Savory Miso Oats

Oatmeal, traditionally served sweet, is fantastic savory. It is simple and easy to make. Toasting the rolled oats before cooking them gives them a nuttier flavor, which pairs well in this dish with the bright greens and the added nuts (and reduces cooking time), while the fermented miso paste adds a level of depth to the dish.

Microgreens. Think of them as “baby plants”. They are insanely healthy and good for you, concentrating up to 40x more nutritional benefits than their larger counterparts (see article for more info). You can easily add them to practically any dish: soups, salads, sandwiches, topping for curries and stews, etc. Their flavor profile will typically mimic that of the mature plant (i.e. arugula microgreens will be bitter, just like arugula).

This simple dish lends itself to so many variations and toppings. It is a great way to use leftovers: vegetables, meats, sauces, cheese, etc. I added a fried egg to make it a hearty meal, and topped it with raw sprouts for freshness, avocado and a medley of toasted nuts I had on hand. Inspiration comes from the lovely Heidi.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup rolled oats

1.5 teaspoons ghee, butter, or olive oil

1 cup water

1/2 teaspoon miso, or to taste (I used red, increase if using white)

red pepper flakes, fresh ground pepper (optional)

topping ideas: egg (fried, poached, soft boiled), avocado, toasted nuts (walnuts, pepita seeds, sesame seeds), greens (mircogreens, sprouts, spinach, kale), minced chives, cooked vegetables, red pepper flakes, dollop of plain Greek yogurt / labneh / creme fraiche, salsa, fresh chiles (jalapeños, serrano), chipotle chiles

Melt ghee in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in oats so they are all coated with ghee, and patiently cook, stirring occasionally, until oats are toasted and fragrant (~5 min). Take care not to burn or over-toast them or they will not render their starches. Stir in the water, and simmer until water is just absorbed. Remove from heat.

Place miso in a separate bowl, and scoop a few spoonfuls of oats. Stir miso and oats well, then gently fold it back onto the main pot of oats, until it is thoroughly mixed. Taste and adjust with more miso until you are happy with the seasoning.

Serve topped with lots of toppings!

Serves 1

Avena Miso

Ingredientes:

1/2 taza “rolled oats” (avena, no instantatea)

1 1/2 cucharadita de ghee, mantequilla, o aceite de oliva

1 taza agua

1/2 cucharadita pasta de miso, o como desees (yo uso miso rojo, si usas blanco usar un poco mas)

hojuelas de chile rojo, pimienta fresca (opcional)

toppings: huevo (frito, pochado, duro, hervido), aguacate, nueces variadas tostadas (nogada, pepitas, ajonjolí). verdes variados (verdes micro, germinados, espinaca, kale, etc), cebollines picados, verduras cocidas, yogurt griego / labneh / crema, salsa, chiles frescos, chile chipotle

Calienta el ghee en una olla chica sobre fuego medio. Agrega la avena hasta queestée cubierta en ghee y cocina, revolviendo de vez en cuando, hasta que la avena este tostada y tenga olor a nuez tostada (~5 min). No quemes o tuestes la avena de más o no se cocerán después bien.

Agrega el agua y cuece sobre fuego medio hasta que se absorba. Quita la olla del fuego.

En un plato aparte pon el miso, y una cucharada de avena cocida. Revuelvelos bien, y regresa la mezcla a la olla con el resto de la avena. Mezclalos con cuidado, hasta que queden bien integrados. Prueba y ajusta el sazón, agregando más miso si es necesario.

Sirvela con muchos toppings!