I’m thoroughly engaged with oatmeal at the moment. It’s perfect for anti-inflammation eaters because it is very filling, can easily be made gluten and dairy free, and when you add a lot of chopped raisins, prunes, bananas and fresh blueberries, it’s sweet without any added sugars. Add flax seed, cinnamon and peanut butter, and you’re just being so loving to your insides, you’re setting your bod up so nicely for the whole day. Truly the health benefits of oats are mind blowing. And the texture - is there anything more sumptuous than fluffy creamy oatmeal decked out in fruity bits and bobs? All is right with the world when it’s me at the table with my bowl of oatmeal wondering what kind of darling bite my spoon haphazardly will find next.
I make a big batch for the week. Two cups of steel cut oats with four cups of water and two cups of almond milk, boiled for 25 minutes. I refrigerate it, and reheat portions. Often at night I have a thought about how nice the morning will be when it’s time to eat oatmeal again.
Some of you may not be in to oatmeal at all; some of you think you’re into oatmeal but may be doing it in a half-assed way. The Deep-Oatmealers have a lot to say about how they’re oatmealing. Instant oatmeal or quick oatmeal is going to get you looks from the deep oatmealers who will not be able to hide their contempt. The deepest oatmealers are doing oat grouts - I’m doing steel-cut oats which is one level up from rolled oats, five up from flavored instant and one down from grouts. The differences are meaningful with regard to inflammation and overall health benefits. But Deep Oatmealers can just be petty bitches, too.
One of my besties is in way deeper and I asked if she would have a conversation with me about oatmeal that I could post to my substack and she said “No. I mean: we could have the convo and it could be transcribed if I was anonymous. Seriously, I don't want the extent of my thoughts on oatmeal to be known -- the world is not ready for my knowledge and I would be looked upon as a freak the way Jesus and Spiderman were in their day.”
I will indeed record our conversation and do a little shaping of it and protect my friend’s anonymity and post it for paying subscribers in a few weeks. Something to look forward to, am I right? No one else on the internet is charging for private, anonymous oatmeal discussions but I’m a girl who knows when she’s got the goods.
Shopping List for Lizzie’s Wild Oats: Steel Cut Oats, Almond Milk, Cinnamon, Flax Seeds, Blueberries, Bananas, Prunes, Raisons, Unsalted/unsweetened Peanut Butter.
I saw Intense Dad at drop off today and he was exhilarated: Biden announced reform on the lock down drills. Advocacy works, everybody.
Another note - in this depressing week where Eric Adams, who has mayoral control over the NYC school system, has been indicted and the school chancellor replaced - I want to share that I learned that the PTA fundraising at my kids’ progressive public elementary school did the best last year than it had done in eight years. So many of you donated so generously - we can’t take total credit for the entire fundraising bump but trust me we brought it far. THANK YOU AGAIN to all who donated. The school is humming and serving hundreds of families from all walks of life, and now we’re able to build out to be even more robust and empowering.
Stay tuned.
This was a wee letter because I’m on deadline for a client’s memoir and dealing with a lot of auto immune medical stuff. Thank you for understanding. Thank you for reading.
I will leave you with this gem.
xo Lizzie
Steel-cut oats - definitely the only way to go. If you’re willing to downgrade to rolled (extra thick from Bob’s Red Mill), you might enjoy overnight oats. They’re uncooked, can be eaten cold next day or warmed in microwave. Ingredients-oats, chia seeds, peanut butter, milk (plant or not), a smoosh of honey if you want but I do without, nuts and/or fruit stirred in if you like.