Do you know why I love oatmeal so much? There is an art to eating it. Some foods you just stuff in your mouth. Perhaps some of you have an art to your cereal eating, but for me I just stuff it in so it stays crunchy and it’s gone. Same with morning toast. Gone. That’s why I don’t love those two for breakfast.
I love eating foods with a long spoon and swirling them around in the bowl and my mouth in an artistic way.
OIAJ are one of the most artful foods I eat. Not only do you get to swirl the actual oats, but getting the nut butter off the sides and bottom of the jar takes a bit of patience and makes it super fun to eat.
(Note: it always looks like there’s way more nut butter in OIAJ than there really is because those solid layers you see are really, really thin, FYI. The above jar looks like it’s got at least a half cup of nut butter, but it’s really only about 1-2 tbsp max)
Last night I put the following into a jar with about a tablespoon +/- of TJ’s Sunflower Butter
- 1/3 cup oats
- ~1/3 cup Oikos
- ~1/3 cup milk
- 1/2 banana
- Pinch salt
- 1/2 tbsp chia seeds
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
–> sat in fridge overnight
–> Added 2 tbsp granola on top for crunch this morning
Coffee today was still too weak. I used 1/2 cup grounds (= 8 tbsp finely ground) with 6 cups water (coffee cups, not 8 oz cups). It’s just so THIN. Lacking the body of French press. Karen’s coffee this summer was still thick. She uses Peet’s. I think we just need to keep putting in more grounds!
Basil says good morning!
Speaking of the arts, I just spent a while putting all the yoga classes around here in my calendar. I want to try them ALL at once! Going to be doing a lot of yoga in the coming weeks, and I think last night’s studio has a $50 unlimited month pass for new students. If that’s the case, I’m totally getting it and will be doing lots and lots of yoga. Good thing I love it now!
Also, has anyone tried Nia? It’s offered at one of the studios and sounds like dance!!
It’s usually two TBS of coffee per 6oz of water…so that means for six cups you would need about 3/4 a cup of coffee grounds for bold flavor!
Ahhh – most people were recommending 1 tbsp per cup and 1/2 a cup would be 1.5 tbsp per cup but I guess I need mooooore!
I tbsp per cup is what I do…the way my Mom taught me!
Love your blog. Thanks for sharing your journey with us!
Oh and knowing you love Fresh Market cofee like I do….the Pumpkin Spice is out!
Woooooooo!! I don’t even know if we have one here!
Yes, this! I was about to comment the same thing!
yeah thats the rule i know too 2 tbsp per cup of H20
Kath- oh yes there’s a Freshmarket in CVille!
Oh that would be fun! Oh and I am so with you on the oats. There is just such an art to making it and eating it. It is the only breakfast that lasts me until lunch too. People think I am crazy when that is all I want for breakfast, but it is just so perfect! Enjoy your oats and your Sunday!
Kath-
I have the same coffee maker and I love it! I usually use a coffee scoop to measure out my coffee but it’s about 1 tablespoon per cup and it seems to make great coffee. Good luck!!
I did 1.5 / cup and it was still too weak!
I’ve always used 2 heaping tbsp per (coffee) cup, and it’s the perfect strength for me and most house guests that I’ve had. Good luck finding the right ratio!
Yes, I do 2 heaping tbsp per coffee cup as well-tastes good to us too!
I made my mom go out and by a set of ice tea spoons just so I could more fully enjoy OIAJ 🙂
As for the coffee, I have the same machine and like my coffee on the stronger side for sure. I usually add 2 heaping spoonfuls of grounds for every cup of water and I definitely get a full-bodied cup of coffee that way.
It took me a while to get the perfect balance with an automatic coffee machine. Even after I found the ratio that worked for me, I never could get the same taste every time. That’s why I switched to the Keurig!
i have to say that eating with tea spoons is one of my favorite things 🙂
I use the same method as Callie – 1 tbsp per cup of water! Not sure if that will taste strong or weak to you, but it tastes waaay better than the icky 1/4 cup (heaping) grounds to 8 cups water that my parents make at home. BLECH!
