Vegetarians in Paradise/Raw Oats/Oats Recipe/Vegetarian Breakfast

We're delighted to share our Aunt Nettie with you. She's agreed to answer any questions you might ask about food, its preparation, and even clean-up tips. But we have to prepare you. She just might want to come right over to your house and help you fix dinner.

To send any questions to Ask Aunt Nettie, .

Dear Aunt Nettie,

I just recently started a vegetarian diet and am finding it quite a challenge to come up with good breakfast ideas. Any suggestions would be a blessing!

Yours,
Annie

Annie darlin,'

I'm happy as a lark to be hearin' 'bout yer switchin' to vegetarian vittles. Now, I been noticin' that breakfast jes seems ta stump even them that's been vegetarian fer ages. I jes come up with some breakfast fixin's that's good as gold fer ya an' mighty quick ta whip up, too. Land sakes, ya don't even have to cook it! Now how's that fer speshul! I do hope y'enjoy.

Yer ever lovin' Aunt Nettie

RAW ROCKY ROAD OATS

Chewy, chunky, nutty, and fruity describes this raw breakfast that's sure to make a frequent appearance on your breakfast table. Like many dishes in raw cuisine, it begins by putting up the grain to soak before bedtime. The next morning breakfast comes together quickly, bursting with goodness.

1/2 C. (118 ml) steel cut Scottish oats (McCann's is one well-known brand)
Water

1 large apple, cored and diced (do not peel)
1 Fuyu persimmon or Bosc pear, chopped or any favorite fruit in season
2 T. raw walnut pieces
2 T. raw pecan pieces
2 T. natural sesame seeds
2 T. flax seed meal
1/3 C. (79 ml) raisins
2 to 3 dashes ground cinnamon

1 ripe banana, mashed
1 T. chopped nuts

Put oats into a large bowl and cover with warm water by one-inch, and soak overnight.
In the morning, pour oats into a fine mesh strainer to drain off water. Transfer to a medium-size bowl.
Add grated apple, persimmon, nuts, seeds, raisins, and cinnamon and toss to combine ingredients.
Divide mixture into 2 bowls and top with mashed banana. An extra sprinkle of nuts on top gives each bowl a little extra visual appeal. Sit down and enjoy with a nice cup of herbal tea. Serves 3.

If You Haven't Met Aunt Nettie. . .

Our Aunt Nettie has a head like a hard disk. It's filled with gigabytes of information about food and cooking. And she's just itchin' to share her learnin' with city folk who live in mortal fear of the stovetop.

Aunt Nettie grew up on the farm. She did not eat out of a can or reach into the freezer. There was no microwave to pop her food into. Everything she made was from scratch. All the food she ate was natural, without pesticides. It was grown right there on the family farm, and she had to cook to survive. At eighty-three years young she still leaps and bounds around the kitchen and can shake, rattle, and roll those pots and pans with the best of them.

Nowadays, Aunt Nettie just shakes her head and complains, "Nobody cooks anymore. They have no idea about puttin' a meal together." She's on a mission. She wants to help those younguns eat better so they can grow up healthy like her own eight kids.

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