Oatmeal porridge was a staple breakfast food for previous generations of Canadians, and it's so quick and easy to make in the morning that there's no reason why it shouldn't become a staple for this hurried generation as well. Naturally sweet and soothing with a delightful nuttiness, oats are the perfect grain for starting the day, loaded with good energy, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, fibre and B vitamins. Instant oats ought to be avoided not only as an almost misnomer — cooking regular rolled or steel-cut oats take hardly any more time at all — but because most of the nutrients are lost during a high temperature precooking stage, and the results contain preservatives and artificial sweeteners. Rolled or steel-cut oats, meanwhile, are almost as good as using the whole oat groats, because they've only been lightly processed with a very light steaming and rolling or cutting. The time saved is a matter of mere minutes, compared to a significant loss of the natural taste and nutritional value of oats.Oats are also so easy to dress up with fresh or dried fruit, nuts, butter, milk or cream, or sweetened with maple syrup or brown sugar. But I've found a new breakfast treat now — stir a spoonful of homemade lemon curd into your hot oatmeal for a delightfully sweet and fresh lemony experience. Enjoy your oats!Other fresh morning ideas for lemon curd and oats from Lisa's Kitchen:Oat Porridge for TwoOat Porridge and FruitChai Spice OatmealLemon Curd Ricotta PancakesOn the top of the reading stack: try to decide which books to choose from my massive personal libraryAudio Accompaniment: howling windİ Copyright 2007—2011 Lisa's Kitchen. For personal use only.If you are seeing this post on a site other than foodandspice.blogspot.com, it is being stolen.

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