Sorry you are still drinking brown water — to me there seems to be an “art” to each coffee maker and type of coffee. You’ll get it eventually.
For mine, I use 1 tbsp grounds for 1 cup of water.
I also like to take my time eating breakfast — my stomach takes a while to realize it is satisfied, so when I shovel it in (aka cereal like you) I don’t realize I’m full.
Hi so I’m really not sure this is the place to leave this since it’s a breakfast post, but I know you recently moved to Charlottesville and I was wondering if you’ve been to a place called Orzo Kitchen and Wine bar yet? I went down to UVA for a tour yesterday and we found this place for lunch and it was absolutely amazing! It’s part of this cute little market that has local meat, sushi, produce, and a couple cute kitchen shops. The food was all locally grown and it was to die for! I got their salad of the day and It was local greans with pulled rotesserie chicken, the best tomatoes i’ve ever had, and grilled zucchini. The food was sooo good and reasonably priced for a large portion, and the servers were so nice! For Dessert oiur server told us they had just pulled one of their desserts out of the oven and we ended up getting one for the table. It was a warm apple, cranberry, and walnut gallete topped with vanilla gelato. OMG heaven on a plate! Haha just thought I’d suggest it if you haven’t been yet!
Orzo is near the top of our restaurants-to-try list!
I had OIAJ this morning too! It’s such a treat 🙂
I couldn’t go back to drip coffee after using a french press for several years- it just doesn’t compare! Although I would like to have my coffee ready for me when I wake up.
I’ve done a Nia class before!! It was fun…a little cheesy (move with your body’s spirit, etc.).
I’ve been noticing you’ve been giving disclaimers about your food (like the nut butter and the salad plate pancakes before). There’s no need to do that, just enjoy the food and let people think what they want.
Agree!
Ditto! No disclaimers,justifications needed!
Yes, that’s what I was trying to write last week,but it didn’t come off in the right way
I think….
Hmm… I know you’ve bought a coffee maker already, but have you ever looked at Nespresso? Our family uses it and it’s awesome and flavourful every time. It uses capsules though, not ground coffee! Just a thought 😉 (And I think that oats are definitely an artful food :D)
I love ground coffee, so I would never get a Keurig or the like..
I never quite thought about the art of eating oatmeal before. But it’s so true. I always eat cereal and toast really really fast. But oatmeal I savour!
There is an extra large jar of Maranatha Almond butter that I’ve been using for my oats. My parents probably thought it was a bargain. Little did they know it would make it impossible for me to to do OIAJ in! I don’t think one of your long spoons would even reach to the bottom! Oh well.
I feel like I always use a TON of coffee when I use a drip machine. I think the rule is 2tbsp per 6oz of coffee?? It’s pretty ridiculous, but all in the name of convenience 🙂 I’m in the process of trying to convince my dad to switch to French press; he LOVES coffee but convenience is king – sometimes he’ll brew a whole pot on Monday and drink it all week – 4 day old coffee by Friday ughhh!! 🙁
OH I’ve been meaning to ask – Kath, how did you clean your French press? I’ve read that soap is bad since it can make the filter taste like soap.
Just dish soap and I never had a problem
Ahh… I love your mug!
I just found an almost-empty PB jar… guess I’m having OIAJ tomorrow morning!
I use 2 T per 6 oz, and letting it “simmer” for about 5-10 minutes before pouring also helps for some reason. When I’m in a hurry and pour as soon as it perks, it always tastes weak!
Interesting!! I will let it sit tomororow 🙂
French press has more body b/c more of the oils from the beans remain in the finished product. It’s such a toss up…I love the convenience of drip coffee, but French Press coffee is yummier, in my opinion.
I’m the same way with oatmeal- I love it cause you can eat it as slowly as you want. Other stuff just doesnt work in the morning!
Get a darker blend of coffee. My suggestion is Peet’s Major Dickinson’s Blend. Peets ships if you don’t have one. Our peets closed here in Austin but they sell the beans at a local grocery chain Randells. In a pinch I enjoy Starbucks Sumatra Mandaling. It’s rich and bold.
I’m with you on the oatmeal. Toast and cereal just disappear too quickly!
