Monday, August 10, 2015

Gratitude Monday -- Unbaked Edition

I wanted brownies, but it was too hot to bake.
Instead I began experimenting with rolled oats mixed into coconut oil with molassess, cane syrup, and coconut.
And I liked it.
It took out the craving nicely without heating up the house. In a hot, dry summer, that's important.
I was grateful for having done it and liked it enough to play around with the basic premise. I've added goji berries, raisins, peanut butter, vanilla, sea salt, walnuts, and pecans in various versions.
They're all good.
But the raw rolled oats took its toll. I  had half -expected it as years ago I used to soak oats overnight in cranberry juice for breakfast. I made various versions of it and loved it, but I got nasty stomach pains, fevers, I lost weight, and it wasn't good.
I thought it might be the raw oats so stopped eating it and the tummy troubles magically disappeared.
I'd hoped the oats would cook enough in the hot oil, but I was out of luck.
Giving up on the uncooked chocolate goodness was out of the question so I made a batch omitting the oats and cranking up the coconut.
It was very good and I was content for a short while.
Then it occurred to me to cook the oats and see what happens. So yesterday I made one serving size of porridge with goji berries and raisins and as it cooled I threw together the other constituents of the squares except peanut butter.
I am so grateful I did.
My Chocolate Porridge Squares are filling, satisfying, and they are really quite healthy.
I will have to make the peanut butter version soon.
Science demands it.



7 comments:

Tabor said...

My experiments with food turn out good about 50% of the time, but not using an oven in August is a good thing.

solarity said...

Always listen to the demands of science!

Mary Anne in Kentucky

Anonymous said...

You have to listen to science! Last night I made myself a chocolate cheesecake in the microwave…melted a few squares of dark chocolate and a scoop a cream cheese…tossed in a bit of honey and it was great!

Glad you found a way to enjoy your oats!

Leah J. Utas said...

Tabor, it's good to experiment.

Mary Anne, agreed.

Kimberley, that sounds really good.

Anonymous said...

Leah, it was so good that I had it again for lunch today!

messymimi said...

Somehow, some way, there has to be a method, and i'm glad you found it!

Leah J. Utas said...

Thanks, Messymimi. It sure was fun figuring it out.

Kimberley, yay!