An Oat Lover’s Guide to Summer

Oats in summer? I know, a bowl of soft, warm oats is ubiquitous to winter. But stick with me. Think: energizing easy-to-make bars for a hike or paddle. Hearty griddle cakes for a campout. Granola for a cool summer breakfast on plain Greek yogurt piled with fresh fruit and honey.

Honestly, today, I’m writing about oats primarily to feed my recipe evangelist self. Recipe evangelism is one of my favorite hobbies, likely inherited from my father, who peruses cookbooks for the sheer joy, and don’t you ever suggest that he owns too many… bookshelves and bookshelves, and still room for more. Perhaps even more than cooking itself, I like to spread the word. Share the love of a healthy, tasty, easy-tomake recipe. Webster defines evangelism as “zealous advocacy of a cause.”

Me. Recipes. Summer.

Thank you for indulging my platform. Happy summer to you! This is also a fine time to understand the various types of oats and their best use.

Over a century ago, oats were one of Skagit County’s main crops, in high demand across the nation as animal feed (before the invention of gas power, replacing horsepower)

· The first commercial production of oats in Skagit County circa 1870 was sent to markets in Seattle by barge and horse carriage, and by 1908, the Skagit Delta was producing more oats and hay per acre than any other place in the United States at the time. (source: Genuine Skagit Valley).

· Oat seeds are typically planted in summer or early fall and stay dormant through winter. Oats need cold weather to grow: during winter, the seeds store energy until it’s spring and time to grow.

Oats are a nutritional powerhouse, packed with essential vitamins (B1, B5, B6, B9), protein, minerals (iron, zinc, manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, copper), fiber (beta-glucan), and antioxidants.

Oats are a gluten-free grain. (They can be contaminated with wheat in the processing facility, so check first for a gluten-free certification if this is important to you.)

Oats have a higher fiber content compared to other grains.

· You can replace breadcrumbs with oats when making meatballs or veggie burgers.

So! Oats! In their purest, unprocessed form, oats are covered in an inedible hull. All the magic begins once the hull is removed. The different types of oats all originate from the same raw oat kernel—the different names reflect how the oat grain is processed:

Oat Groats

Oat groats are the whole, intact kernel in their rawest state with the hull removed. They are what other varieties of oats are derived from. Soak them overnight if you want to speed things along when cooking; since they’re so unprocessed, they take the most time to soften. They are chewy, toothsome, and nutty. Best for slow-cooked oatmeal, stews, salads, and grain bowls. Use a 3:1 ratio of liquid to oats and cook for about 60 minutes.

Steel-Cut or Irish Oats

Steel-cut or Irish oats are groats that have been sliced into two or three pieces with a steel blade. They look almost like cut-up grains of rice. With more surface area than groats to absorb more water, this style of oat can cook more quickly while still keeping a hearty, chewy texture. Best for a bowl of nutty Irish oatmeal, baked oatmeal, meatloaf, stuffing, and a mysterious dish I’ve not heard of: black pudding. Oh, okay, not making that… Use a 3:1 ratio of liquid to oats, cook for about 15–20 minutes, or longer depending on how creamy you like your oatmeal.

Scottish Oats

Scottish oats are made by milling the groats rather than slicing them. What’s milling? Slowly grinding the grain between two millstones, which in this case, produces paperthin oats. These oats make an exceptionally rich, velvety morning porridge. Best for traditional porridge, pancakes, scones, and oatcakes. Use a 3:1 ratio of liquid to oats and cook for about 10 minutes.

Rolled Oats or Old-Fashioned Oats

Rolled oats are made by steaming groats, then flattening them with a roller into flakes. Hence the name. And guess what! There’s no difference between rolled oats and oldfashioned oats; the names are used interchangeably. They are probably the most common style of oat in the U.S. for a cooked morning bowl. Also best for cookies, quick breads, fruit crisps, and granola. Use a 2:1 ratio of liquid to oats and cook for about 20 minutes.

Quick-Cooking Oats or Instant Oats

Quick-cooking oats are processed just as old-fashioned rolled ones are, but they are rolled thinner, steamed longer, and thus they cook faster. Instant oats are typically the ones found in brown packets ready to microwave, though sometimes they are referred to interchangeably. Best for baking or pulsing into oat flour. Some claim that instant oats produce the clumpiest of granolas without the addition of egg white. Use a 2:1 ratio of liquid to oats, cooking for about 1–2 minutes on the stovetop or in the microwave.

So there you have it. You’ve encountered all the types of dried oats to enjoy this versatile, healthy grain all summer.

