Duff Goldman's Simple Substitute For Oats
Whether you're first learning how to cook, or even if you are a well-seasoned expert, there are still some cooking skills that are tough to work out. Using a mandoline is one that springs to mind right away. It's the kitchen gadget that so many home chefs are afraid of, and even the pros have issues with the tool. The scary accident Alex Guarnaschelli had on the "Alex vs America" set was the result of a mandoline slicing her finger, and she has decades of professional cooking experience.
But there are other kitchen tasks that daunt beginners and pros alike that have nothing to do with physical injury, and everything to do with culinary cunning. Take ingredient substitutions. There are quite a few simple substitutions you can make in a baking emergency, but other ingredient swaps, like when you're looking for a gluten-free replacement for flour, can be tricky for even the most seasoned chefs. So when one home cook asked an ingredient substitution question on Twitter, they had the good sense to tag several famous chefs to see if they'd get a response from anyone who might actually know what they're doing.
Pseudocereals to the rescue
Twitter user @petro1k voiced this question to Duff Goldman, Alex Guarnaschelli, the Food Network, and Paul Hollywood on the social media platform: "What is a good substitute for porridge oats to make flapjacks?" In the United States, flapjacks is usually just another word for pancakes (via MasterClass), but in the U.K., flapjacks are baked oat bars (via Daring Gourmet).
Luckily for that Twitter user, one of the celebrity chefs tagged actually chimed in: baking expert Duff Goldman. With his years of expertise making and judging baked goods on shows like "Ace of Cakes" and "Kids Baking Championship," it makes sense that Goldman would know what to do. His Twitter recommendations? "Millet. Quinoa. Buckwheat." One thing all of his oat substitutions have in common is that they're considered pseudocereals (via FoodForNet), which are similar to grains, but are actually seeds, and aren't "related to grasses at all." The next time you run out of oats and don't feel like heading to the store, you can raid your cupboards for these handy oat substitutes instead (and thank Duff Goldman while you're at it).