are vegan, omit the egg white, & top with tofu, or go an indian route, & stir in some hummus.

give this a try, & let me know your favorite combinations.

~peace.