Food Talk And Fabulous Finds - Oatmeal trick

Oatmeal is a good choice for breakfast this time of year. Unfortunately, instant oatmeal is a waste of calories health-wise, and I have NO time to spare in the mornings. You can cook regular oatmeal in the microwave, but you need a huge bowl for one serving and it usually boils over anyway, and it's a mess either way. This weekend I discovered a way to have REAL oatmeal with no fuss.

I made a large batch on the stove, ate one serving for breakfast, and put the rest in the fridge. A few days later I scooped out another serving and warmed it in the microwave. It was just as good, if a bit creamier (which some people would like anyway). I'm not sure how long you'd want to keep it ... no more than a week, probably. And, be sure to cover it with plastic wrap right on the surface, else it forms a crust on top. But, this gives you all the convenience of instant with all the health benefits of non-instant.

Great idea! I may copy the URL of your post into South Beach as lots of chicks there eat oatmeal for Phase II breakfasts.
Thanks for posting this.

I have been doing this for some time now. In fact I eat so much oatmeal (I only eat Stee Cut Oats) I have begun making a double batch. So 8 cups of water and 2 cups of Steel Cut Oats.

Saves time in the morning. Which is important because I have a ten month old to get up and get fed and ready for the sitter.

i eat bob's 8 grain wheatless cereal in the mornings. i boil water, add it (3/4cup) to the measured out cereal (1/4 cup) and heat in the microwave for one minute. i take it out and stir and return to the microwave for 30 sec. then its done. i find that it is so much easier to cook than oatmeal, and keeps me full much longer. i thought 1/4 cup wouldn't be a lot but it really bulks up when you add water. i mix in three scambled egg whites to round off the meal.

nutritional info

Serving Size 1/4 cup (40g)
Servings Per Container 33.00
Calories 110.00
Calories from Fat 20.00
Total Fat 2.00g
Saturated Fat 1.00g
Cholesterol 0.00mg
Sodium 5.00mg
Total Carbohydrate 20.00g
Dietary Fiber 2.00g
Sugars 0.00g
Protein 4.00g
Ingredients whole grain oats, oat bran,brown rice, corn, soybeans, millet, barley, sunflower seeds and flaxseed.

Steel Cut Oats -

1/4 cup dry
150 calories
2 grams of fat
4 grams of dietary fiber

I think 1/4 cup dry comes out to about 3/4 cup cooked. I think... LOL I eat 1 cup cooked.

oh, and another thing i really like about bob's 8 grain is you don't have to eat it like typical oatmeal. it has more of a grits consistency. this morning i am having it with salsa, shredded cabbage, oyster mushrooms, snow snap peas and green onions along with my eggs. i call it my breakfast scramble. some people can't stand stuff like this for breakfast but when i eat a veggie packed breakfast, i stay full much longer. also i have a heaping bowl that i probably won't be able to finish and its only 240 calories.

Laura!

I love veggies for breakfast. I would be so happy with a big bowl of fresh steamed green beans. LOL

When I could eat eggs I loved egg whites with sliced tomatoes. MMMM yummy.

That sounds really good. I will pick some up this weekend. Do you know if its Core? If its not, I will have to pass on it.

i am not sure what core is. if you'd like to do some research on the web, the full name is bob's red mill 8 grain wheatless cereal. bob has a website with about 50 million diff. products. (flours, grains, beans, soups, baking mixes etc.) they are sold mostly at whole food/natural graceries or in the whole foodsection of your grocery store.

Core is a Weight Watcher Plan. I will have to check my books.

Yes, I have Scottish Oats from Bob's Red Mill. They are excellent too

Hi -

I cook old fashioned oats in the microwave with no problem. I use a bigger than cereal bowl, but not huge. 1/2 cup oats, salt to taste (couple of shakes), 1 cup water, nuke for 2 minutes and let sit for another couple. Add "stuff" as desired. :) I have an OLD microwave - close to 25 years, honest - and it may be that 2 minutes would be too long in a newer one. It did boil over when I used my regular cereal bowl. I love Bob's cereals too, but I find I need to have some protein at breakfast as well or I'm starving by 10 am (eat at 6:45 or so). This morning I had 1/2 my lunch at 10:30, and that was after waiting 1/2 hour to be sure I was really hungry. LOL

I've also done that forever, Pat. I think it works great and I don't have to make a whole bunch when I am the only one going to eat it. ...Sis :D

Oh yes, on my microwave it only takes about 1 min 30 secs.

