In A Modern Way to Eat, Anna Jones writes about the changing ways we find ourselves eating, taking a refreshing new look at vegetarian cooking.
This is a whole-hearted, good-for-you start to the morning, as the quick maple blueberries lift this oatmeal from standard morning fare to shout-from-the-rooftops delicious.
I use a mixture of amaranth and oats here (and you could use gluten-free ones), as I love the deep nutty taste of amaranth. The way it holds its bite and then pops in your mouth makes a welcome change from the uniform texture of most oatmeals. You could leave out the amaranth and replace it with more oats, millet, or some quinoa flakes—just remember, though, that these will cook much faster, so keep an eye on them.
I vary the fruit here according to the season—apples work in winter, strawberries and cherries in spring and summer, and plums in autumn.
2 servings
- First get the oatmeal going. Put the amaranth and oats into a pan with half the milk and bring to a gentle simmer. Leave to bubble away for 20 minutes, topping up with the rest of the milk when needed and some extra hot water if the oatmeal starts to look a bit too dry.
- While your oatmeal is cooking, put the blueberries into another pan with the maple syrup, cinnamon, and lemon juice and cook over a medium heat. Use a wooden spoon to mash up some of the blueberries and release their deep violet juices, leaving a few whole. They are ready when most of the liquid has reduced to a jammy texture, like a pie filling.
- Your oatmeal is ready when the amaranth grains have softened and been absorbed into the creamy oats but still have a little bite.
- To serve, pile the oatmeal into bowls and top with the blueberries and more maple syrup, if you like. It’s dessert for breakfast.
Copyright © 2014 by Anna Jones, published by Ten Speed Press, and imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.
