"O Beautiful for Spacious Skies, for Amber Waves of Grain..." America the Beautiful

Welcome to Amberwaves, the network of concerned friends, families, farms, and communities devoted to preserving natural and organic rice, wheat, and other essential foods from the hazards of genetic engineering (GE).

Whole Grains and Grain Products

By Gale and Alex Jack

Oats arrived in America with an English sea captain who settled in one of the islands off present-day Massachusetts in 1602. His fields flourished, and the Pilgrims, who arrived almost two decades later, followed his example. As in Scotland, where it is a principal grain, oats have been enjoyed in America ever since as a nourishing breakfast porridge, a thickening agent for soups and stews, and in flour form as a tasty ingredient for bread, muffins, and cookies. At home we enjoy whole oats on cold (and not so cold) mornings and also occasionally have Scotch oats and oatmeal. Like barley, oats give a nice upward energy and are very energizing.

Old Fashioned Oatmeal

Whole oats, like our grandmothers used to make, are very warming and delicious. Ideally, they are cooked in a heavy saucepan overnight over a low flame. If time is a factor, it can be made more quickly by cooking from 1 to 3 hours. Here is a quick method for modern households.

1 cup whole oats 1 cups spring water 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Wash grain and soak for several hours. Place in a pressure cooker with water and sea salt. Bring to pressure, reduce heat, and cook for 1 hour. Garnish with roasted nori.