There was something different about today. Some intangible, immutable force told my body that sleep was a waste of time. Why would someone want to sleep when there is so much to do in the world? So much to see, experience, and share. It's easy to get caught up in the fast pace of life; to forget where we are going; to mindless go through the motions; to forget how to forget where we are going; to simply wander and enjoy the moment for the moment's sake. Yes, but today is different. The awe inspiring beauty of simple, elegant, universal, primitive sunrise reminds me to slow down and appreciate what's around me. The tranquility of the early morning commuters driving (no honking) in linear patterns and bursts to their destinations remind me that Chicago can be a peaceful, beautiful place if you know how to look at it (The chant-like mesmerizing song of Sigur Ros doesn't hurt either). It can appear overwhelming and unaccepting at a superficial glance but it has many hidden gems if you look past these trivial aspects. Chicago can be a disaster zone. People are quarantined off from each other while Transformers films; they turn into barbarians at the first hint of a store sale; they yell and honk because they have to sit in traffic a few seconds longer or might miss the light, "gotta run the yellow!" Sometimes after living in the city I get angry for these people's rudeness and their unreasonable persistence to be angry, but I forget that they have simple forgotten how to enjoy the little moment's of life. (Because it is the little, awkward, embarrassing, foreign, quirky, frankly unmemorable moments that stick most in my head throughout the years and I look back most fondly on.) I try to remind these busy people of the compassion of others in my own feeble attempts. I always make a point to say hello to the bus driver on my way to work, ask him how he is doing, and give a sincere thank you as I leave the bus. These conversations are very short and sometimes make the bus driver angry that a skinny white kid is slowing down his route, but I hope that the simple act of a thank you will remind him that he is appreciated and to be a little more positive that day. I just do little things like that, no grand gestures. In light of the beautiful sunrise, today cannot be wasted. No sitting around for laziness sake. Today will be full of adventures, new experiences, unintended side trips, and accidents. No plan but to see the beauty of Chicago, hopefully with some little moments along the way.
I recently got braces for the second time. Life is a cruel mistress but it will all work out for the best. However, this makes eating very difficult at times, which is the worst part. I didn't realize how much of the flavor is released by chewing and mixing the food together. So I've set out to find softer foods that are still bold and flavorful. I am a big fan of beets. I know that they look kind of intimidating and gross on the supermarket shelves. They are usually hidden at the bottom of the rack below some leafy greens. But when they are roasted, correctly, they take on a super sweet robust flavor and turn a magnificent deep red, which complements the green of salad well. I found a recipe from Martha Stewart for chilled summer borscht.
Alright beets, sour cream, yogurt, cucumber, dill how bad could this be? A little greek twist to the beet. It sounded perfect to me. So I got out my pot, boiled the beets, got out my knife, copped the cucumber, put it all in a bowl, and let it mingle for a few hours. Wow was I wrong. It tasted just like beet and cucumber... in a bad way. None of the flavor melded together like I'd hoped and the creamy consistency I'd expected was lacking. Hmm puree? My sister is too low on the food equipment scale for that. Sorry borscht but not cutting it. I will keep my beets roasted. On to something else.
I absolutely love oatmeal. Real, hardy oatmeal not that fake instant stuff. The coarser, the better with irish steel cut oats as the best )but who really has the time to regularly spend thirty minutes on a bowl of oatmeal?). My first oatmeal recipes were very basic: milk, oats, lots of brown sugar. It was inconsistent and often runny. Then I started experimenting with different flavors: vanilla, almond, honey, berry, peanut butter (not as good as it sounds; quite the opposite actually), banana, spices. Hmm now what about the texture: milk to water ratio, cooking time, flax, wheat germ, granola. Egg. What's that? Egg doesn't go in oatmeal, you say? That's what I thought at first too. But my sister revealed this groundbreaking discovery to me that really allowed me to take my oatmeal to the ultimate level, beyond ordinary fare. The egg white makes the oatmeal light and fluffy to almost a custard texture. It gives it a creamy, rounded flavor. Trust me it works. After many, many tests I think I finally have my perfect recipe. It is simple, well-rounded, healthy, and filling.
- 3/4 cup oatmeal
- 3/4-1 c. milk (with up to half of this volume being water)
- 1 sliced banana
- 1 egg white (egg beaters work best)
- extract: vanilla, almond, banana
- spice: cinamon, nutmeg (freshly ground please), all spice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 c. frozen blueberries (frozen are much better for this than fresh)
- 2 tbl flax seed
- crunchy, real granola
Place the oats and milk in a big enough bowl for it to double in size. Add half of banana, egg white, salt and stir thoroughly. Microwave for 2 minutes. Take it out to stir, check for liquid ratio (it should be just slightly watery), add rest of banana. Microwave 1-1.5 minutes until the top has been covered in foam for a few seconds. Add your choice of tsp extract and spices. Then stir in frozen blueberries and flax seed. Top with a layer of granola.
You now have a quick, healthy meal in a bowl. Great for cold winter days or anytime actually. The bottom is light and creamy, the blueberries cool it down and give a burst of sweetness, and the granola gives a great crunch for a wide range of experiences. For variation try: almonds, pumpkin puree, diced apple, raisins, dried fruits, pecans, a splash of buttermilk on top, maple syrup, or maybe you have some other secret ingredient that I've yet to discover. It's quite possible. But I humbly submit this recipe as the best oatmeal that I, at least, have ever had.
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