Cruel Gruel

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I have oats often. Make it with a little extra water. A little honey and brown sugar.
 
I cook oats with half water half milk.

serve with a bit of honey, a light sprinkle of cinnamon, and a dash of extra milk.

 

I either use fine (quick) oats, or, if using whole oats, I like to cook the oats the night before (just bring to the boil and switch off), then reheat and finish off the next morning. Extra creamy that way.

 

 
 
Gruel (as served in U.K. prisons)

...Was simply 1lb of oatmeal boiled in 1 (imp) gallon of water, with a 'handful' of salt. Prison 'porridge' contained 2lb of oatmeal per gallon. Short term prisoners (up to 10 days) got 24 ounces of bread and a pint of gruel per day (plus water, but you'd be well advised not to drink it!!). Medium term prisoners (up to 1 Month) got 24 ounces of bread and two pints of gruel per day (plus water). Long term prisoners got a slightly better diet with minisule amounts of meat and vegetables. They also got 'porridge'... Perhaps the origin of 'doing porridge' as a term for penal servitude.
This minimal diet was supposed to fuel a (usually already malnourished) body through 'hard labour'. Prison life was hard, and, as a result, they were not so overcrowded as now. Perhaps we are missing the point somewhere now???

All best

Dave T

P.S. the diet in the 'Workhouses' was little (if any) better. All Workhouse 'inmates' were classed as 'long term', however,.... usually until their appointment with the 'Grim Reaper'. :-(
 
After some experimentation I found I much prefer using oats as a savory side dish with entrees etc. Lightly toast the oats in a frying pan with some olive oil. Add equal volume of broth, some salt to taste, simmer till tender. Oats go great with curry, lamb, chicken, pork, veggies, almonds, whatever. They are simply another grain and do not need to be relegated to the sickly sweet side of the table forever.

Although I have a sweet tooth, I really disliked the overly sweet bowl of slimy oatmeal with milk and raisins that was standard childhood fare. My new taste for savory oats works well with a current effort to eliminate sugar and processed carbs from my diet (pasta still in though). Plus oats have "good" fiber.
 
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