Soaked/Baked Oatmeal and a Finished Basement

When we learned about the dangers of mold and mildew, we figured our basement should have a going over.

It’s the perfect breeding ground: damp, not a lot of ventilation, dark, and full of spiders. Okay, maybe the spiders don’t have anything to do with mold, but they’re just as bad.

One day I finally quit putting it off and went down to inspect. Do I really need to tell you what happened or are you way ahead of me here? No, a giant spider did not eat me alive as was my fear. But it was a close second – mold was everywhere.

I first saw it under a corner of the carpet I pulled up. Then I found it when I pulled back a piece of loose paneling on the wall. And there was still more behind the pink insulation, between the wall joists.

And so began our basement remodeling project.

Preparing to move everything upstairs or out the front door for a permanent vacation.

We gutted everything.

Fast forward a really long year, filled with many stops and gos, and here we are.

 

So, just where is the recipe and what in the world does it have to do with our basement?

When we painted the basement, we left the house for the weekend to get away from the fumes and went to visit Travis’s brother and his family.

While we were visiting, my dear sister-in-law shared a recipe for Baked Oatmeal. Their family loves it and apparently her little brother requested it for his birthday. If a nine-year-old boy requests oatmeal for his birthday dinner – in my opinion, it’s gotta be good.

I tried it today.

Can I be nine again and request this for my birthday?

Soaked Baked Oatmeal (casein-free, gluten-free, nut-free, yeast-free)

4 c. gluten-free oatmeal
4 T. butter, melted
1/2 c. coconut oil, melted
1 c. homemade yogurt (you can substitute kefir, buttermilk, whey, lemon juice, or apple cider vinegar)
1 c. water
1 c. milk (or coconut milk)
2 eggs
2 t. vanilla
1/3 c. cane sugar (you can also use stevia to taste)
3 t. baking powder
2 t. cinnamon
1 1/3 t. celtic sea salt
1/2 c. raisins (try substituting with nuts, cranberries, chocolate chips, etc.)
1/2 c. coconut flakes (Again, you can substitute nuts, cranberries, chocolate chips, etc. Use your imagination.)

Directions:

1. Combine oatmeal, butter, coconut oil, homemade yogurt, water, and milk in a large glass bowl. Let the oatmeal sit overnight or for at least 7 hours (better if 24 hours).

2. The next morning, add the rest of the ingredients and pour in an ungreased 9×13 pan.

3. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

If you don’t want to take the time to soak it overnight, simply throw it all together and proceed. However, don’t underestimate the health benefits of soaking your grain first.

P.S. What’s your favorite birthday dinner?

Don’t know where to purchase some of these ingredients? Visit our Whole Food Sources page.