the difference between eating steel cut oats and eating regular oatmeal is like the difference between eating an orange or drinking orange juice..they are both good foryou but one is better. I like the steel cut oats but they are very hard to find around here.....
Different things I've added to my (daily) bowl of oatmeal:
*canned pumpkin, 1/4 cup, pumpkin pie spice, chopped pecans
*chopped apple, chopped walnuts, cinnamon
*craisins, any kind of chopped nuts
*peanut butter, raisins
*shredded coconut, small jar of baby food carrots, cinnamon, nuts (tastes like carrot cake!)
*maple syrup, walnuts
*fat free hazelnut non dairy coffee creamer, mashed banana, walnuts
As you can see, I LOVE oatmeal! I started eating it daily for cholesterol lowering reasons, and discovered how much I love it and love creating different variations, usually just based upon what I have at the moment. I always fix it in the microwave, 1/2 c oats with 1 cup water, little bit o' salt and cook on hi 2 1/2 minutes. At work I just nuke the water, add it to the oats and let it sit til somewhat absorbed. It's all good!
Here is an easy way to serve a crowd a hearty breakfast before facing the elements for a day of winter sports. You can assemble it in the slow cooker in the evening and wake up to a bowl of hot, nourishing oatmeal. The slow cooker eliminates the need for constant stirring and ensures an exceptionally creamy consistency. It is important to use steel-cut oats; old-fashioned oats become too soft during slow-cooking.
Ingredients
8 cups water
2 cups steel-cut oats, (see Ingredient note)
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Directions
Combine water, oats, dried cranberries, dried apricots and salt in a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker. Turn heat to low. Put the lid on and cook until the oats are tender and the porridge is creamy, 7 to 8 hours.
Stove top Variation (Halve the above recipe to accommodate the size of most double boilers): Combine 4 cups water, 1 cup steel-cut oats, 3 tablespoons dried cranberries, 3 tablespoons dried apricots and 1/8 teaspoon salt in the top of a double boiler. Cover and cook over boiling water for about 1 1/2 hours, checking the water level in the bottom of the double boiler from time to time.
Ingredient note: Steel-cut oats, sometimes labeled "Irish oatmeal," look like small pebbles. They are toasted oat groats--the oat kernel that has been removed from the husk that have been cut in 2 or 3 pieces. Do not substitute regular rolled oats, which have a shorter cooking time, in the slow-cooker oatmeal recipe.
another way to cook them that i've had good luck with is to preheat your oven to 300 degrees, mix 1 cup oats with 4 cups water (or a similar ratio) and add 1 tsp salt, and cook in a large (covered) pot for one hour. you don't need to stir or anything. then divide it into 4 containers and store it in the fridge and have breakfast for the next four days!
As far as brands go, I think it's pretty much a generic thing, so if you can find them in a bulk store, that will be the cheapest route. I've found them for as low as $.77 a pound in bulk, or as high as $8.00 for 2# in the metal McCann's can!
I found them bulk for $.59 a pound!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by chrgrl
another way to cook them that i've had good luck with is to preheat your oven to 300 degrees, mix 1 cup oats with 4 cups water (or a similar ratio) and add 1 tsp salt, and cook in a large (covered) pot for one hour. you don't need to stir or anything. then divide it into 4 containers and store it in the fridge and have breakfast for the next four days!
I might have to try them in the oven. I didn't like them at all in the crock pot. They got way to mushy for me. Usually I boil 1 cup of water then add 1/3 cup of oats and let them sit overnight on the stove. When I am ready to eat them I just warm them up. I love adding a mashed banana, chopped pecans and a few chocolate chips. YUMMY!
I love steel cut oats, also called Scottish Oatmeal! I use Bob's Red Mill brand found in the health foods cereal section of my grocery store.
I just follow the package directions..3 cups water..1/4 t salt, which I don't add..bring to a boil..add 1c oats..reduce heat and cook for 10-20 minutes. I cook it for 15-20 minutes and it's never watery, always thick and sometimes too thick. While it's cooking..I add cinnamon & raisins..then when I dish it up, I put some sugar free maple syrup on top and a little skim milk.
Now that one of you mentioned using a little real maple sugar, I'll start doing that as the sugar free has aspertame in it..bad! Thanks for the tip!
Cindy..Thanks for the tip on putting it into individual serving dishes for the fridge..good idea!
