So the only reason I found OATrageous Oatmeals is because I was at my usual used/new bookshop selling my annual purge of my shelves and while the buyer was going through the suitcase full of books, I browsed. I like cookbooks and plant-based cooking though I’m not actually vegan in practice, and I’d kind of been craving oatmeal. Perfect timing for the book I didn’t know I needed. For an impulse buy, this actually turned out pretty well.
The first half is, as you would expect, basically different things you can put in standardly prepared oatmeal, either via fridge, oven, or stove. Some of the combos do sound pretty good like cranberry orange baked, hummingbird cake (stove), and chocolate cherry (overnight). The fridge and stove/oven/cooker are split into hot (aka fall/winter) and cold (spring/summer) chapters. It’s actually kind of clever in a practical sort of way. Mixed in there’s a handful of other baked type things, like lemon blueberry oatmeal pancakes and butternut squash maple walnut oatmeal scones. It all sounds pretty good, and there’s enough variety I the flavors and methods that the oats shouldn’t get boring. This all applies to the granola section and the smoothies as well.
The diy section has some interesting options like make your own instant oatmeal, sausage crumbles, pepperoni, gravy, cream cheese, and “chez” powder, all oat-based. The drink section though has the best most interesting diy: “Vegan Cream Liquor” which is basically make your own Bailey’s with oats as the cream element. I might have to try that one as soon as I get through my 12 days of Irish Cream set (thanks to Aldi). The non food section at the end is similar, including cat treats, dog treats, a scrub and a bath soak. Once my catnip plant wakes up in the spring, I might have to try the kitty treats.
There’s more than just the oatmeal-ish breakfast things though, and a lot of that looks pretty good too. Oatmeal-based burgers, taco mince, stir fry, stuffed peppers, and pizza crust are all things that make sense but that I also kind of want to try. There are also a handful of soups and “risotto”-type options. The mac and oat chez could work, at least worth a try, and the desert section, while back to generally expected thins like crumbles and cookies, also has chocolate orange pudding, which looks mostly like a diy oat milk, add flavoring, then reduce/whisk until thickness is achieved. This too makes general sense, and it’s a classic flavor combo, but it’s also interesting enough that I want to try it.
I think I might have found my New Year’s start and complete as much as is possible cookbook.