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.

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This new slaw recipe with its tangy cashew curry mayo dressing is one of my to-go recipes for summer. It’s super easy to make, lightly creamy, colourful and flavourful all in one, and ready to serve a crowd as a summer BBQ side dish. I enjoyed it as is but it would also be phenomenal piled on top of a veggie burger or accompanied by grilled corn and sweet potatoes.

Although the veggies in this salad are eye-catching because of their bright colours and textures, the cashew curry mayo is the highlight of this dish. It could even be made on its own without the salad and used as a sandwich spread or drizzled on steamed greens! Making it is easy: it’s just a matter of throwing a few simple ingredients into a blender. The only hard part is remembering to soak your cashews.

This tangy dressing requires a good dose of lemon juice and curry powder. Don’t go light on these, because the flavour won’t be so strong once it’s soaked into the shredded veggies.

Next, finely chop your veggies (you can use the shredding blade on your food processor to make it easier) and toss everything in a large bowl.

And then serve!

Cashew curry mayo with cabbage slaw

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

For the cashew curry mayo:

• 1 cup cashews, soaked overnight
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 tsp curry powder
• 1/4 tsp mustard powder
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• pinch of two of cayenne and black pepper

For the cabbage slaw:

• 2 cups finely shredded Savoy cabbage
• 2 cups finely shredded red cabbage
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. To make the mayo, first drain and rinse the cashews. Next, blend all mayo ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth.
2. To make the slaw, combine all slaw ingredients in a large salad bowl. Drizzle with 4 or more tablespoons of the mayo and gently toss to coat. Add more dressing if desired, as well as salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately and store leftovers in the fridge. The remaining mayo can be used to freshen up leftovers, dress up steamed veggies or as a sandwich spread!