If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be a vegetarian.
Paul McCartney
If you prefer a deeper, more complex flavor, dry-toast the oats in the cooking pot over high heat, stirring and tossing constantly, until lightly roasted and fragrant, then remove from heat.
Ingredients
1 cup (180 g) steel-cut oats (also sold as pinhead or Irish oats; see note), such as Bob’s
Red Mill or Quaker
3 cups (700 ml) cold water, plus more if needed
Kosher or sea salt
Unsalted butter or cream, for serving (optional)
Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)
If making overnight oats (the best way), combine toasted or untoasted oats and water in a medium saucepan and let stand, covered, overnight. If not making overnight oats, combine toasted or untoasted oats and water in the saucepan and proceed with cooking immediately.
Bring oats and water to a simmer over medium-high heat, seasoning lightly with a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook uncovered, stirring
frequently but slowly, until porridge is well thickened but still flows slightly, about 5 minutes for overnight oats and 20 minutes for un-soaked oats.
If oats are still too firm to your taste, stir in additional boiling water 1/4 cup (60ml) at a time and continue cooking until the desired texture of oats is reached. Scoop porridge into warmed bowls and top with a pat of butter and/or a splash of cream. Sprinkle flaky salt on top, if desired. Serve.
Macaroni Salad
I like coleslaw, but my boo likes macaroni salad. Here is a recipe using Hellman’s mayo. Just don’t forget to keep it cold, or you may be in for an unpleasant surprise later. Use all mayo. Southerners (down south and up south) may prefer Duke’s Mayo. Smoked paprika is the best.
How To Build a 1-Minute Tomato Sandwich
Pop your fresh, soft white bread in the toaster so it can get going. Or you can use a good, multi-grain bread. But, hey, Southerners use Wonder Bread. Toast lightly. Keep an eye on it. You want golden brown and still a tiny bit soft. Then, grab your largest cutting board for both the slicing and assembly:
Using a serrated knife, slice your tomato the same thickness as your bread, about 1/2 inch. You’ll need two fat slices per sandwich. Season both sides with kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Next up is the Boursin, which, for those unfamiliar, is a garlic-and-herb-flecked cheese that has an irresistible creamy-crumbly texture. It’s also wrapped in gold foil, which will make you feel fancy. [Real Southerners use Duke’s Mayo here instead of fancy, schmancy cheese. Otherwise, continue.]
Spread a heaping tablespoon onto one side of each slice of still-warm toast. It will start to melt like butter, another perk of toasting. Spread it to the edges so it creates an effective barrier between the toast and the juicy tomatoes.
Top one piece of toast with the tomato slices stacked on top of one another; this makes for a much more pleasant eating experience than overlapping slices. Close the sandwich and cut it in half with that same serrated knife, using a slow sawing motion so nothing gets smooshed. Enjoy.
My Favorite Vegan/Vegetarian Cookbooks:
- Forks Over Knives The Cookbook by Del Sroufe (Author), Julieanna Hever, Judy Micklewright, & 2 more
- Sweet Potato Soul: 100 Easy Vegan Recipes for the Southern Flavors of Smoke, Sugar, Spice, and Soul: A Cookbook by Jenn Claiborne
- The Complete Plant-Based Cookbook: 500 Inspired, Flexible Recipes for Eating Well Without Meat from America’s Test Kitchen
- Cooking from the Spirit: Easy, Delicious, and Joyful Plant-Based Inspirations (A Feeding the Soul Book) by Tabitha Brown
- Bad Manners: Fast as F*ck: 101 Easy Recipes to Pack Your Plate: A Vegan Cookbook (originally called Thug Kitchen 101) by Bad Manners
- The Southern Vegetarian: 100 Down-Home Recipes for the Modern Table by Justin Fox Burks, Amy Lawrence, et al.
- Bad Manners: The Official Cookbook: Eat Like You Give a F*ck: A Vegan Cookbook (previously published as Thug Kitchen Eat Like You Give a F*ck: The Official Cookbook)
- The Moosewood Cookbook: 40th Anniversary Edition by Molly Katzen (a staple in my kitchen for 40 years!)
- The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook: A Fresh Guide to Eating Well With 700 Foolproof Recipes (The Complete ATK Cookbook Series)
- Afro-Vegan: Farm-Fresh African, Caribbean, and Southern Flavors Remixed by Bryant Terry
- Vegan Soul Food Cookbook: Plant-Based, No-Fuss Southern Favorites by Nadira Jenkins-El
- Dick Gregory’s Natural Diet for Folks Who Eat: Cookin’ with Mother Nature by Dick Gregory (Author), James R. McGraw (Author)
- The Inspired Vegan: Seasonal Ingredients, Creative Recipes, Mouthwatering Menus by Bryant Terry