Guest Post: The Mellifluous Microwave, Part II – Carrots 'N' Cake

Friday, February 13, 2009 at 01:55 PM

Guest Post: The Mellifluous Microwave, Part II

By Mimi H. at Damn the Freshman 15

Hello potpies! I was so happy that people liked the first Mellifluous Microwave. It is all part of my quest for world domination, rest assured.

Anyway, if you haven’t clicked or scrolled wildly away yet, then you’re here to learn more about cooking up exquisite delicacies in your microwave. Without further ado…

Today’s topic: Oatmeal!

Is this in honor of our own oat goddess, Tina? Mayhap a little.

As we’ve learned from Carrots ‘N’ Cake, there are few finer, heartier breakfasts than a nice bowl of oats. I firmly believe that stovetop oats are is the tastiest and healthiest. But what if you don’t have time to make breakfast until you get to work, or you don’t have the time to make a stovetop bowl at home? Your microwave to the rescue!

I can hear everyone now: “Duh, that’s why there is instant oatmeal.” Yeah, go for it, if you want hyper-processed oats that will zip through your digestive track and not give you nearly the staying power that a good bowl of real oats can. Even the brands that kowtow to Mama Earth such as Kashi, have to pash and process the oats more to make them instant. If you have 5 whole minutes, however, you can make a delicious bowl of real oats right in your microwave.

First, pick a good oatmeal. Get the kind that says it CAN be made in the microwave, but isn’t instant. If it says it cooks in around 4 minutes, grab it. I love Bob’s Red Mill 5-Grain with Flaxseed.

Now, round up any mix-ins you might want. Frozen fruit, fresh fruit, raisins, nuts, etc. Mix-ins are an exciting part of the oatmeal experience. I mean, have you SEEN the 30-Day Oatmeal Challenge? For the best oatmeal, however, especially dealing with the microwave, mix-ins have to be added with care. A few microwave mix-in tips:

Frozen fruit: add 1/2 to 3/4ths of the way through the microwave cycle. For big pieces of frozen fruit, such as peaches, pop them in halfway while smaller items, like blueberries, can be added closer to 3/4ths.

Fresh fruit: add either in the last 15 seconds, if you want hot, juicy fruit, or after the oatmeal has cooked, if you like the freshness of unheated fruit. If you want to add volume to your oats, pop in some pumpkin or banana.

Raisins: add halfway–those suckers are hardcore.

Nuts: add ‘em halfway and they’ll start to toast a bit. Mhmm!

Spices: add either in the last 15 seconds or after cooking. I feel the spices percolate better under a little heat, but lose intensity if cooked too long. The exception is salt, which goes in right at the beginning.

To make oats, you just need the food, a spoon, and a bowl. The bowl is the issue here. If you’ve used a normal bowl, you probably lost half your oats to an epic bubble-over. This is inevitable. In fact, you want your oats to boil, to release the starches and get nice and gooey. The easy solution is to find a big bowl. But what if you’re at work and only have a normal sized bowl or a Styrofoam cup? Never fear! You just have to be more vigilant.

First off, put in about 2/3 of the water it says to, and keep the rest handy. Secondly, grab a paper towel. This sucker is your alarm. So, combine the water (or milk, but it can burn in the microwave) and oats and cover with the paper towel. Put in the microwave for HALF the time it says to. If you have a huge bowl, go off and do whatever. If you have a normal bowl, stay close.

Watch your oats carefully. The moment you see that towel start to bounce a bit, or look like it’s sinking, open the microwave. Uncover enough to give the oats a stir, and then continue to microwave. Each time you see the towel start to be pushed up by the oats, stop, stir, and keep going.

Once the oats are halfway through their original time, uncover and add in the remaining third of the water. Give a big, hearty stir. Add any mix-ins if it’s their time. Microwave for the rest of the recommended time, but keep using the stop-and-stir trick. If a few oats beat you to it and escape the bowl, don’t have a breakdown. Throw them back in if you trust your immune system, otherwise trash.

After microwaving, let the oats sit for a minute. Remember how I said that things in the microwave continue to magically cook post nuking? Same here. You might not believe me, but it makes a difference in texture.

