Oaty Sausage Cakes & Granola Bars
Ironically, as I mentioned in the ChatterLog, even though I may not feel as drawn to Horses as one might expect, being born in The Year of the Horse – I do however, love to eat what they eat – Oats! I have always loved anything with Oats – Oat Bars (which in England we call flapjacks, but in America flapjacks are what we call pancakes – go figure), Oatmeal Granary Bread, Oatcakes, Oatmeal Crisps, Oatmeal(as in good old “porridge” oats), Oatmeal Cookies, Granola, Granola Bars, Muesli, even Oatmeal Soap… bring it all on…
Now, if you’re at all curious as to the difference between Groats, Old-Fashioned or Quick Oats, then check this blog post on Oats by Health & Nutrition Counselor Jessica Grajeda. All Oats start out as Groats, the Steel-cut Oats are Irish, while the Stone-ground Oats are Scottish. I found this first recipe in an old M&S cookery book by Louise Steele that includes both Oats for our grazing Horse, and Meat (in the form of Sausage) for our carnivorous Aries! And since this newsletter is also entering into the domain of Taurus, ruled by Venus, lover of “sugar & all things sweet” I am giving you a second recipe using Oats that is sweet instead of savory!
Oaty Sausage Cakes
Ingredients:
1lb Pork Sausage Meat
1 medium Onion (peeled & finely chopped)
3 heaped tablespoons plus another 2oz Porridge Oats (quick-cook variety)
¼ to ½ teaspoon dried Mixed Herbs
1 teaspoon Mustard (or Mustard Powder)
¼ teaspoon Salt
Freshly-ground Black Pepper
1 Egg (beaten)
4 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
Flour (for dusting)
Recipe (makes 8 cakes):
Place the Sausage Meat in a large bowl with the chopped Onion, 3 tablespoons of the Oats, Herbs, Mustard, and Salt & Pepper. Mix ingredients together well (preferably with your hands!) until thoroughly combined. Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions. On a lightly-Floured board, form each one into a 3-inch round cake or patty. Dip each cake into the beaten Egg and then roll in the remaining 2oz of the Oats and coat thoroughly. Heat the Vegetable Oil in a frying pan and cook the cakes over moderate heat for about 15 minutes, turning frequently using a fish slice, until golden brown and cooked through. Drain on absorbent paper (a brown paper bag works better than a paper towel, which tends to make “crispy” turn to “soggy!” The recipe book suggests serving these for breakfast with fried eggs and tomatoes, but I wouldn’t limit yourself to their suggestion…
Healthy Granola Bars
So for our sweet treat using Oats for Taurus, I found this “healthy” and very easy recipe for Healthy Granola Bars on a website called Red and Honey: The Art of Valiant Living The beauty of this recipe is it not only uses healthier ingredients by substituting Honey for Sugar for instance, but it is also totally flexible, meaning, if you want to switch up some of the ingredients, you can. Use your favorite ingredients or experiment with something new…
Ingredients:
2/3 cup Almond or Peanut Butter
2/3 cup Virgin Coconut Oil
2/3 cup Honey or Maple Syrup
2 cups Old-Fashioned Oats
2 cups total of whatever else you’d like in the bars…. Chopped Nutssuch as Hazelnuts or Pecans, Dried Fruit such as Apricots, Cranberries or Dates, Coconut Flakes, Pumpkin, Sesame or Flax Seeds, Dark Chocolate Mini-Chips… You get the idea…
Recipe:
Mix together the Almond or Peanut Butter, Coconut Oil and Honey in a small saucepan and warm until everything is melted. Sir together and add in the Oats, and then the rest of your dry ingredients. If you are using Chocolate Chips, you might want to let the Honey Mixture cool before you add those, otherwise they will all melt. Another recipe I read on a website called Inspired Taste, suggests adding a few of the Chocolate Chips to the warm mixture so it helps to set the bars and hold them together, and then add the rest of the chips later when the mixture is not as warm. Press the Granola Bar mixture into a 9×13 pan and refrigerate until firm. Cut into bars, wrap individually and store in the fridge.
© 2014 Louisa J. Curtis And just to prove my love of Oats – these items are all currently in my pantry!