Gluten-Free Irish Soda Bread Oatmeal

I wanted to start this blog to get my view on gluten-free baking, and the gluten-free lifestyle in general, out there.  I remember St. Patrick's Day last year, after my doctor mentioned that gluten might be a problem for me, but before I had been diagnosed with full-out Celiac disease.  I was curious about gluten-free eating and so I spent hours looking for the perfect gluten-free Irish Soda Bread recipe online.  They all had weird flours and gums, which I didn't have the time or resources to invest in.  (More on what I think about gluten free flours and gums to come.)  But, finally, I stumbled upon a recipe that just substituted ground oats for wheat flour in a simple Irish soda bread recipe.  I had Quaker oats in the house, so I ground some up (this was a big mistake on my part, since oats naturally don't contain gluten, but are hugely contaminated with gluten when they are processed and packaged on the same equipment as wheat).  I baked the bread, sat down, and enjoyed a big slab of bread warm from the oven, only to be doubled over in pain several hours later.

I was devastated.  I tried so hard to make something that wouldn't make me sick, but it didn't work.  Baking with wheat is just easy since the flour absorbs whatever liquid you give it.  The batter always produces perfect structure and chew, for free, thanks to gluten. Gluten-free baking, on the other hand, is hard and time consuming, I don't care what anyone says to downplay it.  And the worst part is that sometimes you still still get sick!

The thing I have come to realize is that sometimes I crave flavors and memories more than I crave the actual crumbs and slices.  So, this past week as St. Patrick's Day approached, I got to craving that soad-ey, raisin-ey bread I grew up with every year.  But, not wanting to have a repeat of last year's pain and disappointment, I just blended the flavors I love into a safe bowl of certified gluten-free oats (thank you Bob's Red Mill!!).  And you know what?  It worked for me.  It gave me all those warm feelings I had when I was younger of waiting desperately for Spring break and my family's Easter party, without the pain or hard work.

I think this idea holds for everyone.  If you want to eat something, think about what you're really craving.  You might want to eat a brownie,  but maybe a spoon of cocoa powder sprinkled on your morning oats or a couple chocolate chips stirred into Greek yogurt will kill that chocolate craving.  You still get the taste you're after without all the worry and work.  For someone who can't eat gluten, these quick and dirty swaps become a way of life, but I hope they can help you to think about what you eat and inspire you to fuel your body better.

Gluten-Free Irish Soda Bread Oatmeal
I couldn't find ground caraway, so I pulsed caraway seeds in a coffee grinder (you can also do this in a blender or just leave the seeds whole).  The inspiration for this breakfast was warm Irish Soda Bread with butter, so I melted a little butter over my oats, but this is completely optional.
Serves 2

1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
1 cup almond milk or dairy milk (use whatever you have in the fridge)
1 cup water
1/4 cup raisins (dark, golden, or a combo of the two)
1 teaspoon ground caraway
2-4 tablespoons brown sugar or raw sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)
 2-4 tablespoons chopped pecans or walnuts
a pat of Kerrygold Irish Butter, optional

Combine the oats, milk, and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Reduce the hear to low and simmer 5-7 minutes until the oats are thick and smooth.  Stir in the raisins and let cool for a minute, just so the oats thicken up a bit more and cool off slightly.  Divide the oats between two bowls.  Sprinkle with the caraway, brown sugar, and pecans,  and top with a little pat of butter, if you choose to.