For as long as I can remember, I’ve had digestive issues. As a kid, I’d complain so frequently of stomach aches that my mom thought that I might have an ulcer. Throughout my teens, my digestive tract operated on a hair trigger. And for the last decade or so, I’ve struggled with the opposite problem — motility issues, if you will — and, as often goes hand in hand, intense, near-constant bloating. Though it’s long been top of mind, and has been something I’ve intensely, perhaps even obsessively, researched, it’s not something I’ve ever really talked about here or elsewhere in my writing. In part, I suppose, out of embarrassment, and also because I didn’t have a good answer, or even really an inkling as to what my problem was.
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oats
Pear-Ginger Oatmeal With Chia Seeds
I’ve written about oatmeal many times, and this likely won’t be the last. Satisfying, and fiber-rich, oats are what I reach for first when seeking a sweet-leaning healthy breakfast. This pear-ginger iteration is my latest fixation. A variation on April Bloomfield’s genius porridge, which mimics the creamy, chewy texture of long-simmered steel-cut oats by splitting the difference between steel-cut and rolled oats as well as milk and water, this bowl also adds some chia seeds to the mix for an extra-rich texture. Seasoned with a pretty mix of ginger and cardamom, it’s then topped with pear matchsticks and some sesame seeds for an almost-floral-leaning combination of flavors. All in all it’s a simple upgrade to the humble bowl of porridge. And, importantly (at least to me) it makes use of one of fall’s oft-overlooked fruits (pears).
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Pumpkin Chai Baked Oatmeal
Pumpkin spice — typically a blend of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg — might get the lion’s share of attention, but it’s not the only way to add a little something-something to pumpkin-based sweets. Here, I spiced up pumpkin-pecan baked oatmeal with powdered chai (unsweetened — not a ready-made chai concentrate with sweetener and milk), which adds a similarly-warm-and-cozy feeling, plus a subtle bitter edge from the tea itself. Rounded out with a bit of cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and maple syrup for sweetness, it makes for a super-cozy breakfast, ideal for the season.
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