U.S. born Skagit writer and eater Sarah Stoner grew up in Uganda, Morocco, Belgium, and Thailand and lived in her passport country for the first time at age 18. sarahjstoner@hotmail.com

Homemade Energy Bars

A family favorite for grab-n-go summer hikes. This recipe offers plenty of leeway to concoct flavor combinations... like dried cranberries and walnuts, or dried figs and roasted macadamia nuts, or whatever medley of nuts and dried fruits your cupboards may conveniently hold. Level up to Mojo style: mix in coconut flakes and dark chocolate chips.

2 cups quick cooking oats

(we prefer them chewy, but for crunchier bars, toast oats 15 min or toast nuts 6–7 min at 325°F.)

2 cups trail mix, or nuts and dried fruit of your choice

(I do one cup nuts, one cup dried fruit—but you do you! Go nuts!)

· 1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup brown rice syrup

· 1/4 cup honey

· 2 tbsp oil

· 1 cup nut butter

Directions:

In a bowl, combine oats, trail mix, and salt. Over medium heat, place the brown rice syrup and honey in a saucepan and bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes. Add in the oil and almond butter until it is thoroughly mixed and is even in consistency.

Stir wet mixture into dry ingredients and combine until evenly mixed. Press into an oiled 8x12-inch baking dish. Here’s where you sprinkle with chocolate chips and press in (optional, they are great without too).

Let cool, then flip out onto a cutting board and cut—or go caveman like us and just cut hunks out of the dish. Store with a lid or wrap in waxed paper to keep the bars from drying out.

Oatmeal Griddlecakes

Great for campouts, as the dry ingredients can be mixed ahead of time, and coconut milk is shelf-stable.

1 1/2 cup oats

· 2 cups buttermilk (or coconut milk, which also offers better absorption of iron in the oats)

· 1/2 cup flour (gluten-free or gluten-full)

· 1 tsp sugar

· 1 tsp baking soda

· 1 tsp salt

2 eggs, beaten

· dried cranberries, optional

Directions:

Combine oats and buttermilk or coconut milk. Let stand 15 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Cook up on a hot griddle. That’s it!

Our family loves these topped with plain yogurt, a drizzle of maple syrup, and a side of the Co-op’s Maple Bacon sausages.

Meet our 3rd Quarter Tokens for Tomorrow Groups!

Every time you bring in a reusable shopping bag, we honor your commitment to reducing waste with a token worth 8¢ that you can give back to one of four local organizations:

Anacortes Laundry Love

The purpose of Anacortes Laundry Love is to wash the clothes and bedding of no- and low-income families in Anacortes, brightening their lives through love, dignity, and detergent. Anacortes Laundry Love partners with Econowash to provide free laundry on the first Tuesday of the month, from 8:30—10:30am. They see the laundromat as a place where strangers become friends, people are known by name, and the worth of every human being is acknowledged and celebrated. Anacortes Laundry Love hopes to offer a second time on a Saturday morning to increase access to more families. Your tokens will help support this effort. laundrylove.org

Chinook Enterprises

Chinook is a social enterprise—a non-profit designed to operate as a business, but with a social mission: supporting full participation in community life for people with disabilities or other barriers. Full participation must start with successful employment. For many people with disabilities, finding that place can be challenging. Barriers to employment success are varied and include inadequate transportation, lack of experience, communication challenges, community acceptance, and more. With help and support, these barriers can be minimized, and dreams can be realized. chinookenterprises.org

Communities in Schools

The mission of Communities in Schools (CIS) is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and make their way through the world. Since 2008, CIS Site Coordinators have provided whole-school support to improve educational equity, as well as 1-to-1 case management services and comprehensive interventions for at-risk youth. These resources, along with individual mentoring, help students set goals to improve academic outcomes, including attendance, core course grades, and behavior. whatcomskagit.ciswa.org

Sedro-Woolley Open Door Community Food Kitchen

Since 1989, the mission of the Open Door Community Food Kitchen has been to provide warm meals to those in need and to individuals with limited access to food or the funds to purchase it themselves. Food is readily served to anyone without question or judgment, and no application or proof of income is required. Open Door Community Food Kitchen also delivers meals three times each week to approximately 30 residents in Sedro-Woolley and to families within the Family Promise program of Skagit Valley. The goal is to provide fresh, seasonal fruit and produce with each meal, and funds from Tokens for Tomorrow will be used to purchase fresh produce as opposed to canned or frozen.

centralumcsw@yahoo.com