Hi there – I just moved to Charlottesville and have also been researching yoga studios! Is it Studio 206 where you are thinking of trying Nia? I was wondering about that too, and was planning to try Ashtanga Yoga soon. I’ve also been thinking about joining ACAC; it seems like they have a good schedule of yoga classes.
Yes, I was looking at 206. ACAC is sooo expensive! $200 just to join. If I could try out all the yoga first, I’d do it, but I don’t want to join and then still going to studios
Ooh, good to know. I looked at the ACAC schedule but hadn’t actually been in yet to learn about their pricing. That is probably off the table for me. Especially since I am a UVA grad student so I can also take advantage of their offerings (though not many of their yoga classes are convenient for me). Good luck finding somewhere that clicks and maybe I will bump into you around town some day 😉
The membership fee at ACAC is negotiable and you can get it knocked down, if not to nothing than to certainly less than $200. They also run specials on it from time to time. Plus, if you use a current member as a reference (cough, cough), that member gets a gift card that he or she would be likely to share.
Nudge nudge. I’d love to take advantage of that sometime!
Check this Friday’s schedule to see what you might like. Guests are free on the first Friday of each month.
Going to be gone this Friday 🙁
My mom does Nia! She loves it, she has some videos since it’s not offered near her home. I think you’d like it though if you like flowing gentle yoga- I think Nia is like a faster dance version of Vinyasa.
When I switched from French press to drip machine, I found I was getting through a ton more coffee grounds every week. But, it’s worth it. I have the Cuisinart with the stainless jug. LOVE it!
Nia can be a lot of fun and great exercise. Depending on who teaches the class it can be more or less new-agey (I prefer when it is less new agey :)). It is a really great way to release stress and get the pleasure that comes from dancing in a very supportive environment. Give it a whirl!
I like 2 tbsp per cup personally for coffee. Another thought – are you using paper filters or a metal mesh filter for your new coffee maker? The french press is metal, so you get all the sediment and coffee oils that a paper filter keep out, which might account for the different mouth feel.
The metal filter it came with
Your oats always look so good!
YUm, coffee and granola for breakfast!
I have the same coffee maker and love it. My scooper for the coffee is 1/2 a cup. I make it a HEAPING half cup and fill the water up to the 6cup line on the pot. It usually comes out very bold and delicious. If you need more, go to 3/4 cup. It may depend on your coffee, too. Peets is definitely a good choice.
I add the water to the decanter line for the number of cups I want – then a level 1/8 cup scoop for every 2 of those cups. Ex – fill decanter to the 8 line with water, then add 4 level 1/8 cups scoops of ground coffee. A medium grind is good.
This has worked for me every morning – perfection!
For every cup that we make, we add a tablespoon of coffee. If we make two cups, it’s two tablespoons. If we make six cups, it’s six tablespoons.
Kath,
I love reading your blog and I have to chime in on the coffee discussion. Your weak coffee could be caused by a few different things. Please pardon the dissertation on coffee brewing, and I hope there is something in here that you (or your readers) can use:
The proportion may be your problem. Working for six years in two different coffee shops showed me that the pros use about 2 tbsp of ground coffee per 6 fluid oz of water. However, when I make coffee at home in my machine, I use 1.5 tbsp of grounds per 6 oz of water. What tastes best depends on the person and the machine.
The grind could be a problem too. Forgive me for asking the obvious question, but are you grinding your coffee finer for the automatic drip than you did for the French press? French presses use coarse ground coffee, and auto drip machines use a medium grind. If you use coffee that is too coarsely ground in your auto drip machine, the water will flow through the grounds too quickly and leave you with a weak cup of coffee, no matter how much ground coffee you put in the filter. Maybe if you are using the same grind as you did before with your press, that could explain the brown water.
Lastly, it could be a matter of getting used to automatic drip. French press brewed coffee tastes richer and smoother than auto drip. Immersing the grounds in hot water and then pressing them down results in a more even and complete extraction of the oils in the beans that give coffee its rich flavor. You could try to get a richer cup out of your auto drip by using darker roasted beans (which have more oils than lighter roasts) or continuing to increase the coffee:water ratio. Or, you could look into a French press in stainless steel to prevent your glass shattering mishaps. There are several on amazon.com.
