Oat Bran Cereal

It’s pouring in Los Angeles.  I love soaking wet days and I love them here more than anywhere else.  Not just because they are rare but because in Los Angeles the rain washes the sky.  Literally.  That says something terrible about the state of smog, I know,  but I can’t help but marvel when the sky here is bluer than ever after a day or two of rain and wind.

On a cold, rainy morning I’m not as embarrassed to admit I eat a hot breakfast.  Oat bran, in particular.  If you love oatmeal, give this dish a try.  It boasts a better nutritional profile than regular oatmeal (more fiber, protein and twice as much iron per serving), and takes even less time to make.  Plus, the tiny oat granules make it seem more like an old-fashioned porridge.  Just the thing for eating by the window on a rainy day.

Like all brans, oat bran is the husk of the grain, the part that is normally discarded during the milling process to create a smoother product. It’s the throw-away layer that houses most of the grain’s nutrients.  Healthy brown rice, for example, is white rice with the bran intact.

Here’s how I make it:

Combine 1/4 cup oat bran with 1/2 cup water or milk (always a 1:2 proportion)

Add dried fruit

Microwave for 45 seconds +, depending on your microwave.

You’ll know it’s ready to eat when the bran and fruit are both plump with absorbed liquid.  Add nuts if desired and a squirt of agave nectar or whatever else you like on your oatmeal.

Did I mention oat bran is gluten-free?  Just check the label to make sure it isn’t processed by the same machine that process wheat and you’re golden.

Happy rain day!

xoxosl