Knotweed & Strawberry Compote Over Oatmeal
Sweet and tart, warm, gooey Japanese knotweed and strawberry compote over freshly made oatmeal is the perfect nourishing and delicious start to your day. It’s not overly sweet (definitely in breakfast not dessert territory), and the sweetness of the strawberries is balanced with the sourness of the Japanese knotweed. The darker red of strawberries is paled into a delicate light pink, that almost feels like a sunrise in your bowl. So say goodbye to boring oatmeal, because this will be your new favorite Spring breakfast.
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Compote as an Oatmeal Topper
I’ve never been the biggest oatmeal fan in the past, but when I do eat oatmeal it’s all about the toppings. A favorite of mine as a kid used to be drowning my oatmeal in an ocean of milk and maple syrup, but I’d also be okay with butter and brown sugar. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve started appreciating the effect that a little fruit can have, but I’m still not willing to go without that saucy, syrupy oatmeal topper. In that sense compote is perfect- it’s almost entirely fruit (with just a little added sugar), but it’s cooked down to give that same delicious syrup sensation to every bite of oat.
Other Options for Knotweed & Strawberry Compote
Although I’ve written this strawberry and knotweed compote as an oatmeal topping, the possibilities of compote go a lot further. Compote can be used as a delicious dessert option, topping ice cream or spread into a crepe. They can be added to pancakes, used like jam on toast, or you could spoon a little onto a chia seed pudding. Even if you aren’t an oatmeal person, that’s no reason not to give this knotweed and strawberry compote a try.
Strawberries and Knotweed: The Perfect Spring Pairing
Strawberries and Japanese knotweed is a sweet and tart combination made in fruit heaven, and it’s not the first time I’ve used it in a recipe (check out my strawberry knotweed crisp here). Since both strawberries and knotweed are crops that come up early in Spring, I think of it like a present from nature- the perfect fruits, with perfect timing (although to be technically correct, Japanese knotweed is a vegetable). Since Japanese knotweed stalks taste similar to rhubarb, reworking the classic rhubarb and strawberry combination for this compote was a natural choice. And it’s just as good (plus the knotweed is free!)
Other Vegan Spring Recipes
- Spring Garlic Mustard and Dandelion Green Vegan Frittatas
- Vegan Easter (or any occasion!) Deviled Potatoes
- Carrot Top Tabbouleh with Kamut
- Papaya Seed Salsa/Papaya Seed Dressing
- Sesame Roasted Snap Peas
Foraging for Japanese Knotweed
Japanese knotweed is an invasive species in the United States and many other places in the world. It’s one of the first plants to shoot up early in spring, and while it’s young it can be eaten. As it ages, it gets to woody, and the bamboo-like stalks over take the landscape. If you plan on foraging for knotweed, make sure you are careful with your identification and make sure the area you are collecting in doesn’t spray with harmful chemicals. Since I’ve written about identifying Japanese knotweed in the past, I’m not going to write about it in this recipe- instead, please go ahead and check out the information in my Japanese knotweed chutney post. I really like working with Japanese knotweed, because it’s an invasive species and more or less unwanted. I like to think of my knotweed recipes as upcycling waste!
How to Make Knotweed and Strawberry Compote
This breakfast is gluten-free, but if you do have a gluten allergy make sure to get oats that don’t run a risk of being contaminated. The first step to making the knotweed and strawberry compote is to wash and chop your strawberries and knotweed (make sure to get the leaves off your knotweed). The rest of the process is just to let the fruit cook down a little, for about 10 minutes, so it becomes somewhat syrupy. I added a few tablespoons of agave nectar to my compote- you may want to add a little more sweetener, but I found the bit of tartness to be very pleasant. Make your oatmeal in a separate pot, but only make about as much as you want to eat. The compote can be kept in the fridge and warmed up for the next week or two, but oatmeal really does taste best of the day its made.
Japanese Knotweed and Strawberry Compote Over Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 2 cups of Japanese knotweed, cleaned with leaves removed, chopped into small pieces
- 2 cups of strawberries, cleaned and chopped
- 3 tbsp. agave nectar or maple syrup
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)
- A pinch of salt
- 3 cups of old-fashioned oats
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the knotweed, strawberries, agave, vanilla, and salt. Heat on medium, stirring frequently. Cook until the knotweed and strawberries have mostly broken down, and you’re left with a somewhat juicy mixture with larger, soft fruit chunks.
- In the meantime in a separate pot, add the oats with a pinch of salt and six cups of water. Bring to a simmer, stirring often, until it is thick and the oats are soft.
- Serve the compote warm over oatmeal.
Notes
Food for thought:
1. The compote will stay good in the refrigerator for a week or two. Only make the oats as you need them, keeping in mind a single serving is usually around ½ cup of dry oats.
2. Compote is delicious on oatmeal, but there are other options. Try this strawberry knotweed compote over a vegan vanilla ice cream, or as a pancake topper!
3. If you’re not a forager, you can just substitute the Japanese knotweed in this recipe with rhubarb. Delicious!
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Let’s hear from you…
- What are your favorite ways to eat compote? Other than knotweed and strawberry compote, what other fruits do you enjoy?
- What other Spring produce do you enjoy? Or not? (confession- I absolutely HATE asparagus).
- How do you like to cook Japanese knotweed? Have you tried any of our other knotweed recipes?
Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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