You know how sometimes you realize a simple ingredient in your pantry is not actually totally boring and, in fact, is more versatile and boasts a number of redeeming qualities that you suddenly develop a little crush on it? Yeah, that happened to me.

In recent years, I’ve come to see oats in a whole new light. Like, I went from childhood breakfasts of Quaker instant oatmeal packets to making awesome stuff out of oats like oat milk, oat flour, overnight oats and homemade granola—which is why I was so excited to see Kathy Hester’s new book, OATrageous Oatmeals, land in my mailbox. Think of this book as a manifesto to oats, going beyond recipes you would think traditionally require them and inspiring new ways to use this simple yet versatile grain.

From mushroom sun-dried tomato steel-cut oat risotto and pepperoni crumbles to dreamy dark chocolate oat cream and coconut oat vanilla nut creamer, this book shows how you can make a meal out of oats any time of the day. For those who are not so adventurous, Kathy also includes new takes on old favourites, like oatmeal, overnight oats, granola, pancakes and biscuits. Plus, she goes beyond the kitchen and includes recipes for making your own body scrubs, bath soak and catnip kitty treats—all using oats! The book chapters include:

• Do it yourself homemade staples
• Warming oats for fall and winter
• Cooling breakfast oats for spring and summer
• Granolas and bars for breakfast and beyond
• Satisfying soups and stews
• Savory oats for lunch and dinner
• Delightful desserts
• Drinks, oat milk and even an oat liquor
• Beyond the dining room: Other uses for oats

I love that Kathy also takes into consideration a number of common allergens and special diets, and includes variations and additional information in each recipe, including soy-free, gluten-free, no added oil, sweeteners alternatives, and nutritional information.

There are so many recipes in this book I want to try, but so far I’ve made:

The easy oat milk yogurt—yes, that’s right, you can make yogurt out of oats! This was a very simple recipe that didn’t require anything more than rolled oats, water and a little plain non-diary yogurt. You have to cook it and then allow it to ferment overnight, but the result is a smooth, deliciously oaty yogurt that is far superiour (and much cheaper) than any store-bought brand. Mine turned out a bit thinner than the store-bought stuff I love so much, but that may have been an error on my part. I’ll be giving it another try soon!

These butternut squash maple walnut scones came together quite easily and made an awesome breakfast paired with homemade strawberry chia jam. Since I didn’t have butternut squash on hand, I followed the variation using pumpkin puree instead. I shared these with my colleagues and they got rave reviews.

The curry cashew savory granola is one of those recipes that piques your interest immediately, so it happened to be the first recipe I tried from this book. I dug out my favourite brand of garam masala spice blend and boy, did it make the house smell amazing—that incredible, warming scent of homemade granola combined with fresh Indian spices. I added some larger cashew pieces for more crunch and I couldn’t stop snacking on it while trying to take photos! Needless to say, I’ll be doubling the batch next time I make it. Find the recipe for this awesome, crunchy snack below!

Curry cashew savory granola

Yield: 2 cups

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons (14 g) ground flax seed mixed with 4 tablespoons (59 ml) warm water
• 1 cup (92 g) rolled oats
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil
• 1⁄3 cup (55 g) golden raisins
• 1⁄3 cup (26 g) finely shredded coconut
• 1⁄3 cup (43 g) minced cashews nuts
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1⁄8 teaspoon ground mustard
• salt, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F (177C) and either oil a cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper.
2. Add all ingredients but the salt to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Mix well, then add salt to taste.
3. Pour the mixture onto the prepared cookie sheet and press thin. You should have one large, flat piece about 1/4 to 1⁄8-inch thin. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges are browned and the middle is no longer wet. Let cool on cookie sheet and break it up into large or small chunks with your hands. Use to top salads or plain yogurt, or just eat by the handful for a snack!

From OATrageous Oatmeals by Kathy Hester, printed with permission of Page Street Publishing

Cookbook giveaway

Kathy and Page Street Publishing have offered to let me give away a copy of OATrageous Oatmeals to one of you! The giveaway is open to Canadian and US residents and will run until Monday, November 10, 2014. Please use the widget below to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My in-laws own a beautiful cottage that sits on a lake at the end of a very long, empty dirt road in northern Ontario.  It’s a good hike from Toronto and almost always involves sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic up Highway 400 through Barrie, but the drive is always worth it once we get there.

It’s the one place where we can leave behind the noisy, crowded, high-energy city that we live in, and soak in the calmness and fresh air of cottage country. I sometimes long for the days when we can go, because often just a quick weekend visit can put my busy mind at ease. There’s something about the place that allows me to leave computers, cell phones and iPads behind and crack open a good book.

Because of full-time jobs and ongoing weekend projects, however, we don’t get there often. But we always make a point of planning a weekend getaway each September because there’s no better time to see the leaves on the trees turning gorgeous shades of red and orange, sit on the dock without scorching your skin, and enjoy the warmth of the wood-burning fireplace in the evenings. Include wine and friends and a game or two of Cards Against Humanity and it ends up being a pretty epic weekend.

This annual tradition also comes with special fall-inspired meals. I tend to do all the cooking while we’re there with friends because, well, that’s just my thing, and luckily our guests have yet to complain about the lack of animal products. At my hubby’s request, I always make a big batch of spicy vegan chili for Saturday night’s meal, and serve it with crusty bread and a big, colourful salad. This hot and spicy chili recipe was inspired by the red bean and lager chili from the reFresh cookbook, a recipe I’ve made but adapted over the years.