I hope you find something helpful in there, and if you don’t I hope you find a solution to your problem soon! For me, nothing is worse than a bad cup of coffee first thing in the morning. My first cup sets the tone for my whole day. Good luck!
i LOVE TJ’s sunflower seed butter! I grabbed some on my first trip to TJ’s in NYC (don’t have one in upstate, ny) and i’m in loooove with it! mmm.
I really need to finish off a jar of nut butter so I can try some of these OIAJ!!!
hey kath,
i tried NIA — it’s fun, but i didn’t feel like i was really getting in a good workout. it’s sort of a slower, flowier version of ZUMBA (which i love) — and i think you might like too!
I tried Nia about a year ago at my park district gym. They only offer it once a week– late on Friday afternoon. I really did not care for it. It seemed to require the coordination of a step aerobic class– not for this two-left feet girl 🙂
I have the same coffee maker and I use 2 and 1/2 Tablespoons per 1 cup or 8 oz. I drink a LARGE cup of coffee in the morning! I love this coffee maker, but I only make coffee for one and it’s never hot enough. That’s my only complaint.
a good spoon can really elevate dining to the next level! so weird,isn’t it?!
That’s why the bodum is better! I have one of the huge chrome bodums, but we sometimes default to our coffee maker (not sure why the coffee maker seems to be easier at times). It’s never the same coffee.
*also, I was going to comment on the spoon thing. I love eating with teaspoons, but solely because all other spoons seem too big! I want to eat, not shovel!
Sorry to hear that the coffee is still not right!!! So frustrating!!! 1/8 cup per 8oz water works well for us. I know everyone’s preference of coffee strength differs, but you might want to try that. Hope you have better luck tomorrow!
maybe you’re still grinding your coffee too coarsely? grounds for coffeemakers should be finer than those used in french presses.
I see someone else mentioned this already! You guys might want to also check out the AeroPress. My boyfriend is a huge coffee nerd, and he says that if he had to give up his espresso machine he could live happily with just an AeroPress. He loves the coffee which comes out of it.
http://aerobie.com/products/aeropress.htm
My problem is that I don’t leave enough nut butter in the jar. I’ll have to use my jars sooner. 🙂
i have a few questions about oatmeal. have you always liked oatmeal? i know its good for you, but i just don’t like it. and do you always cook it, or just mix it in with the milk and toppings?
the same goes for greek yogurt..did you like it right off the bat or acquire a taste for it?
I suppose I’ve always liked both…but I’ve made both better with fab toppings and techniques. Try the Whipped Banana method on the Tribute To Oatmeal page
After years of comparison, I do believe the french press is superior. It makes coffee a ritual, instead of a fast food. You sound like a french press kinda girl to me through and through 🙂
I have a regular size bodum and a mini for when I just want one cup. Long live the french press! 🙂
try using 2 paper filters in the metal one that came with the coffee machine. the coffee gets stronger by steeping longer in the hot water. using 2 filters will delay the process of water through the grounds, and stronger coffee with less grounds.
OH…interesting concept! After a few more tries, I’ll try this
Is it possible that the coffee measurement could be a grinding issue. When I use a French Press I usually grind my coffee pretty coarse, but if I use the same amount in a drip it’s just brown water. Try grinding your grounds pretty fine- it may work for you.
I tried NIA several years ago, when I was into hip hop/dance aerobics and lindy hop. I didn’t like NIA at the time because it was slower than the other dance I was doing and very free-form and flowy, but I suspect it’s like yoga where it depends on the instructor and the personal space you’re in when you try it. It was a lot of dance-like movement, though, and I might like it now if I gave it a chance, since I’ve given up on the dance forms that pound and twist my knees. I look forward to hearing what you think when you try it!
I love OIAJ! And your spoons 🙂
So true about the oatmeal.. nothing else is quite the breakfast eating experience!
