Upside Down Oatmeal Sundae (and Getting My Goat)

by Maria Theresa Maggi on October 2, 2015

Upsidedown Oatmeal Sundae 2

September was a bit of a bumpy month for me–literally. About 3 weeks ago, walking full speed and barefoot, I ran my left little toe smack into one of the hardwood claw feet on my couch. The impact separated it from the rest of my toes, and instantly I knew I was in very painful trouble. My whole foot swelled and turned all colors of the rainbow, and from what I could tell (based on my accident prone experience), my poor little toe was probably broken. It couldn’t move. It couldn’t help me “spread my feet like stars.” I kept it wrapped in a comfrey leaf poultice inside a sock and took lots of homeopathic arnica and rescue remedy. After 3 days the swelling went down enough that I could put my Nikes on again when I gimped out to take Romeo for a walk. After about 5 days I could do without the comfrey poultice. The bruising looked worse, but my foot was getting better. And now I am happy to report that in the last 48 hours or so, I have regained full motion of that little toe, and am happily spreading my feet like stars, even if it is still a little stiff now and then.

Somewhere around the time I was taking off the comfrey poultice, I burned the roof of my mouth. It was worse than I thought, and so I accidentally burned it again. And again. As a result, I had to resort to food I knew would literally help the inflamed tissue heal. And one of the best foods for that is oats.

Just when I think I’ve done everything I can do with oats or oatmeal, I discover another fun way to eat it. In the summer I enjoyed banana ice cream with oats sprinkled over the top. But with the burn on the roof of my mouth, the raw oats were too scratchy. So I went back to my old stand-by, cooked oats. Cooled off enough, they are the perfect “salve” for a burn on the inside of my mouth.

This upside down sundae originated in part because having the oats on top of the carob fudge and frozen fruit instead of the other way around helped them cool off to room temperature more quickly. Scooping into them to find a cool combination of carob sauce and blueberries underneath is a real treat.

This can be eaten both as a breakfast and a dessert. And frankly, I’ve been eating it as both, often on the same day, even though the burn on the roof of my mouth is all healed now. I have read eating oats at night helps lower cholesterol. So why not have them at both the head of my day, and the toe of it as well?

These “toe to head” experiences remind me that sometimes it’s mandatory to slow down, and  if I am unable or unwilling to slow down enough, my body will find a way to make sure I do. And thanks to these “bumps,” I am no longer in residual flight from the hectic events of my move. I look where I am going and pace myself. Another silver lining is that I was able to take a lovely slow time to complete my soulful goat pastel.

Soulful Goat, Sumner Street by MTM

So it isn’t all bad to have my goat gotten. And eat my oatmeal like a decadent ice cream sundae. I can actually say it makes me feel great from head to toe.

Maria (moonwatcher)

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{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Judeen October 3, 2015 at 2:47 pm

Ouch Ouch Ouch. Glad you are healing. Love oatmeal for any meal too.

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2 Maria Theresa Maggi October 3, 2015 at 3:19 pm

Thank you Judeen!

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3 Kelly October 3, 2015 at 5:28 pm

Glad your toe is better. I recently fell off my porch and sprained my anke. The swelling and bruising is awful, isnt it? Your recipe looks so good! I am running to the store to buy a few dates right now. And your goat pastel! I absolutely love goats and yours is adorable. Makes me want to kiss him, lol

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4 Maria Theresa Maggi October 3, 2015 at 7:33 pm

Thank you Kelly! Sorry you sprained your ankle and had the dramatic swelling and bruises to show for it–hope it’s all better now. I’m so glad the recipe looks good to you. And I laughed out loud that my pastel makes you want to kiss the goat–that makes it a real success! 🙂

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5 Colby October 4, 2015 at 7:06 am

I love your goat pastel!

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6 Maria Theresa Maggi October 4, 2015 at 9:45 am

Thank you so much, Colby!! 🙂

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7 Sheila Z October 4, 2015 at 8:42 am

That Alpine goat looks so real I want to reach out a pet it. There is life in his eyes and they seem to be saying, “If you haven’t brought me anything good to eat, what good are you?” I see a goat with attitude! I really thought it was a photograph and was amazed when I read it was a pastel.

Glad you are feeling better and hope the remainder of October is injury free for you.

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8 Maria Theresa Maggi October 4, 2015 at 9:40 am

Oh Sheila, I laughed so hard when I read this–yes!! I bring them all kale stems and this guy is the shyest and often gets butted out of the way, despite my best efforts. I took this after the kale was all gone and he’d missed most of it. He got up on a hug wooden spool and just looked at me mournfully. Thank you so much for your kind words about the pastel and you wishes for an injury-free October, too!

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9 Lynn October 4, 2015 at 4:09 pm

Wait, you painted that?? Wow, I thought it was a photo at first!

Anything categorized as “breakfast or dessert” gets my undivided attention. I’m oat-free so I’ll try a hot rice cereal version. With the chilly weather setting in I’ve been wanting every meal to be hot and in a bowl so I can wrap my hands around it.

