Hey folks-
So a little detour from the usual recipes, but this all relates to food.
As you may or may not know, I have been on a terribly restricted diet for the past few months while I wait for my young son to outgrow his colic and allow his digestive system to develop. Though the list of forbidden food is much longer, the key features of this diet are the total absence of wheat, diary, corn and soy. As you may guess, this is pretty limiting. Anyone out there with allergies or other dietary limitations knows what I am talking about and has my deepest sympathies.
So I have been telling myself is that this diet is only for a small time and ultimately I will again be able to eat whatever I want.
If ever there was a set up.......
It turns out I have Hashimotos Thyroiditis. This is an auto-immune disease where your body sends out antibodies to attack your thyroid. This is not good. Symptoms/complications include weight gain, hair loss, depression, sleep disorders, infertility and suppressed immunity. Thus far I have been lucky enough to remain asymptomatic, but I do not have the option of ignoring this disease. Lucky for me, unlike AIDS or other auto-immune diseases, this is one that can be managed with minimal medication if I am very careful about- you guessed it- what I eat.
A friend of mine recently sent me an article discussing the relationship between diet, chronic inflammation and depression. Diet directly contributes to chronic inflammation and the key problem foods are wheat, diary, corn and soy. Environmental toxins also play a part in this, but diet also contributes to our ability to cope with these toxins. Chronic inflammation has a whole host of bad things associated with it,
among them are cancer, heart disease, depression and, you guessed again, hashimotos.
In short, there are not a lot of croissants in my future. On the upside, nothing but my baby screaming for hours would have possessed me to give up cheese. On the downside, it looks like the list of forbidden food is more of a lifestyle necessity for me now.
I occasionally get very depressed thinking about the disaster that is currently our society's food system/environment/health picture. Even worse, it would now seem I am a victim of this dysfunction. Though I am also coming to the conclusion that ultimately this toxic system will collapse, if for no other reason than that it kills everyone who participates. But I don't want to be one of the casualties.
SO- my life and diet are shifting to accommodate these changes and with it, the focus of my food blogging. The criteria is no longer just delicious, organic and local, it has now come to include sustainable on a very personal level. This is food that will keep me and you alive and well in the midst of more vulnerability than humanity has likely coped with before. This is food as a big and victorious fuck you to our destructive system of agriculture, food processing and health care. My revolution will not be televised, it will be served one meal at a time.
Friday, August 30, 2013
Kent and Odette's Oatsotto
Yeah, none of the tags are going to work for this.....
What is Oatsotto you ask?
Oatsotto is the delicious oat based savory herbed grain accompaniment that I enjoyed for dinner last night. Think of it as risotto, but without the arsenic. That's right folks, arsenic. Read the linked article, or don't, but take it easy on the rice until there is more info.
ANYHOW- My wonderful brother and I made oatsotto for dinner last night, and it was amazing.
I'm sorry there isn't a picture, but oatsotto deserves a better photographer than I to make it look as good as it tastes.
Steel cut oats are good for many reasons (more fiber, texture, oatyness, and minerals), but most importantly because they have enough texture not to turn into the dreaded oatmeal glop from many of our youths. The texture and neutral flavor is what makes oats ideal for savory or sweet dishes.
If your not sold on the novelty yet, imagine the comforting carbohydrate warmth of risotto with a little more nubbles, rich chicken stock and savory rosemary permeating every bite. Sprinkled with a little pecorino or nesting a poached egg, this is a super satisfying one dish meal you can do pretty much anything with. Yay!
You will need:
1 Cup Organic Steel cut oats
3(ish) Cups warm chicken stock
1-2 Tbs Fresh chopped rosemary
Salt
Pepper
Any veggies you might like: onions, mushrooms, carrots, peas or zucchini are all good options. One word of warning: DO NOT be tempted to add garlic, it tastes terrible with oats.
To make:
First, saute any veggies you will be adding and set them aside. In a medium (4-6 cup) saucepan mix the oats with one cup stock and half the rosemary, bring to a simmer and stir regularly. As the liquid evaporates, add more stock, continuing to stir and simmer until your oats reach the texture of risotto and are tender to the tooth. Stir in your veggies and remaining rosemary to taste along with a generous pinch of salt. Serve with plenty of salt and pepper along with your toppings of choice. My brother like poached eggs, my husband likes bacon.
SUPER YUM
xoxo
What is Oatsotto you ask?
Oatsotto is the delicious oat based savory herbed grain accompaniment that I enjoyed for dinner last night. Think of it as risotto, but without the arsenic. That's right folks, arsenic. Read the linked article, or don't, but take it easy on the rice until there is more info.
ANYHOW- My wonderful brother and I made oatsotto for dinner last night, and it was amazing.
I'm sorry there isn't a picture, but oatsotto deserves a better photographer than I to make it look as good as it tastes.
Steel cut oats are good for many reasons (more fiber, texture, oatyness, and minerals), but most importantly because they have enough texture not to turn into the dreaded oatmeal glop from many of our youths. The texture and neutral flavor is what makes oats ideal for savory or sweet dishes.
If your not sold on the novelty yet, imagine the comforting carbohydrate warmth of risotto with a little more nubbles, rich chicken stock and savory rosemary permeating every bite. Sprinkled with a little pecorino or nesting a poached egg, this is a super satisfying one dish meal you can do pretty much anything with. Yay!
You will need:
1 Cup Organic Steel cut oats
3(ish) Cups warm chicken stock
1-2 Tbs Fresh chopped rosemary
Salt
Pepper
Any veggies you might like: onions, mushrooms, carrots, peas or zucchini are all good options. One word of warning: DO NOT be tempted to add garlic, it tastes terrible with oats.
To make:
First, saute any veggies you will be adding and set them aside. In a medium (4-6 cup) saucepan mix the oats with one cup stock and half the rosemary, bring to a simmer and stir regularly. As the liquid evaporates, add more stock, continuing to stir and simmer until your oats reach the texture of risotto and are tender to the tooth. Stir in your veggies and remaining rosemary to taste along with a generous pinch of salt. Serve with plenty of salt and pepper along with your toppings of choice. My brother like poached eggs, my husband likes bacon.
SUPER YUM
xoxo
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