Coffee chemistry is tricky, and sort of like alchemy at first. I agree that oatmeal creates for a longer, more leisurely eating experience. And for some reason, I find that TJ’s Sunflower Seed Butter mixes the best in OIAJ.
Ah, now you have me craving OIAJ and sunflower seed butter! Tis been much too long since I’ve had either. I love sunflower seed butter (especially the crunchy kind), but dislike that is more expensive than peanut butter… and the only kind available to me is SunButter brand, which is dang tasty but I’m sure is pricier than TJ’s! Ah well, some things are worth it!
Oh, and good morning Basil! I’m moving into a house this week (no more apartment, YAY!) and want to start a small herb and veggie garden. Any recommendations for a new gardener? What are the easiest plants to start with, and what’s coming “in season” now?
I do not have a green thumb!! I think the trick is lots of sunshine…seriously. Plants won’t grow in shade!
Your spoons are so lovely. I like the idea of eating as an art form rather than just a physical compulsion. It seems important to ritualize and savor something that is such a large part of daily life.
Oats and coffee (or tea) are so good for me because they’re too hot for me to inhale – I love being forced to take my time 🙂
Might I recommend 1.5 tablespoons of coffee grounds per cup brewed? It took me forever to figure this out – I love strong coffee too. <3
Nia is fabulous. Ive also attended a Kundalini workshop that had a lot of dancing built in. Enjoy!
I have yet to experience oats in a jar! I need to hop on the OIAJ bandwagon the second my pb jar is empty 🙂
Coffee scoop measures are often 2 Tbsp, not one. Almost every coffee maker I’ve owned has made the best coffee with a ratio of 1 heaping coffee scoop measure to every 2 “cups” of water. However, a coffeemaker “cup” isn’t a standard 8 oz. cup. It’s more like 5-6 oz. So your 12 cup maker should do well with 6 heaping coffee scoop measures. Alternatively, have you read the coffeemaker’s instructions for suggested ratios?
Grind with coffeemakers is also important b/c you can’t adjust how long the grounds steep. You’ve got to use a somewhat fine grind for makers that have a cone-style filter, which I think is what the Cuisinarts have. You can use a more medium grind if it has a flat filter bottom, but I find that a medium-fine grind works very well.
I make coffee in a maker with a flat filter, in a single cup press, and in a single cup drip contraption. They all taste different, even with the same beans.
Good luck!
P.S., if this helps, re: strength. For my single cup (8 oz.) drip contraption, I use a full coffee scoop, so that’s more like 2 Tbsp. per actual 8 oz. cup. It makes a perfectly strong cup suitable for adding 4 oz. of soymilk for a cafe au lait.
there are SO many things you can do with oats. you make them savory, sweet– they never fail me.
happy sunday 🙂
Kath,
Hope your smushed fingers made it through the night okay! I’ve had a few of those coffee pots like you just bought…and use Peets Garuda Blend, 1 T per cup…or a little more if I want the coffee to scream at me;-) I drink it black, so I don’t need to allow for milk.
Regarding your recalcitrant bulk oats; try giving them a little whirl in the food processor. I think they’ll behave better if they’re chopped up just a bit.
Great idea for the big oats!
your love for yoga has inspired me to find a class near me!
That’s why I always add 1 tablespoon of milk to my cereal and then I keep the rest on the side. That way I can scoop up some milk and then some cereal and it all stays crunchy!
I love foods that are like art to eat!
I can never seem to get the perfect coffee ratio in my automatic either. One day it comes out too strong, the other day, too weak. Although, I always make 12 cups in one day to save the rest for Iced Coffee throughout the week. Here’s a tip: try adding a little instant coffee to the pot if it’s coming out too weak. The instant coffee will give is just the right strength and boldness without making it too strong.
I don’t comment much but I read your blog daily. I first heard about overnight oats from you and tried it for the first time in as an OIAJ. I only added oats and light Silk the night before and then added more Light Silk and cinnamon raisin granola in the morning. It was the best breakfast ever!
Thank you for showing me the way to finally enjoying oatmeal in my busy morning. 🙂
I’m considering buying Chia seeds to add into the mix!