There’s no beer in this chili but the addition of a hot banana pepper is what gives it some punch. I also love the cinnamon and cocoa powder for an amazing depth of flavour. This time, I was inspired to add a simple lentil-walnut meat (inspired by Angela’s recipe) for more substance and nutrients. If you’re looking at this and thinking, “I don’t like spicy food,” feel free to reduce the amount of hot banana pepper (try 1/4 or 1/2 of a pepper) to suite your tastes. Enjoy!

Hot & spicy vegan chili with lentil-walnut meat

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

For the chili:

• 2 medium onions, peeled and diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 stalk celery, sliced
• 1 small hot banana pepper, seeds removed and minced
• 2 carrots, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 2-inch cinnamon stick
• 2 (28oz) cans crushed tomatoes
• 1 (15oz) can red kidney beans
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 zucchini, sliced and quartered
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

For the lentil-walnut meat:

• 1 (15oz) can brown lentils, rinsed and drained
• ½ cup walnut pieces
• 1½ tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp sea salt

Directions:

For the chili:

1. In a large soup pot over medium heat, saute the onion, garlic, celery, banana pepper and carrots with a splash of water until soft. Add more water if needed so the veggies don't stick to the bottom of the pot.
2. Stir in the chili powder, cocoa powder, cumin and cinnamon stick and cook for about 30 seconds.
3. Add the crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, bell peppers, zucchini and water. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. While it's cooking, you can make the lentil walnut meat.
4. Add the lentil walnut meat and continue to simmer until heated through.
5. Remove from heat. Stir in the cilantro and remove the cinnamon stick. Serve with vegan sour cream and extra cilantro, if desired.

For the lentil walnut meat:

1. Using a food processor, pulse all ingredients until chopped but be sure to leave some texture.

And then I met my husband. I’m not saying our relationship is always full of rainbows and butterflies, but having him in my life makes me pretty darn happy—the kind of happiness that often puts me on cloud nine and gives me hiccups from giggling too much. After being together for four years now, I’ve learned that this kind of love deserves to be celebrated.

On special occasions like Valentine’s Day, nothing says “I love you” like cheesecake. Of course, I’m not talking about one of those heavy dairy-loaded versions made with cream cheese and loads of sugar. Let’s be honest: raw is what’s sexy these days! With this Valentine’s Day version, I wanted to heat things up a little. So out came the cayenne pepper, ancho chili powder and chipotle powder, and some cinnamon to balance out the heat. The end result was to die for: a raw chocolate chili cheesecake that combines a chocolate nut crust, a decadent layer of smooth chocolate fudge, a spicy nut layer (the flavour of red cinnamon candy hearts was my inspiration), and a chocolate crumble topping. I’m particularly pleased with the heart-shaped decorations I made for the cake topper, which involved a last-minute decision to dehydrate a thin layer of the spicy nut filling. They came out like sweet and spicy heart-shaped chips! I absolutely love them.

I’d like to thank Lindsay of Cook.Vegan.Lover. for giving me the inspiration for this recipe. While I always enjoy creating new recipes for special holidays, she first got my engine running when she announced a Fiery Vegan Valentine Contest not too long ago. [Update: I ended up winning Best Dessert and Recipe That Most Embraced the Theme! Thank you to all who voted.] I hope this cake helps to heat things up a little for you and your beau this Valentine’s Day. Enjoy!

Raw chocolate chili cheesecake

Yield: one 6-inch layered cheesecake

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1 cup raw almonds
• 1/2 cup raw pecans
• 1/2 cup chopped dates, soaked for 10 minutes
• 3 tbsp raw cacao powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Chocolate fudge filling:

• 3/4 cup raw cacao powder
• 1/2 cup raw agave nectar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted

Spicy nut filling:

• 2 cups raw macadamia nuts or cashews, soaked overnight
• 1/2 cup raw agave nectar
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ancho chili powder
• 1/4 tsp chipotle powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup coconut butter, softened
• 1/4 cup water

Directions:

Crust:

1. In a food processor, process the almonds and pecans to a coarse meal. Add the dates, cacao powder and salt and process to combine. The mixture should hold together when pressed between two fingers. If it seems too dry, add a tablespoon of water.
2. Reserve about 1/3 cup for the cake topping and press the remainder of the crust into the bottom of a 6-inch springfrom pan and set aside.

Chocolate fudge filling:

1. In a food processor, blend together all ingredients, except the coconut oil, until smooth. You may need to scrap down the sides of the mixing bowl a few times.
2. Finally, add the coconut oil and pulse just to combine. Spoon the mixture on top of the crust and smooth out with the back of a spoon. Place the pan in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to set.

Spicy nut feeling:

1. In a food processor, process the nuts and agave nectar. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. You may need to scrap down the sides of the mixing bowl a few times. (See notes below if you would like to make the heart-shaped garnish before proceeding to the next step.)
2. Spoon the mixture on top of the chocolate filling and smooth out with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle the top with the remaining crumbled crust mixture and press it down gently so it sticks to the filling. Set the pan in the freezer for at least 2 hours to set. Store in the freezer until ready to eat and allow the cake to sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before cutting and serving.

To make the spicy heart-shaped garnish, take a few spoonfuls of this mixture and spread a thin layer onto a dehydrator teflex sheet. Dehydrate at 110 degrees for about 12 hours. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to make imprints in the mixture and continue to dehydrate for another 24 hours, or until dry and slightly crisp.