I do old fashioned oats in the micro in a cereal bowl. I put the oats in the bowl, add boiling water and let sit a few minutes while I shower or make coffee or get the kids breakfast (or soaking overnight works fine too). Then I add about a cup of frozen berries on top and pop it for 5 minutes on high (but my micro isn't that powerful). Most of the water is already absorbed by the time I stick it in the micro and the fruit on top seems to help weigh it down and keep it in the bowl. I mix in a container of ff/sf yogurt and there's my fruit/protein/grain breakfast combo that's low in fat and quite filling for the number of calories (around 300).

LOL ... how did this turn into a thread to convince me that somehow I've misunderstood how to cook oatmeal in the microwave?

I just thought it was cool to find out it was possible to cook a big batch and reheat. I personally find it more convenient. If you think it's a stupid tip, then just pass it by, OK?

Oh no, I don't think we're trying to convince you of anything like that! Just sharing how else we've managed microwaving oatmeal without the mess. (At least that's all I was doing). Your idea is a great one for those of us who are short on time in the am.

Hello everyone,
funnie, thanks for posting your experience with cooking oats. we're all looking for ways to make eating healthy more convenient.

The original post mentioned "instant, regular, and real" oats. Perhaps some of the other posters may have been confused. There are several different types of oat products but many go by the name "oats or oatmeal". Here is what I found recently:

Oat groats: unflattened kernels that are good for using as a breakfast cereal or for stuffing
Steel-cut oats: featuring a dense and chewy texture they are produced by running the grain through steel blades which thinly slices them.
Old-fashioned oats: have a flatter shape that is the result of their being steamed and then rolled.
Quick-cooking oats: processed like old-fashioned oats, except they are cut finely before rolling
Instant oatmeal: produced by partially cooking the grains and then rolling them very thin. Oftentimes, sugar, salt and other ingredients are added to make the finished product.
Oat bran: the outer layer of the grain that resides under the hull. While oat bran is found in rolled oats and steel-cut oats, it may also be purchased as a separate product that can be added to recipes or cooked to make a hot cereal.

Also, this web site has a good set of descriptions: http://www.foodsubs.com/GrainOats.html

I hope this helps and if anyone has any more experiences or tips to share it would be helpful to us all. Thanks for your input.

I got a real chuckle out of reading these "Oatmeal Tricks" posts. Are you familiar with the terrm "oxymoron"? You probably are, but if you're not, it's a term used when contradictory terms are combined in a sentence, such as "jumbo shrimp" or "deafening silence". Notice the number of people who "cook old fashioned oats in the microwave"? To me that's funny! Is everyone so pressed for time they can't cook old fashioned oats the old fashioned way - boil for seven minutes on the stove top?

Honestly, I cook old-fashioned oats every morning and it takes just a few extra minutes. you could boil the water while you brush your teeth, and let them simmer as you gather your belongings for the day. Just one special way I make mine is, to boil them in water (no salt added), once I pour the oats into the boiling water and let them simmer for 5 minutes I add just a tad (maybe a tbsp of Fat free non-dairy creamer) This adds flavor and a creamy texture to them.

Hi, I notice so many of you say you eat Steel cut oats. Where do you buy these oats and is there a name brand out there too look for. I would love to try these oats, but I don't have any idea where to get them. I usually eat the old fashioned oats and enjoy them alot.

Hi, I notice so many of you say you eat Steel cut oats. Where do you buy these oats and is there a name brand out there too look for. I would love to try these oats, but I don't have any idea where to get them. I usually eat the old fashioned oats and enjoy them alot.

http://www.mccanns.ie/pages/products.html

I buy in bulk at Vitamin Cottage. Much cheaper that way.

I love to microwave my individual servings of oatmeal with fruit and flavorings such as cinnamon. I make sure the bowl is large enough then go for it. And since I am the dishwasher, I save myself the pain of having to wash an extra messy pot.

