Starting #WFPB in April, Episode 2

Overnight, I cooked oats again.

Steelcut oats the proper way

The bottom line is there is an endless number of ways to make breakfast, with oats or otherwise, but oats have a lot going for them, and in terms of nutritional quality have it over rolled oats (less processing), though arguably whole oats groats would be even better and, if you cook them with a programmable rice cooker like I do, the fact they take longer to cook is unimportant. Be that as it may, Cutting the oats is minimal as far as processing goes, so whole oats groats and steel cut oats are pretty close in terms of nutrition. Steel cut holds a slight edge, so if it's for breakfast cereal, I would prefer them.

One of the biggest things with steel cut oats is that the glycemic index is lower, so it's better for diabetics. And whole oats groats would be even lower.

Anyway, I cook them overnight, using my trusted Zojirushi Induction Heat 3-cup rice cooker. Before I go to bed I put them on for 6:30 AM, on a brown rice cycle. That seems to give me a satisfactory result.

When they are ready, I keep them on keep warm for a while meanwhile I prepare the additions:

• a grated apple (preferably Granny Smith)
• a half a pint of blueberries
• 1 tbsp goji berries
• 2 tbsp raisins
• cinnamon

I leave that on "keep warm" for a minimum of 5 minutes.  Once it's finished, the toppings are added, typically:

• a sliced banana
• some strawberries or other kinds of berries, or fruit
• one tbsp of milled flaxseed
• one tbsp of chia seeds or hemp heart
• a generous drizzle of balsamic vinegar
• more cinnamon

 mangia, mangia!

Here's an alternative pic with Jack fruit:

Steelcut Oats with strawberries, blackberries and Jackfruit

Lunch kale, and Ramen

My standard steamed kale with sweet potato, mustard seeds and balsamic, plus I added some fresh garlic.
Budget Ramen with Collard Greens (Sorry, no daikon today)

Dinner a Salad and Thai Veggies over Rice

A Salad of redleaf lettuce, with finely cut red onion, red and green peppers, quinoa, flax seed, tomato, some capers and salad olives, and 1/2/3 dressing.

I already had a mixture of black rice and short grain brown rice ready.

Thai veggies:

• Caramelize two/three finely cut-up onions
• add in some garlic
• Mushrooms
• a can of Thai curry paste (watch the labels, avoid the ones with oil or too much sugar, but there are plenty of good ones).
• peppers in all the colors you can find, green, red, yellow - equivalent to a whole pepper.
• simmer the above for a while and then add:
• Napa cabbage sliced in 1/4"strips
• Sprouts
• bind it with some arrow root or corn starch at the end.

Various fruit for snacks in betwean and some more kale. I usually steam a batch that gives me 4-5 portions, and it stays great in the fridge.