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10 Maria Theresa Maggi October 4, 2015 at 6:32 pm

Yes, that would be me who painted that Lynne. 🙂 And I’m with you about anything breakfast or dessert getting undivided attention. A hot rice cereal version sounds good. Also cooked millet or buckwheat groats would work nicely, I think. Hope you enjoy your warm “sundae” in a bowl. 🙂

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11 Debra Maslov October 4, 2015 at 8:49 pm

Oh Maria, so sorry about your bumpy September with two painful injuries! Glad to hear both have already healed with your loving self-care. Your oatmeal recipe looks scrumptious & I absolutely adore your finished goat pastel…….wow, how fun to have watched it evolve. Here’s to a much safer October!

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12 Maria Theresa Maggi October 4, 2015 at 10:54 pm

Thank you so much, Debra, for all these kind words and well wishes! I’m really happy you enjoyed the goat pastel process too. 🙂

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13 Danielle October 5, 2015 at 7:53 am

I love that goat! I’m so happy you put up her finished portrait! She obviously has a mind of her own and it comes right through in your artwork. She’s giving us all a long, considering look. “What have you done for me lately?”

I’m happy your toe is healing! Ouch.

That sundae looks so good I am going to make myself some breakfast oats right now. 🙂 I often have a little oatmeal and fruit for dessert. It’s amazing how it is just the thing to have on a cool evening a few hours after an early dinner.

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14 Maria Theresa Maggi October 5, 2015 at 9:57 am

Thank you Danielle! I love your assessment of my soulfull goat’s look! I’m happy to report that I visited the goats yesterday evening with only about 4 pieces of kale stem, and she finally got one!! (She is slow to grasp the stems and often gets butted out of the way by the two others.) After that she was so proud of herself she wanted a head rub and a neck rub. 🙂 (Or he, honestly I don’t know that part 🙂 ) And yes, to the bowl of oatmeal and fruit for dessert!! (Mine is not always so little though 🙂 )

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15 Veronica October 5, 2015 at 1:45 pm

Eep! I actually winced when I read about your toe- I bump into stuff all the time, and the toe is always the worst! I’m glad it healed up well.
I actually make something very similar for breakfast! A chocolate sauce with a bit of cayenne in it, some fresh or frozen berries, maple syrup, cinnamon, and the oatmeal on top. Not usually for dessert, though, but it is a great idea. Have dessert and not feel too guilty about it… 🙂
The goat drawing is great! I love how you have inspiration right outside your door. xo

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16 Maria Theresa Maggi October 5, 2015 at 4:14 pm

Thank you for your sympathy and understanding about bumping into things, Veronica. I am sorry it is so familiar to you as well. I love your choclate sauce version of my oatmeal bowl, with a pinch of cayenne–sounds great!! And so happy you like the goat. Yes, I am happy to have inspiration close to home. Here’s to guilt free dessert, too! 🙂

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17 Lee at Veggie Quest October 6, 2015 at 6:32 am

Oh, Maria, I just felt a twinge in my own baby toe when I read about you smashing yours into the sofa leg. That’s so something I would do! Hope you came up with some great story about a mixed martial arts competition or taking down a bank robber or something. 😉

Anyway, the oatmeal sundae does sound soothing–wish I’d thought of it back when I had a sore throat and cough a few weeks ago!

I hope you’re feeling better, Romeo is back on his walk schedule, and that the goat has found a place of honor in a gallery–it’s gorgeous!

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18 Maria Theresa Maggi October 6, 2015 at 5:16 pm

Lee, I laughed out loud when I read this–mixed martial arts AND bank robbery it is! Glad you find the oatmeal sundae soothing, too. Thanks for your kind words–we kept on walking, but we didn’t get real far. Still it was good to keep my legs moving. I would love it if my goat found a place of honor in a gallery some day–thanks for thinking such good thoughts for it!

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19 Gena October 6, 2015 at 3:21 pm

Maria, I love this. Oats are one of my all time favorite foods, and one of the reasons for this is that I could (literally) eat them for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert, depending on my mood and what ingredients I use. Your recipe is both a wonderful breakfast and an uber-healthy dessert — I could see myself whipping it up on a long night of studying, when I start to crave treats but don’t want to invite too much glucose into my system!

I’m so glad your toe is healing so efficiently, so that you can spread those feet like stars on your beloved yoga mat <3

Gena xo

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20 Maria Theresa Maggi October 6, 2015 at 5:19 pm

Thank you Gena–you get me!! I, too, could eat oats morning, noon and night–sweet and even savory. I bet this would make a wonderful treat-while -studying. And thanks for the lovely wishes to spread my feet like stars again. It’s amazing how much that little toe is involved in. I had to get pretty creative on the yoga mat while it was healing–not even a child pose-but it helped to do what I could. Happy to be able to move it again! xoxo

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