Jan

Brian, 7 minutes in the morning wouldn't be a problem for many...steel cut oats take 30-40 minutes to cook, which is a bit long when you need to get to work in the morning and like staying in bed a little longer, like me. :coffee:

If you have a crockpot, why not put the steel cuts oats and water in the crockpot and turn it on when you go to bed, then the steel cut oats should be ready at breakfast time for you.

lbsbgone

Exactly! I was going to reply to Merrylegs, but you beat me to it. I use to enjoy wheat berries for breakfast. That's those hard grains of wheat. Now if you tried to cook those things in the morning, I'm sure it would take an hour or so. What I did was put them in a thermos at night, fill with boiling water and put the lid on. In the morning they'd be hot and plump and juicy. Now I've never tried this trick with steel cut oats, but I'm sure it would work just fine. Zero prep time. Or as lbsbgone said, use a crock pot.

Someone a while back asked where to find steel cut oats - they're also sometimes called "Irish oatmeal" - I can get them in a tin in my grocery like that.

I like the steel cut/Irish oats becuse they're chewy - rolled oats are too gloopy for my taste. Cooking the steel cut in a crock pot is a good idea - except that my smallest crock pot is 3 quarts! I don't think I would want even 1.5 quarts of oatmeal, and the pot directions say to fill the pot at least halfway to achieve correct cooking temperatures. Perhaps I need to find a smaller crockpot.

Ciao!
Solarmama

What a great thread. I have gotten so many great ideas!

I am in favour of making a batch and saving it for a few days b/c I get IMPATIENT waiting for my oatmeal to be done.

I want to try and mix other things with the oatmeal like wheat bran or oat bran, flax seed and the like. Perhaps even some fruit. Would that work to keep in the fridge for a few days? Hmm what about sweetening it?

Thanks!
Cyndy

Oatmeal is a good choice for breakfast this time of year. Unfortunately, instant oatmeal is a waste of calories health-wise, and I have NO time to spare in the mornings. You can cook regular oatmeal in the microwave, but you need a huge bowl for one serving and it usually boils over anyway, and it's a mess either way. This weekend I discovered a way to have REAL oatmeal with no fuss.

I made a large batch on the stove, ate one serving for breakfast, and put the rest in the fridge. A few days later I scooped out another serving and warmed it in the microwave. It was just as good, if a bit creamier (which some people would like anyway). I'm not sure how long you'd want to keep it ... no more than a week, probably. And, be sure to cover it with plastic wrap right on the surface, else it forms a crust on top. But, this gives you all the convenience of instant with all the health benefits of non-instant.
Whats wrong with instant oatmeal

I like Scottish porridge oats ... which are not the same thing as Scottish oatmeal, which is very finely cut ... the porridge oats are huge and firm and I don't have any problem cooking one serving in the microwave; I just zap them for a minute or so ... and don't let it boil over ... these are NOT instant oats, I guess I just like them kind of chewy. I put Splenda in sometimes, lately since Sugar Busters, I haven't needed the sweetness.

I don't eat instant because it's too high on the glycemic index, too low in fiber ... too processed and spikes my insulin, also can't stand the taste and texture, might as well eat grated cardboard ... but that's just my opinion. :)

How much fiber does the regular oatmeal have?

A real timesaver for me and my busy schedule is cooking the oatmeal in the crockpot. Set it all up the night before and put it on low. You awake to the most delightful smells :) My favorite ways of having it are peanut butter and cocoa (tastes like a peanut butter cup) or with pumpkin and all the pumpkin pie spices (lots of Vitamin A and added fiber and it tastes like Pumpkin pie) or Bananas and walnuts or cinnamon and pecans. It's nice too because I can make a big batch and everyone can scoop out what they want as we all get ready at different times. The best part is the kids and the DH like it and its a much better breakfast than the cold cereal or coffee and donuts that they used to eat.

Fun thread, all in all. The reason I prefer doing oatmeal in the microwave is purely personal and I certainly am not trying to convince anyone who's happy with how they do it - just sharing! :) Anyway, the reason is that it's fast, I don't have to watch/stir, and I only have one vessel to wash. :lol: I've not tried making a large batch and reheating - might do that. Oh, plus DH doesn't like oatmeal so I'm already fixing two cereals. I don't - btw - fix any other hot cereals in the microwave as they lump badly, they need the constant stirring. DH like cream of wheat or Maltex, or actually any other cereal than oatmeal.

And the person who asked, why not instant? - ick, it's a toally different product, and to me doesn't taste like oatmeal at all. I've eaten it in a pinch, or camping, but it's way down on my list of "things I like to eat." :)