Please, explain oatmeal to me

[Starling]

Specifically, what is the difference between quick oats and regular oatmeal? I mean, I know quick oats cook faster, but is that because they come in the canister partially cooked? Or are they more highly processed? Do you get a whole grain when you eat quick oats?

Also, what are steel-cut oats? They look different than the oatmeal (rolled?) oats. Do you use them and cook them the same way?

ag

[OneTrickPony]

Ooooh, I love oatmeal.

"Steel-cut oats" (also sometimes called Scottish or Irish oatmeal) is the whole oat groat cut into smaller pieces. (I don't know why it is called "steel-cut.")

Regular oatmeal is an oat groat cut, steamed and flattened for faster cooking.

Instant oatmeal is an oat groat cut, more steamed and more flattened for even faster cooking.

You are getting the whole grain when you cook with steel-cut oats. In my opinion, you are also getting a much lovelier and tastier breakfast! The oats have more "bite" and taste nuttier...but they are much less creamy.

Here's my morning oatmeal ritual - take steel-cut oats, add flaxseed, cinnamon, pumpkin seed and raisins. Cook in my wee rice cooker until done. Eat topped with blackstrap molasses (for the iron), applesauce and yogourt.

Heaven! Everyone in my little family eats this breakfast nearly every day.

[Starling]

Yum! That sounds delicious. I can't wait to try it. Thank you!

[Kate]

Another oatmeal junkie, here, just popping in to say try the recipes for oatmeal in the Moosewood "New Classics" cookbook. Their oatmeal with date glaze made even my father, who can't abide oatmeal, swoon. It was awesome!!

[TigerTail]

just bought some steel-cut today- anybody know how to start it in the crock pot for overnight? (i may just go experiment!)

suse

[sha_lyn]

just found this simple recipe on several sites

2 1/2 cups water
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup steel cut oats

Lightly grease (butter) bottom and 1/3 up sides of crockpot. Mix
water, salt and oats, and pour into crockpot. Cook on low overnight.
Makes approx. 3 - 1 cup servings.

Notes: This technique not only works well for oats but also polenta
and other coarse cooked cereals.

[Nutmeg]

OneTrickPony... Your morning oatmeal ritual sounds delicious. Can you tell me what the water to oat ratio is? The rice cooker sounds like a great way to prepare them without having to cook overnight in the crock pot!
Thanks

[Starling]

OneTrickPony,

I tried steel cut oats in the rice cooker this morning.

Yum Yum Yum!

Dh said it was the best oatmeal he'd ever had.

Thanks for the inspiration.

[TigerTail]

thank you! I experimented, but w/out the butter- wow, messy! (the rice cooker was worst- wish I'd bought my dd a non-stick one!) I'll try the GREASE solution

suse

[mirlee]

I LUV OATMEAL! I even eat it for dinner. I put fruit like strawberries or apples in it. I always put a little brown sugar in it and make it with milk instead of water. The milk makes it really creamy. I have also put in some maple syrup, the real stuff not the fake.

Oatmeal is just an awesome food. Not only is it good for breakfast, it is good in a meat or meatless loaf, in bread, as cookies (with butterscotch and chocolate chips), to top off an apple crisp.

Maybe it is the perfect food.

Gotta dash, my oatmeal is ready. (Hey, it is 28 degrees here with nearly 2 feet of snow. This stuff stays with you and keeps you warm. )

[EnviroBecca]

I like quick oats because I can cook them by pouring boiling water on top and stirring--no pot to wash! Here's what I typically put in my bowl while the kettle's coming to a boil:
quick oats
powdered soymilk
just a little cinnamon
brown sugar
sliced almonds
raisins
Add boiling water until slightly flooded. Stir thoroughly. Keep adding a little water and stirring until oatmeal reaches appealing consistency. (I like mine not too gluey.) Yummy! I get everything but the sugar in bulk at my co-op, so it's cheap and environmental. And Mirlee's right--it's perfect for this weather! Cold cereals (other than Grapenuts) usually leave me hungry by mid-morning.

I first discovered quick oats when I was in college and didn't have a refrigerator, so I ate "instant oatmeal" from those little packets. One day as I was about to buy another box of the relatively expensive little packets, I noticed a sale on quick oats, and they were SO cheap by comparison! I already had powdered milk (nonfat cow's milk--I used to use it for coffee creamer, which I find hard to believe now! ) and sugar and raisins, so I bought some cinnamon and never looked back! So much healthier than flavored instant oatmeal, which is full of additives--not to mention the excessive packaging.