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Creamy Whole Oats with Cardamom Roasted Pears

Creamy Whole Oats with Cardamom Roasted Pears

As early mornings grow darker and the inevitable first frost arrives,  I find myself easing into these cooler days with warm bowls of cozy oatmeal for breakfast.  Usually it’s a simple bowl of rolled or steel-cut oats, but once in a while I’ll wake up extra early to put on a pot of whole oats.  Whole oats, also known as oat groats, don’t seem to receive nearly the amount of attention they deserve.  They do take longer to cook than old-fashioned oats as well as a bit longer than steel cut, but the method is just as simple, perhaps even simpler since whole oats don’t require stirring.  My 8-year old is generally a part of the anti-oatmeal club, but he does enjoy these whole oat groats.  For him it’s the texture- this bowl of oats is creamy without being gummy and chewy without being mushy.  I like to add chopped medjool dates as it cooks; the heat melts the dates into the oats and provides a balanced sweetness to the whole bowl.

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Muesli Pancakes

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We’re now getting back to our normal routine after my daughter was sick with a fever last week and missed nearly the entire week of school.  It wasn’t all bad since it gave us a chance for us to slow down a bit and get in lots of extra snuggle time.  I made her homemade chicken noodle soup among some other favorite foods, but for about five days, she ate nothing besides smoothies and these muesli pancakes.  Something about these pancakes worked for her in her sickness and I felt comforted that she would at least eat something.  They are a variation of these blueberry oatcakes, which are also a favorite, except raisins and dried apples replace the blueberries and a combination of oats, barley, rye, and seeds replace the plain oats.    This multi-grain muesli is such a wonderful mixture of grains, seeds, and fruit and I’ve been finding all sorts of uses for it.  Note that the muesli does need to be soaked overnight in yogurt the evening before you make these so plan ahead accordingly.  These pancakes are pleasantly hearty, soft and tender, and full of so many wholesome ingredients.  Hope you enjoy!

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Muesli Cakes
 
Ingredients
  • 2 cups multi-grain muesli
  • 2 cups plain yogurt
  • 2 eggs, slightly beaten
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 mashed banana, about ⅓ cup
  • ½ cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 tablespoon ground flax
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • Unsalted butter for frying
Instructions
  1. The evening before, mix the muesli and yogurt together in a large mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
  2. In the morning, add the eggs, honey, and mashed banana to the muesli and yogurt and mix together with a wooden spoon.
  3. In a small mixing bowl, mix together the flour, flax, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
  4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix together until dry ingredients are just incorporated. Batter should be fairly thick.
  5. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet or griddle. Ladle the oat batter into the pan, spreading batter if necessary to make circles about ⅓" thick. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the underside is golden brown and then flip to the other side and cook for another 2 minutes, until golden brown.
  6. Serve warm along with maple syrup, if desired.
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Multi-Grain Muesli

Multi-Grain Muesli | Gather & Dine

Yes, this post really is about making your own muesli.  It may be simple and uncomplicated, but for some reason I’ve been spending way too much money on fancy artisan muesli when I could be making my own at home.  This especially does not make sense given the fact that I probably bake a batch a granola every few weeks and muesli is even less of a time investment than granola.  Lately it’s been all about diy muesli though.  What I love about this particular muesli is the combination of oats, barley, and rye for the base, which together with the dried fruit, nuts, and seeds gives such lovely layers of texture and earthy tones.

Multi-Grain Muesli | Gather & DineMulti-Grain Muesli | Gather & Dine

Muesli can be eaten raw or cooked similarly to oatmeal, but my favorite way to enjoy it is soaked in yogurt, topped with a spoonful of chia jam,  and drizzled with just a bit of honey.   In some of my recent reading, I’ve been learning about the importance of soaking grains, nuts, and seeds for improved digestion and nutrient absorption.  Muesli is one way I’ve tried to incorporate more soaked grains into my meals.  It’s all about baby steps, right?  Hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

Multi-Grain Muesli | Gather & Dine

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Multi-grain Muesli
 
Ingredients
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • ½ cup barley flakes
  • ½ cup rye flakes
  • ¼ cup raisins
  • ¼ cup chopped dried apples
  • ¼ cup sliced almonds
  • 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
  • 2 tablespoons pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and store in an air-tight container. Keeps for several weeks.

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Soaked Multi-grain Muesli with Raspberry Chia Jam
Serves: 2
 
Ingredients
  • 1 cup multi-grain muesli
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • generous spoonful of raspberry chia jam
  • honey for drizzling
Instructions
  1. In a small mixing bowl, gently stir together the muesli and yogurt. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
  2. To serve, divide into 2 bowls. Top each bowl with a generous spoonful of raspberry chia jam and a drizzle of honey.

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