30 Days of Oatmeal: Curried Peanut Butter and Jelly + Afghan 48

I have a confession: I didn't eat peanut butter until age 20. And I only ate it then out of duress. I was missing far too many meals at the college cafeteria and needed a portable meal. Peanut butter sandwiches became my thing.

In this recipe, I incorporated many of my favorite oatmeal techniques: cooking oats with applesauce, mixing spices into peanut butter, and leaving my topping on top, rather than swirling them in.

I'd say this recipe was pretty successful. I liked the earthy spice of the curried peanut butter with the sweet oats and strawberry topping. I used 1 teaspoon of vanilla in my peanut butter mixture, but found it too strong, so I reduced it here.

Ingredients:

1/2 c quick cooking oats
1 c water
1/4 c applesauce
1 T strawberry jam
1 T peanut butter
1/2 t curry powder
1/2 t vanilla

Directions:

1. In a small bowl or cup, mix peanut butter, curry powder, and vanilla until combined. Set aside.
2. Combine oats and water in a small pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low.
3. When oats reach desired consistency, stir in the applesauce. Bring all ingredients to warm.
4. Pour oats into a bowl and top with the curried peanut butter and the strawberry jam.


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And now for a different subject: Crochet. 

I finished this afghan on Thursday. 

It took me about two and a half months to finish, but I'm happy with that time given my last afghan completion time of nine months.

I'm still having trouble with my hand. The injection of botox helped the clenching and the pain, but took away my grip strength. After the injection, I found myself unable to open a door, gas up my car, or even hold a half gallon milk carton. (I found this out when the carton fell from my hand clear to the tile kitchen floor. Thankfully, it didn't burst.) I could hardly braid my hair or grasp anything at all. My pinky stayed permanently extended. The only way to put it down was to force it down with my other hand. Thankfully, through it all, I could crochet (hence the finishing of this blanket).

The botox has started to wear off and I find my grip strength and ability to make a fist returning, but my hand clenching a bit again. I still have trouble typing. I walk and jog with my hand in a fist to keep the hand from flopping. I'm not healed, so I see the doctor again next month.

I don't know if the issue with my hand is really dystonia, or if it is something else. (My hand oddly twitches at times.) For now, though, I count the blessing of another afghan's completion and pray for strength for future days. To God be the glory.

30 Days of Oatmeal: Curried Coconut

In honor of my curried peanut butter oatmeal the other night, and in memory of the curried pumpkin basil oats featured on The Oatmeal Artist, I've developed another savory and sweet recipe!

Here, I once again mixed applesauce into the oatmeal, but I added curry, cinnamon, and ginger for a little extra cook. Coconut milk is a standard ingredient in curry recipes, but since I didn't have any, I added coconut as a topping. The crisp flakes paired nicely with the smooth porridge. And don't forget the sea salt on top of this oatmeal! It really brings out and melds the savory and sweet flavors.

Ingredients:

1/2 c quick cooking oats

1 c water

1/4 c applesauce

1 t curry powder

1/4 t cinnamon (plus more for topping)

1/4 t ginger

Sea salt

1 T coconut flakes

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, bring oats and water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low.

2. When oats reach desired consistency, stir in applesauce and spices.

3. Transfer oats to a bowl and top with seat salt and more cinnamon. Pile coconut flakes on top.