Barleymeal Porridge

I don't eat oatmeal or porridge very often in the summer, but in the winter I find myself drawn to it more and more often. There's nothing like a warm, hearty bowl of porridge when you're cold and hungry. Technically porridge can be made from any cereal grain, but I have never really strayed from oatmeal. This week, however, I had just enough barley left over after making a barley salad that I decided to try making the barleymeal porridge from the very first Redwall book I ever read: The Pearls of Lutra. My food processor had serious trouble with such a tiny amount of grain, however. If you tend to like your porridge made with small grains (for example, if you prefer the texture of instant oatmeal to steel cut oats) I recommend either using a coffee grinder or putting at least two cups of barley in the processor at a time.

Barleymeal Porridge

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes

Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup quick-cook barley
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup milk

Directions

1. Place barley in food processor or grinder and process to a meal
   
2. Pour barley and liquids into a microwave safe bowl and stir to combine
   
3. Microwave for 10 minutes, stopping every two to stir and prevent overboiling.
   
4. Top with anything you like. I find that I prefer the nutty taste of barley plain other than an extra splash of milk, but it would also be wonderful with some spices or fresh fruit. 

Oatmeal with Hotroot and Nutmeg

Have you ever had savory oatmeal? I personally tend to think of oatmeal as sweet and done up with fruit and honey. When I read about savory oatmeal with hotroot and nutmeg in Rakkety Tam, I thought it sounded really strange. This past week was cold and rainy, though, and the idea of hot, spicy oatmeal really seemed like a good one.

Oatmeal with Hotroot and Nutmeg

Prep time: 1 minute
Cook time: 5 minutes
Total time: 6 minutes

Yield: 1 bowl of oatmeal

Ingredients

• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 1 cup water or milk
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions

1. Place oats and liquid in a large, microwave-safe bowl and microwave for two and a half minutes. 
   
2. Add spices and stir well.
   
3. Microwave for another two and a half minutes or until liquid has absorbed and oatmeal has reached desired consistency.