Finally, remove the bowl, add in any final mix-ins, throw on a splash of milk if desired, and treat yourself to a bowl of hot, mushy yumminess.

So now you have no excuse not to have a delicious breakfast. Yet, if a bowl of oats isn’t your thing, here are some tasty recipes to tide you over. Like I mentioned in my last post, I would not consider this a “full breakfast–” I’d at least add some eggs, but I’m also a breakfast person.

Trailblazer Oat Cakes

If the rugged frontiersman had owned microwaves, they would have lived off these. If you are really on the go, then you might feel like the awesomeness of oats are forever beyond your reach, except for those nasty Quaker oat bars. Eww, who wants a chemistry set for breakfast? Here, you can have an oat cake that is totally customizable, contains only the artificial ickies you choose, and can be made in advance. And yes, if you must, you can use instant oatmeal. Normal’s just better.

• 1/3 cup oats
• 1/2 cup water, divided
• 1 tbsp of syrup (honey, maple syrup, agave nectar, etc)
• A handful of mix-ins (nuts, fruit, chocolate, etc. [I like blueberries])
• Spices to taste (cinnamon, ginger, etc)

Get a regular bowl and spray lightly with some cooking spray. Combine all ingredients except for half of the water. Make sure the syrup is thoroughly stirred in; it’s your glue. Smooth the top with a spoon–you want the cake flat!

Microwave 2 minutes. Your oats should not bubble more than a little bit.

Add in the rest of the water, but don’t stir. Smooth if the oats have become uneven. Use your spoon to separate the cake’s edges from the bowl, just a little-it’ll help you remove it later. Microwave for another 2 minutes.

Let sit for a minute or two, then remove and carefully jimmy out the oat cake. You can make these the night before, stick them in the refrigerator, and grab one as you’re leaving. If you are just playing around and aren’t in a hurry, some great toppings are peanut butter, cottage cheese, yogurt, and sliced fruit.

Pumpkin Sandwich

Brace yourself-this sounds horrid, but it tastes delicious. This dish can totally be made in the microwave, but feel free to use a toaster or sandwich maker if you have one around.

• 2 slices of bread or 1 English muffin
• 2 tbsp of canned pumpkin
• 2 tbsp vanilla yogurt (or Greek yogurt if you like tang and feel adventurous)
• Cinnamon to taste
• Ginger to taste
• Nutmeg to taste
• Sugar to taste (optional) 

Prepare two slices of bread in the microwave (or toaster).

Spread the pumpkin on one piece of bread and the yogurt on the other.

Sprinkle on desired spices.

Combine pieces to make a sandwich and microwave for 15-20 seconds. If you have a sandwich maker, you can use that instead.

Take out and eat!

Sweet Tooth Breakfast Pizza

You’ve might have had frittata, or Hungry Girl’s breakfast pizza, but what if you’re craving a sweet rather than savory breakfast? This, mes pêches, is the answer. A note on the fruit-use whatever you want, I’m just making a recommendation.

• 1 English muffin or 1 pita loaf
• 1/4 cup yogurt OR 1/2 cup cottage cheese***
• 1/4 cup blueberries (fresh or unthawed)
• 1/4 cup sliced peaches (fresh or unthawed)
• Cinnamon, cocoa powder, other favorite sweet spices (optional or to taste)

If using an English muffin, halve it and microwave like toast. If using a pita loaf, nuke it for 30 seconds. If your fruit is frozen, microwave for 25 seconds and drain juices if needed.

Take the bread and spread on the yogurt or cottage cheese like pizza sauce. Sprinkle on fruit and any desired spice.

If you’re feeling like a cool, refreshing breakfast, eat immediately. If you want something more warm and comforting, pop it in the microwave for 20 seconds. If using a pita, cut into 4 slices and eat.

***To give this dish more protein, use cottage cheese or Greek yogurt. I suggest sweetening both, unless you like the combo of sweet and tangy. If protein is not a concern, go wild with yogurt flavors. Lemon’s pretty interesting!

Posted by: Tina 20 comments

Posted in: Uncategorized, guest blogger, recipe