What's Cooking - Meatless Breakfast Sausage

So I've been trying and trying to find a way to get oatmeal in me and not gag on the sweetness of it. It's not that I totally hate sweet, but for breakfast, yuck. I mean I hate cake (yes really) but I like jelly beans and chocolate (OK dark chocolate) but oatmeal for breakfast? Gag!

So I've been trying different ways to make sausage - like my Turkey Sausage. Good, but I think I can still get rid of the meat. I'm trying to cut out wheat too, so I had to think of a good additive. Grits are good. They make a nice thick polenta and cornmeal mush. So I tried grits and I think I have the recipe. I use an egg in this, so it's not vegan, but I think you could easily use egg substitute or they might just stick together without the egg. I'm not trying, but feel free to try yourself.

I cooked the grits and the oatmeal with 1c grits / oatmeal to just a little over 1c water to get them thick and dry. I found it easier to do in the microwave, but you decide, try stovetop in a pot. This was my last attempt. It was a bit spicy, you might want to reduce the cayenne to half, and I love garlic so I might have added another teaspoon.

Oatmeal is not only healthy, but cayenne, turmeric, and garlic are three of the best spices you can put in your body. The turmeric also makes it a nice golden color.


Meatless Breakfast Sausage

2 C dry cooked grits
2 C dry cooked oatmeal
1 egg
2 T poultry seasoning (or just sage)
1 T turmeric
2 t garlic
1t cayenne
oil to fry - I like a soy oil for this


Cool the grits and oats. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. I did this by hand, because it's pretty thick and sticky. Heat just a bit of oil in a large frying pan. make a ball about 1 1/2" diameter and flatten to a small patty. Drop in pan, saute until brown, flip and do the other side. I got about 10 in my pan at a time.

This makes between 20 and 25 patties. They freeze really well and I just reheat in a pan or microwave.

What's Cooking - Chocolate Syrup

We ran out of Syrup a few weeks ago, no car and I thought...I can make this. So I found several recipes online and took what I thought was the easiest. They all have about the same ingredients, but different order of assembly. This is how I made mine. Delicious, easy, tastier than store bought, and most importantly cheap. I've been making a bottle a week, because we use on ice cream and in coffee. You know all those healthy antioxidants.

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon real vanilla extract
pinch salt

I don't use a lot of salt, so a touch works. Put water, sugar and cocoa in a good sized saucepan. You need to boil this and it really bubbles up. First time I put in in a small saucepan and had a chocolate stove. I whisk the ingredients while cool and keep whisking through the process. Bring to a rolling boil and let boil for 3 minutes.
Take off heat and whisk in salt and vanilla. Let cool.

After the sauce is cool I pour into the old chocolate squeeze bottle. Or you can put it in a jar. This version must be refrigerated, because we didn't add preservatives (cool) and it will probably turn to chocolate liquor if you let it sit out too long.

I also wanted to add this awesome video I found today. Poppy is making a Nyan Cat costume, and her 8 year old and I were looking at Nyan Cat videos. I thought this one, laughable, fit the yummy chocolate munchie theme.

A little early in the day for Weed, but never too early for chocolate Syrup. Have a Great day and Enjoy!