DELICIOUS, HARDY OATMEAL & PORRIDGE....NOT JUST FOR BREAKFAST!!!!

I have enjoyed the nutty flavour of a steaming hot bowl of oatmeal since I was a child.  I love oatmeal and porridge, the real stuff not instant.

There is a trend cropping up around the world with a new wave of people "discovering" the health benefits but also the Nordic deliciousness of this simple dish.

Let us first define the difference between PORRIDGE and OATMEAL.  Porridge, traditional in Scandinavian countries, like this scrumptious NORWEGIAN PORRIDGE WITH CRANBERRIES from THE PERFECT PLUM BLOG is made with white rice.  They define a Porridge as a dish made with grains, any grains such as RICE, KASHEE, CORNMEAL, OATMEAL, GRITS etc.

I have not tried them all but I have had Norwegian Porridge and it is delicious.

Oatmeal on the other hand is just that OATMEAL.  Everywhere in the world restaurants are popping up dedicated to one dish....Oatmeal.  It is not just for breakfast anymore.  Scandinavian countries have enjoyed oatmeal as a savoury dish for years and now everyone is joining in.  26 GRAINS a trendy London eatery is packed daily with patron wanting to try the savoury oatmeal dishes such as-

Egg and Kale
Savoury Oats, Kale, Egg, Avocado, Chives, Sirracha

Cauliflower & Jerusalem Artichoke Soup
Served w/ Greek Yoghurt, Crispy Sage, Seeds, Sourdough Rye

Yellow Daal, Garlic Yoghurt and Spelt Flat Bread
Yellow Split Peas, Garlic Yoghurt, Seeds, Aubergine Pickle, Flat Bread

Hygge Bowl
Chicory, Freekeh, Beetroot, Jerusalem Artichoke, Pear, Walnut, Crème Fraîche

This yummy ( not the bacon for me) dish from HEARTBEET BLOG is a GARLICKY KALE, BACON AND MUSHROOM  explosion.

Still want sweet, these bowls of love from WHOLEHEARTED EATS BLOG are just the thing.

CREAMY TUMERIC OATS, NORDIC OATS WITH MACA CARAMEL and AYURVEDIC OATS looks so good and are amazingly good for you.

You can just top off your oatmeal like this healthy bowl from YUMMY BEET BLOG who used PUMPKIN SEED OIL and ASSORTED NUTS to top her NORDIC GRAIN OATMEAL.

I think this would be a great dinner.  SAVOURY OATMEAL WITH MUSHROOMS AND THYME from  A BACHELOR AND HIS GRILL BLOG.

Whatever way you like it, Porridge or Oatmeal, Sweet or Savory, Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner,  this bowl of mouthwatering flavour is still the best dish in town

THE NEW OLD WAVE IN FOOD SERVING.....RUSTIC BOARDS!!!!!!

There is a revolution brewing, a new "old" way of serving food.

Gorgeous rustic wooden food boards are popping up on food blogs and in foodie magazines all over the world.  This is an organic, very old way of serving delicious homemade earthy foods to friends, family and  the best restaurants are joining the revolution.

This beautiful way of presenting food has been around for centuries.  First out of necessity ( not everyone could afford plates) but now out of the  earthy elegance wood board have .  They make your foods look inviting as they overflow on the wood board.

I have used wood boards for many years.  I love the way you can pile your foods together, things that you may never serve on platters just blend on a wood board.

Meats, cheeses, dips, veggies, fruit, olive, oils, herbs, fish, I could go on and on.  There is no limit to the array of treats you can gather to present to your guests or just do a lovely board for two.  It could be as simple as a board with rustic breads, butters and jam for breakfast or as elaborate as a party with boards filled with world cheeses, crackers and assorted dried meats.

You can find fabulous wood boards anywhere.  I have many antique ones and I have gotten a lot at HomeSense.  You can cut one from a good fallen tree, just treat it with some olive oil and you are good to go.

Whether you decide to do this for your party or just for you and a friend, you really must join the rustic board revolution.  Serving and eating from a rustic board makes you relax, talk, eat slower and just really enjoy the meal and the company.

A LAZY SUNDAY AFTERNOON..........

It is a bit of a dreary day here on the farm.  I am just getting over a head cold so today is a LAZY DAY,  it is a sit back and relax kind of day.

 On days like this there is nothing like settling in with a hot cup of tea or three and a really good book.

 I am re-reading the Millennium Series, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNETS NEST  and  THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE.  If you have not read STIEG LARSSON'S amazing books you must.  I suggest you read them and then watch the films in the original Swedish, you will not be sorry.  I have read them 3 times now and have watched the films at least 4.  Fascinating, gripping and incredibly well written.

I love books that absorb me into their pages.  I forget everything else, I am an observer in the lives of the characters who words float across the pages and settle into my thoughts.  That is my Sunday hope yours is lovely!

A COZY LITTLE NOOK.....WHAT MORE DO YOU NEED?

A nook, that cozy little place you go to and read a book, relax, meditate, eat or just do nothing.

A nook for reading is the perfect space.  You can cuddle up, surrounded by your books and just enjoy some me time.

I love a sleeping nook.  When our son moved into his own place I turned his room into a Scandinavian style bedroom complete with an enclosed bed...very cozy indeed.

I adore a breakfast nook.  One of the homes I lived in as a child had an amazing built in breakfast nook, it was really large and I always felt very special eating there.  I have a semi breakfast nook now.  A bench on one side against the wall and chairs on the other.

A nook does not have to be inside, get creative and make your own little nook in your garden.

Even your dog would love their own little nook.  Find a space, inside or out, and make your own little nook.

FRIDAY WORDS OF WISDOM!!!!

HAPPY TUESDAY....SMILE!!!

Just because it's Tuesday......

Put a big smile on your face and enjoy the happiness of the day.

A smile is something we all share, it is contagious.  All you need to wear is a smile, it is your best

accessory.

Try one on today and see how lovely it fits!