Oat Cuisine: Porridge Is For Life, Not Just For Breakfast

There’s nothing that says winter more than a bowl of hot porridge for breakfast. There is something really comforting about the sweet, homely smell of freshly made porridge drifting from the kitchen and the almost theatrical preparation that goes into making it. And it’s not all about the taste either, endless thought can go into the decoration for some people – cocoa nibs, chia seeds, maca powder, bee pollen to name just a few of the trendier toppings.

While Belle is well aware of the wide range of benefits of oats, health and beauty, it’s always worth finding out more so we recently attended a pop-up “Oat Cuisine Experience” organised by oat experts MOMA. This exclusive two-day event celebrated the simple oat with a surprising array of dishes. The tickets cost £4 (with a glass of wine included) and all the proceeds were donated to London homeless charity The Passage.

We were introduced to oats in ways that were completely new to us. We curiously indulged ourselves in a rather delicious 8-course tasting menu where each dish was prepared using oats, from savoury to sweet.

We feasted on a spread of dishes including Oat & Seed Cracker Bread with Rainbow Crudites and a Trio of Dips, Beetroot & Feta Oat Burger with a Sweet Mango Relish, Asparagus & Baby Pea Oat Risotto with a Tomato Salad as well as Oat & Lemon Cheesecake and Baked Peaches with a Cinnamon Oat Amaretti Topping.

Every dish was very tasty and very filling, and what’s more, we discovered the different and exciting ways the simple, perhaps sometimes-unassuming oat, can be used in cooking.

It has been quite the journey for MOMA, which started over 12 years ago out of a filing cabinet in Waterloo station, as Tom Mercer, the founder told us. It might have been a long time since his first bowl sold, but his passion was still very evident when we spoke to him at the event.

“At MOMA, we’re passionate about oats, and we think they make a perfect meal – whatever the time of day. With the launch of our new Jumbo Oats, we wanted to share our passion for this simple but delicious and versatile ingredient, and showcase how it can be used for breakfast, dinner, and everything in between.”

Why not try some of the MOMA recipes for yourself:

Savoury Granola Mix

Serves 8-10 people

Ingredients:

• 100g oats
• 30g pumpkin seeds
• 30g white sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp soya sauce
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp rosemary
• 1 tsp mild curry powder
• ½ tsp of each – salt, pepper, garlic salt

Method:

• Mix all the ingredients together and spread onto a lined baking tray.
• Bake in the oven at 180c for 15-20 mins stirring every 5 mins to prevent any of the ingredients from catching.
• Sprinkle onto soup to serve

Baked Peaches with a Cinnamon Oat Amaretti Topping (GF+VG)

Serves 4 (1x peach per person)

Ingredients:

• 4 ripe peaches
• ¼ cup flaked almonds
• ½ cup almond flour
• ? cup rolled oats
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• ¼ cup coconut sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil (melted)
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup + a little more for drizzling over
• 50g vegan amaretti biscuits
• 1 orange

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180c Add all the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix together, then add melted coconut oil and maple syrup.
• Cut the peaches in half and remove the stones.
• Place the peach halves cut-side-up in a baking dish.
• Top the peaches with the crumble mixture.
• Squeeze orange over the crumble and drizzle a little more maple syrup.
• Bake until the crumble is golden brown, and peaches are very tender and juicy, about 25-30 minutes.
• Check early and cover with foil if they are getting too brown and the crumble topping is burning.
• Serve warm with a dairy alternative such as coconut yoghurt or creme fraiche/cream (for dairy eaters)

• MOMA oats are gluten free and grown in Britain and can be purchased through https://www.momafoods.co.uk/ as well as from major supermarkets. The new MOMA Jumbo Oats pack is exclusively available via Ocado.com at £2.99 per 450g box.