My Friday morning ritual involves a bitter cappuccino paired with a sweet and flaky Scottish oat scone. In my current work situation I do a lot of grocery shopping at my local food coop (PCC Natural Markets), so I like to treat myself on Friday mornings after my shopping. On my most recent trip I re-learned a lesson that I learned many times over while in Italy. While waiting for my cappuccino (I also have Italy to thank for this addiction), a woman briskly made her way to the front counter and listed off her special drink. She was here to pick it up because she paid earlier but it was taking too long to make. After announcing this, in a rather loud manner, she said she would be back and continued to weave through the grocery store aisles. I should be used to this rushed manner in our current day, yet was taken aback by her brash and urgent manner. Maybe she had kids to take to school or a job to get back to, so I couldn’t hold it against her. However, instead of feeling rushed myself or checking my phone for the time, it made me pause. This hit me as such a big reminder to take a breath and slow down. Enjoy the smell of the freshly pulled espresso and the sound of the morning bustle. Italians never take their coffee to go. No matter how much of a hurry they may be in (I learned that Italians are notoriously late), they drink their espresso or cappuccino standing at the bar. So this is my reminder to you! Take a breath, take in your surroundings, and pause throughout your day - you never know what you might discover!

Now, back to that flaky Scottish oat scone that I have been drooling over. Often the coop will post their recipes online, but alas, I wasn’t able to find it. To the drawing board (or should I say kitchen)! Although these aren’t exact replicas, they are pretty darn tasty.

The whole grain oats and whole wheat flour pack a punch of fiber in each scone!

Try substituting Smart Balance Original Buttery Spread for the butter or even for just half of the butter. I have found that Smart Balance makes an excellent butter substitute in scones. Reduced saturated fat content = happy heart!

SCOTTISH OAT SCONES

Recipe adapted from Skagit Valley Fare’s Wonderful Buttermilk Scones and inspired by PCC Natural Market’s Scottish Oat Scones

Makes 12 scones 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour (you can substitute whole-wheat pastry flour for a finer texture)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes (can substitute Smart Balance or other butter replacement)
• 1 cup raisins, golden raisins, or currants (I used a mix of all three)
• 1 cup buttermilk*

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Pulse the rolled oats in a food processor until they resemble a coarse flour.
3. Combine the oats, whole-wheat flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined.
4. Cut in butter until pea-sized. I like to start out with a pastry cutter and then use my fingers to make sure there are no large clumps.
5. Make a well in the center of the mixture and pour in the buttermilk. Mix until a batter begins to form.
6. Briefly knead the dough on a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 3 balls and flatten to about 1-inch thick. Shape each ball into circles and cut each into four quarters.
7. Place all quarters on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes or until golden brown.

*If you don’t have buttermilk, you can substitute with 1 cup regular milk plus 1 Tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar. Let this mixture sit until slightly thickened. Use soy milk, along with the Smart Balance substitution, for a vegan scone.

**Note: These are not a low-fat food. One scone = one serving! 🙂

Bon appetit!