1 cup cooked oat groats or steel cut oats

1/8 tsp salt

1 Tblsp brown sugar

2 Tblsps dried cranberries

2 Tblsps coarsely chopped nuts, ie: walnuts, pecans, almonds

Directions:

If  the oats are not already hot heat them for ~1 min in the microwave. Once the oats are hot, stir in the salt and sugar. Then thoroughly mix in the cranberries and nuts. Enjoy!

1 cup cooked oat groats or steel cut oats

1/8 tsp salt

1 Tblsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup raisins

Directions:

If  the oats are not already hot heat them for ~1 min in the microwave. Once the oats are hot, stir in the salt and sugar. Then thoroughly mix in the cinnamon. Lastly, stir in the raisins. Enjoy!

For the Italian Quinoa

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp chicken bullion
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Preheat your thermos. Bring the water to a boil. Once the water boils, use the water in the thermos to rinse the quinoa. Once the quinoa is rinsed dump it into the thermos, add all of the seasonings and then the boiling water. Give the thermos a shake, lay it on its side and let the quinoa cook for 35-40 mins.

For the sausage

• 1 Tblsp olive oil
• 1/2 of an onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
• 3/4 lb of Italian sausage
• 1 (14 oz) can diced Italian tomatoes
• salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a skillet. Add onion and pepper and saute until tender. Add sausage and cook until no longer pink. Drain any excess oil. Add tomatoes and heat through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve sausage mixture over quinoa. Serve with a nice green salad and some bread on the side for a complete dinner. Enjoy!

• 1 Tblsp olive oil
• 1 med onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1-2 Tblsp chili powder
• 1 can (4oz) diced green chilies
• 1 can (14.5oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
• 1 can (15 oz) beans drained and rinsed (you can use black, kidney or pinto beans)
• 1-2 cups cooked whole wheat
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions

In a medium saucepan heat oil. Once the oil is hot add the onion and cook until softened. Once the onion is cooked add garlic, chili powder and cumin and cook just until fragrant (about 20 seconds). Add the chilies, tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans, wheat and pepper and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 20 mins. Enjoy!

• A great heart healthy grain like oats
• Reduces the severity of asthma
• Reduces the frequency of migraine headaches.
• Lowers blood pressure
• Reduces the risk of heart attacks
• Great source of fiber –  lowers risk of type 2 diabetes, helps prevent gallstones, helps prevent breast cancer, fills you up sooner and longer so you eat less!

Nutrition Profile

The following table is the nutritional profile of 1 cup cooked millet courtesy of USDA.

USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 22 (2009)

• Oats contain a specific type of fiber that lowers cholesterol and lower cholesterol means healthier arteries!
• Helps to keep blood sugar levels stable
• Lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes
• Antioxidants in oats protect LDL cholesterol (the good kind) which aid in a healthy cardiovascular system
• Lowers the risk of heart failure

Learn how to cook and prepare oats in many ways to better your life.

Nutrition Profile

The following table is the nutritional profile of 1 cup cooked oat groats courtesy of USDA.

Scientific Name: Avena sativa L.

USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 22 (2009)

Whole wheat is a great source of fiber and therefore helps with all of the following:

• prevents gallstones
• lowers the risk of developing the Metabolic Syndrome – obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes
• keeps you regular
• lowers the risk of breast cancer in women
• helps you feel full sooner and longer, so you eat less!

There are also many other nutrients that are found in whole wheat that your body uses to keep itself healthy and running properly.

• Whole wheat contains plant lignans that protect against breast and other hormone-dependent cancers as well as heart disease
• The wheat germ contains high amounts of vitamin E that protects cell membranes and brain cells from being damaged

Learn how to cook and prepare whole wheat so that you can better your life.

Nutrition Profile

The following table is the nutritional profile of 1 cup cooked whole wheat courtesy of USDA.

USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 22 (2009)

• Named a “super crop” by the United Nations because of its high nutrition
• Has more protein than any other grain – up to 20 percent protein, compared with 7.5 percent for rice, 9.9 percent for millet, and 14 percent for wheat
• Is a complete protein; contains all 9 essential amino acids, including lysine, which is essential for tissue growth and repair
• A good source of fiber, manganese, magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorous.

Nutrition Profile

The following table is the nutritional profile of 1 cup cooked quinoa courtesy of USDA.

Scientific Name: Chenopodium quinoa Willd.

USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 22 (2009)

2 cups cooked wheat berries

1/2 med onion minced

2 cloves or garlic, press or chop

3 cups fresh parsley minced

1 med onion chopped

3 Tblsp extra virgin olive oil

1 Tblsp fresh lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Enjoy!!

Notes:

For a wheat-free option substitute cooked quinoa for the wheat berries.

Our instructions will make more sense after you quickly read through our thermos cooking basics.

Basic Recipe

Ratio: 1 part oat groats to 3 parts water
Salt: To taste – try 1/2 teaspoon per cup of oats to start (put the salt in after the oatmeal is cooked)
Cooking Time: overnight

Directions

1. Boil enough water to fill up your thermos. I like to use an electric kettle, but use the stove or whatever else you have.
2. While it’s heating, get your ingredients ready.
3. Once your water boils, fill up your thermos, close the lid, and set aside.
4. Measure out your water, keeping a 1:3 ratio. But make sure to leave room in the thermos for the oats to expand. For my 5 cup thermos I was using 1.5 cups oats and 3 cups water and it was too much. Leave at least a cup of expansion room.
5. Boil your measured water.
6. When your water is about ready to boil, pour the water out of the thermos.
7. Put the oats in the thermos and pour the boiling water over them, close it up, give in a few shakes, and lay it down on the counter.

Because the oats are in whole form they need to cook overnight. But what could be more convenient than getting breakfast ready the night before!

Tips

• Don’t add the salt until the oatmeal is cooked. This produces a creamier oatmeal because an element within the oat – pentosan – can combine with the water and make a creamier texture. Using salt during cooking will keep the water from interacting with the pentosan. Just sprinkle the salt on the oats in your bowl or into the thermos.
• Make a lot! There’s no reason to make a cup or two of oatmeal. Make as much as your thermos can hold and leave the rest in the thermos for someone else to discover or put it in a container in the fridge and eat it tomorrow. It heats up great in the microwave.

Learn about the nutritional value of oats.

Extras

Watch this excellent show from Alton Brown’s “Good Eats” about why you hold the salt until the oats are cooked. Alton Brown is my personal hero.