OAT-STANDING!

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 15/04/2009 (6246 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

YOU already know that food and fun aren’t mutually exclusive com­modities if you were part of the enthusiastic crowd who turned up at Portage Place earlier this year to catch one of two demonstrations that TV personality Christine Cushing presented in the centre  court.

"It was a lot of fun, actually," she says of the Louis Riel Day showcase. "I had a great turnout. I gotta love that spirit."

Her last appearance here featured recipes from her cookbook Pure. But these days, in addition to her other work, she’s feeling her oats.

Specifically, Cushing is channelling her high spirits into making over a food staple unfairly maligned for being bland and boring: oats.

Cushing points to a few good reasons to look at adding oats to the menu.

• Oats are a good source of soluble fibre.
• Oats, especially the large-flake oats (which only take a few extra minutes to cook) have a very low GI (glycemic index) rating (they tend not to cause a spike in blood sugar).
• Oats are versatile and can be used in other foods, even savoury foods.
• Oats are a very economical choice for breakfast.

Economic considerations are especially important these days, Cushing says. "They did a survey saying that 70 per cent of Canadians are going to be eating more inside the home as opposed to dining out, because of the economy," she says. "And my philosophy is, if you’re dining in, it doesn’t mean it has to be boring, or you don’t feel like you’re getting your full value. I think it can be special even when you’re at home."

But Cushing acknowledges that oats have something of an image problem, taste-wise. That is what compelled her to develop some new recipes "to jazz up our everyday menus."

"The first thing is, how does it taste?" she says. "If doesn’t taste great, do I really care that it’s healthy? I might care but I’m not gonna eat it. I want to give people things that are healthy to eat and that they’re going to enjoy."

Cushing says it’s important to look at your pantry a little differently, prioritize your time so you can shop and cook more thoughtfully, and do something different — not more difficult — just different, because she points out that simplicity rules.

"Doing something different creates conversation," she says. "I do respect and appreciate that what we have at our disposal in this country is everything. There’s so much more in the produce aisle; it’s like your own little playground and that’s where food becomes exciting.

"Steer away from the things that you tend to make repetitively, because I think that makes you feel like, ‘Oh that’s a chore’ so it’s not a special dinner.

"It’s about taking a bit more time — not loads of it, just a little more — and having the attitude: ‘Tonight’s going to be a special dinner."

 

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Right now, Cushing is hard at work on a new television series which involves taking terrible cooks and turning them into great ones.

"Fearless In the Kitchen just started shooting," she says. "My job is to inspire and transform this person who cannot cook. Their job is to kind of let go and be open and have fun. I know it’s going to be a blast! We had a riot the first day."

Fearless In the Kitchen is scheduled to air starting at the end of the summer through the fall on W and Diva. You can go to her website (below) to apply to be on the show.

All of these recipes were developed by Cushing, and the accompanying photos are courtesy of Quaker Oats. You can get more information at www.christinecushing.com and at www.quakeroats.ca

 

Low-fat oatmeal cran-apple cookies 

Cushing says this is a guilt-free treat; it’s about 80 calories a cookie, and it tastes great. But it’s not going to break the bank as far as fat goes.

50 ml (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature

125 ml (1/2 cup) packed brown sugar or dark brown sugar

5 ml (1 tsp) pure vanilla extract

45 ml 93 tbsp) apple butter

1 egg

250 ml (1 cup) whole wheat flour

1 ml (1/4 tsp) salt

1 ml (1/4 tsp) ground cinnamon

0.5 ml (1/8 tsp) allspice

2 ml (1/2 tsp) baking powder

2 ml (1/2 tsp) baking soda

50 ml (1/4 cup) 2% milk

375 ml (11/2 cups) large flake oats

125 ml (1/2 cup) dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 175C (350F)

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or brush with butter.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a regular mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar on medium until light and creamy. Add vanilla, apple butter, egg and mix well until smooth. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula.

Sift together the flour, salt, cinnamon, allspice, baking powder and baking soda over a sheet of parchment paper. Add flour mixture to creamed butter alternately with milk on low speed and beat until just combined. Add the oats and cranberries and beat to just combine.

Drop the batter one tablespoon at a time onto prepared sheets, at least 2 inches apart. Bake cookies, at 175C (350F) for 13 to 15 minutes or until golden. Yield: 24-28 cookies

 

Seasonal vegetable roast with oats

Cushing says the coating on this roast gives it a great texture, almost like a crumble, but savoury.

"I use it in this vegetable roast and it adds kind of a crunch to the top," she says. "I call it seasonal so you could add zucchini, whatever you want, and the topping is almost like a crisp topping and you get a completely different flavour profile."

25 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil

375 ml (11/2 cups) peeled, diced sweet potatoes, 1/2-inch size

375 ml (11/2 cups) cubed zucchini, 1-inch size

375 ml (11/2 cups) cubed, red pepper, 1-inch size

1/2 red onion, chopped

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

125 ml (1/2 cup) low sodium chicken stock

Several sprigs fresh parsley, chopped

75 ml (1/3 cup) whole wheat flour

25 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil

75 ml (1/3 cup) Parmesan cheese, grated

5 ml (1 tsp) fresh rosemary, chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

125 ml (1/2 cup) large-flake oats

1 egg white

Preheat oven to 190C (375F)

In a large skillet, heat olive oil on high. Add the sweet potatoes and sauté for 5 minutes until golden brown and almost tender. Add zucchini, red pepper, onion, salt and pepper and sauté for a further 3 minutes on medium high, until red pepper is just softened. Add the chicken stock, parsley and reduce to medium heat. Simmer for 5 more minutes, just until liquid is reduced by half and vegetables are tender.

In a medium bowl combine flour with olive oil and rub together with hands to distribute oil throughout mixture. Add Parmesan cheese, rosemary and salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

Whisk one egg white in a small bowl until frothy. Add the oats and toss to coat. Pour this mixture into cheese and flour and toss gently with spoon until thoroughly blended.

Transfer vegetables into an 8-inch oval baking dish and sprinkle the oat topping over them evenly. Bake at 190C (375F) until golden brown and crisp, about 15-20 minutes. Yield: 6 servings

 

Maple banana oatmeal

750 ml (3 cups) water

1 ml (1/4 tsp) salt

325 ml (11/3 cups) large-flake oats

10 ml (2 tsp) grape seed oil

2 medium-size ripe bananas, sliced

50 ml (1/4 cup) maple syrup

5 ml (1 tsp) ground cinnamon

Pinch grated nutmeg

50 ml (1/4 cup) chopped pecans

In a medium pot bring water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the salt and oats and stir. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender.

Meanwhile in a small skillet, heat oil and toss bananas over medium heat until golden. Add the maple syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg and simmer for 1 minute. Add the chopped pecans and remove from heat.

When oats are cooked, pour the banana mixture over the oats and gently stir, just to combine. Divide equally among 4 bowls and serve warm.