🙂
1st rule of thumb – french press makes the best cup of coffee… sorry filter
2nd rule of thumb – when going the path of the filter 2 tbs per 8 oz of coffee —best of luck!
By the way, I’ve been reading your blog for over a year now & I agree with Vanessa… thank you so much for revealing the wonderful and varied world of oatmeal.
🙂
I totally agree about oatmeal. I like that each bite contains a slightly different ratio of ingredients, so it keeps things interesting. Plus I love how you can drag it out and make it last so long!
I’m glad you clarified the nut butter question. Because I saw that jar and thought the same thing that it looked like a lot of nut butter. But I knew it probably wasn’t. I was just trying to think about what to have for breakfast tomorrow, I think I will have overnight oats.
Can’t wait to have a basil plant at my new house! I’m so over spending $5 on basil to make pesto. Glad to see you’re loving C-ville! 🙂
LOVE this post! So true! I love food that lasts and requires some activity and requires you to slow down a little! 🙂
I think its an art to try to eat oatmeal out of a waning nut butter container and not get it on your fingers. Its not possible for me – I always end up having to lick the tops of my fingers. But I LOVE IT.
mmm those oats sound great 🙂
There really IS an art to the drip coffee maker… An art that I have lost the touch for since all I have used is the french press this summer! Once you get it down, it’s great! But until you do, you’re stuck with weak coffee. 🙁
I agree that there is an art to eating oats. Especially Oats in a Jar. I always wish I wasn’t in a rush when I eat them.
The local yoga studio I have been attending randomly is getting ready to close 🙁 Depression!! That’s a great deal on yoga classes! And nothing beats french pressed coffee!!
I totally agree about the oats! I find myself taking so much time to eat breakfast because I try to make each bite perfect – really, I just don’t want my bowls to end!!! 🙂
I like my coffee super strong – I use almost double what they tell you to use!
Are you using coffee that was ground for a French Press or coffee that is ground for a regular coffee maker. And is the filter flat or cone shaped?
I believe French Press coffee is coarser than coffee for drip coffee makers. You may want to go to a local coffee shop and ask them which type of ground coffee is best for your machine.
Nia is super fun – there used to be a place in Asheville called Mbody that offered classes – I loved them, and was sad when the whole studio closed due to financial instability.
Kath, I have the same coffeemaker and I fill my coffee filter pretty much to the top of the filter (maybe 1/2″-1″ from the very top) with ground coffee – nice and strong!
You will definitely enjoy having hot coffee waiting for you on cold winter mornings – I know I do! 🙂
The rule of thumb is 2 T. per 6 oz, however be warned. I had that same coffee pot, and by the time my husband and I figured out how much coffee to use for our pot (which filled 2 12 oz. travel mugs — not the full pot!) we had coffee overflow into the water reservoir and killed the coffee pot in a few months. I hope you don’t have the same problem. We haven’t been able to figure out anything better than a French Press (although we use a stainless steel one so we don’t have to worry about breakage).
Didn’t your mother ever tell you not to play with your food? 😉
Why don’t you try using your scale to measure your coffee grounds? Weight is the most accurate way to measure coffee! A pretty standard measurement in the coffee industry is 10 grams of coffee per 6 oz of water. With water, as you probably know, the volume (fl oz) will be the same as the weight-oz when you measure.
If you try this let me know what you think! Some people like to up-dose and use a little more coffee than the ratio I gave, too, so you can play around with taste. But there is definitely scientific reasoning behind this ratio.
Hi Kath. I do Nia and absolutely love it. It is combination of the healing arts (yoga), modern dance and martial arts. It is high energy and very joyful and you always feel so happy afterwards. Seeing as you love dance and yoga, you should def give it a bash! I just hope you have a good instructor as they can often make or break your experience.
Have you heard of the Passport to Prana? The passport entitles you to one class at each of the participating yoga studios until the specified expiry date for the promotion in your city. They’re not in Charlottesville yet, but perhaps you could use your blogger status (wink) to convince them to add it there. It seems like such a frugal way to sample all the studios in a city!
Oh I so wish we had that here!!
I’ve tried Nia before. It’s….interesting and hard to explain so I suggest taking a class!