Avenita ~ Oatmeal like mom used to make, almost…
(Serves 4) ~ Vegan, GF Option, Soy-Free, Dairy-Free

Oatmeal has always been very nostalgic for me. It takes me back to my childhood and I think of mom, my dad, my aunts and grandma even, when I make avenita (oatmeal). Porridge in its truest form in my opinion. Ground up oats with milk, cinnamon, sugar and a splash of vanilla is what I grew up on. They all knew I loved it too! This recipe should serve (4) unless you are two hungry little Minions and one hungry Momma Bear alone in the house while Papa Bear is off at work, of course the (3) of us ate it all… 🙂
A couple differences than how mom used to make – I grind up my old-fashioned rolled oats in my nutribullet using the milling blade or sometimes using my coffee grinder. The kids use the coffee grinder when they make it themselves. Also, after grinding up the oats when you incorporate them into the milk mixture you’ll want to whisk and whisk often while the oats are cooking to achieve the silky smooth texture.
Nowadays, my cheat… [don’t tell mom] I’ll whisk for a couple minutes then let the oats cook out then transfer the oatmeal back to the nutribullet now using the extractor blade and I’ll blend up for about 30 seconds to a minute until smooth and creamy…. You know just like mom used to make 😉 Enjoy!
Ingredients:
2 Cups Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats
2 Cups Non-Dairy Milk (I used Almond/Coconut blend – Silk)
2 Cups Water
1 Tsp ground Cinnamon
3 Tbsp Sugar
¼ Tsp Salt Splash of pure Vanilla Extract
and a dash of love!

Directions:
-Grind up rolled oats using a milling blade, growing up we used a blender, you can also use a coffee grinder or milling blade on your nutribullet.

-Heat milk, water, cinnamon, sugar, salt and vanilla to a simmer over medium heat.
-Slowly whisk in ground up oats and continue whisking and cooking oats for 5-7 minutes. Whisking regularly until smooth.

–Optional [but for added creamy smoothness]: – in addition to the above steps, let the oatmeal mixture stand for 3 minutes, transfer into nutribullet or blender and blend until smooth before serving.

You can sprinkle a little extra cinnamon for serving. When my brother and I were kids we would sometimes add a drizzle of syrup. Also, as kids, we were taught the center is hot so when you dive in, start around the edge of the bowl not the center… of course this straight from the pot without my optional ‘let stand’ steps above when the oatmeal was still scorching. Hope you enjoy this one and think of “Vegan Rescue” when you grind up your oats!

Enjoy!

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Oats (Avena sativa) “Oats are generally considered “healthy”, or a health food, being touted as nutritious. The established property of their cholesterol-lowering effect has led to acceptance of oats as a health food. Oats contain more soluble fiber than any other grain, resulting in slower digestion, a feeling of satiety and suppression of appetite. One type of soluble fiber, beta-glucans, has been proven to lower cholesterol. Oat protein is nearly equivalent in quality to soy protein, which World Health Organization research has shown to be equal to meat, milk and egg protein.” [wikipedia] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oat