Mush, Sludge, and Points In Between

A guest blog post by Heather Seggel

I’ve always loved to cook, though being good at it is another matter. As a kid, being allowed to make pancakes or eggs on a tiny electric griddle from a flea market was a thrill and taste of independence. Being poor throughout my life meant never moving into gourmet territory, but creativity in the kitchen can make lean times into delicious ones. It helps to have good guides along the way.

Two stars that I’ve steered my cooking by for years are Leanne Brown’s cookbook GOOD and CHEAP, and the website BudgetBytes (dot com). Both teach basic cooking techniques, then offer easy recipes that can usually be adapted to what’s available locally, seasonally, etc., in your region. When I tried BudgetBytes’ recipe for savory oatmeal, the combination of garlic and ginger with spinach, mushrooms, and sesame oil turned a little light on in my mind. Oh! This is kind of like ramen! But a million times healthier. I made it for dinner when the weather was blustery, sometimes with a hard-boiled egg but more often some cubed tofu for protein. It’s a good, rib-sticking meal that doesn’t leave you feeling as poor as perhaps you are.

There’s sound precedent for all the oatmeal variations on the market, from savory to protein-spiked to “overnight oats,” which is essentially just reinvented muesli. In her book How to Cook a Wolf, published in 1942, M.F.K. Fisher has an essay titled “How to Keep Alive,” where she describes an “odorous but unrecognizable sludge” made from a small amount of ground beef, some “whole grain cereal,” and a mix of carrot, celery, onion, cabbage, and squash if one’s budget allows. It’s cooked together and can be sliced and fried when it cools, and is just, as the title states, intended to Get One Through It (“It” in this case being the Second World War, your “It” may vary). But look again: It’s…porridge. Savory oats. A mix of veg, grain, and some protein. There’s a reason why folks come back to this formula periodically.

This may be why I laughed with delight when first encountering Veggie Mush. It has the modern benefit of its creators getting deep into the weeds on the nutritional side of things, so you are getting a mountain of protein, fiber, and nutrients without your wallet taking a fatal hit. But they’re disarmingly up-front and generous, explaining their process and making their recipes available for free so anyone inclined to can try them out at home. And there are pricing tiers ranging from cost of materials only, to materials plus labor, and the option to make a donation as well. This is not just nice to have, it’s an opportunity to educate the public about the costs of producing food, a conversation we’ll be having for as long as the economy and climate are in flux. And, you know, it’s porridge. A simple thing that holds a lot within it.

Try the Breakfast Mush if you’re uncertain about savory oats; the warm spice, raisins and banana slices will make you feel at home, and it’s great with a drizzle of oil, pat of butter, or dollop of peanut butter on top for some extra richness. The Umami Mush has complex flavors and lights up with a splash of your favorite hot sauce. And the cruciferous somehow manages to evoke a fast food indulgence while remaining super healthy. They all cook in 6 minutes or less and are microwaveable or a snap to prepare in a rice cooker, and the black beans (the protein source in all varieties) never assert themselves or taste “beany.” It’s good, and cheap, but it’s worth re-emphasizing that it’s GOOD. And truly good for you! Sometimes getting through it is a grind, but when you find an affordable indulgence at a time when it’s most appreciated, it feels more like getting away with something. And what holds you together when things are falling apart is good ingredients put to creative use to maximize their best qualities. It’s hard to ask for more than that.