Oatmeal Help

[htc]

Right before I went to bed last night, I remember this thread, so hopped back out of bed to try making the museli. I figured worse case scenario would it would taste gross and I'd just toss it. Boy was I wrong, man it's really good!

1 c oats
1/2 c soy milk
1 container strawberry yogurt
1 handful cranberries
1 handful walnuts

Man, was it good! I ate 1/2 cup for breakfast. I am contemplating having another 1/2 c. but worry it's too much, since I'm trying to watch my weight...Next time I am at the store, I am going to try to look for steel cut oats to make this to see what the difference is. (if there's any noticeable taste difference...this time I used my 1 min. quaker oats stuff) Thanks for all the helpful info!!!

[urmaniac13]

Well done htc!!
Also variety of dried fruit in small pieces, shredded coconuts, sunflower seeds are lovely additives!!

[jkath]

In the Kitchen:

Look for this can in your grocery store - it's readily available around here, so it may be in your area too:

[htc]

Thanks for the visual jkath, I think I've actually seen that before, I'll try to hunt it down. urmaniac13, great ideas! I would have ever thought to add coconut (which I LOVE, or sunflower seeds, which I have a ton of!)

I always get so excited when I find a new healthy food to make!!

[Ishbel]

Originally Posted by Floridagirl

In Germany I can buy a lot of oatmeal varieties. The regular ones...you described them as 'steel cut' (in the states I buy those in health food stores or in my "whole food" store, but unfortunately I don't know if they are Irish or from Scotland), the "smooth-melting" oatmeal recommended for baby food, "oat grits" which are peeled, coarsley bruised oat kernels.....etc.

But there is on kind I never could find in the US. Actually I don't even know the correct translation. Maybe someone here can help..I try to explain!
In Germany they are called "Haferfleks" (Hafer is the German word for oats and "fleks" is a modification of "flocken" and means flakes ).
My translation would be maybe "oat flakes" They are made from whole grain oats and look kind of puffed!
Here is a picture http://www.marions-kochbuch.de/index/0775.htm .
Does anyone know this kind of oats? I like them so much. I used them for making my müsli / cereal, made my own granola bars etc. They make my müsli nice and crunchy
Thanks for any ideas.

Iris

They look very similar to puffed wheat! I've never seen them in the UK,but I don't buy breakfast cereals, so I'm not sure whether we might 'puff' oats.... I'll have a look when I'm next in the supermarket.

[Floridagirl]

That would be great, thanks Ishbel!

[In the Kitchen]

ARen't we all going to get healthy eating all this oatmeal? As long as we remember not to load it down with lot of other sweetners except natural type. Hate to be nag but only way we will reinforce discipline in our lives. Thanks jkath, I have seen that someplace. Providing the visual truly helps. Just have to look for it. I will look at Whole Foods when I go there. I do like that place.

[tweedee]

You could make regular oatmeal and add fresh, diced peaches or you could add raisins with cinnamon, strawberries and bananas and so on.

[SierraCook]

Originally Posted by htc

Hi, I am trying to help a friend find an alternative to the flavored instant oatmeal packs (think peachs n cream, etc) We both agree oatmeal is a great healthy breakfast, but there is a lot of sugar in the instant packs, so we're tyring to find ways to flavor the plain oatmeal packs.

I need stuff that's quick and easy that you can do w/ the office microwave. Stuff I've suggested to her: bring dried frut and chopped walnuts or pecans & a small baggie of brown sugar/cinnamon to work. Am I missing anything to give the oatmeal a real fruitty flavor? Thanks!

I add dried cranberries and sliced almonds to my oatmeal. Sometimes, I will add a little brown sugar with cinnamon and nutmeg.

I also use McCann's sugar free Irish oatmeal.



http://www.mccanns.ie/

[comissaryqueen]

Not sugar free but delicous. A scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream on top.

[Dove]

htc,
Trader Joes carries the steel cut and so do the health food stores.
Marge

[Dove]

SC
Where do you find that oatmeal?
Marge

[SierraCook]

Originally Posted by Dove

SC
Where do you find that oatmeal?
Marge

I found it at my local grocery store and Trader Joe's. I will PM you with places you can find it online.

SC

[mudbug]

Originally Posted by Michael in FtW

Ishbel will probably be able to correct my memory of an exchange between an Englishman and a Scot regarding the use of oats - and tell us who these two gentlemen were ... but here goes with my best recollection of what Alton Brown said:

An Englishman once wrote, belittling the human consumption of oats, "We feed oats to our horses."

To which the Scot replied, "Ay, that is why you raise fine horses, and we raise fine people."

Michael, the Englishman was Samuel Johnson, who wrote a very famous dictionary in the 18th century. Basically what you quoted was his definition of oats--fed to people in Scotland and to horses in England.

[Michael in FtW]

And I thought the pompous Dr. Johnson was just a character in the Blackadder episode, "Dish and Dishonesty"!

Well ... actually I had heard of him before ... but didn't realize this was his deffinition of oats. Thanks for that info.

Now ... I just need the name of the Scot that rebuffed his definition ....

[bluespanishsky]

Originally Posted by SierraCook

I add dried cranberries and sliced almonds to my oatmeal. Sometimes, I will add a little brown sugar with cinnamon and nutmeg.

I also use McCann's sugar free Irish oatmeal.



http://www.mccanns.ie/

mmm i too love adding dried cranberries in my oatmeal. it adds that tang that i love.

also you could try berries.

I love adding frozen raspberries and blackberries...then when they defrost in the oatmeal their juices turn everything pink and make it all yummy! i also add a sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg.

[lindatooo]

I hav never liked Oatmeal - except in cookies. I am not a horse so why would I want to eat oats? Besides I can never eat more than 3 bites of it before I'm full. I've cooked it for my roomate (about a hundred years ago - she was clueless about cooking) and for my DH who loves it. Would somebody please tell me what is so very GOOD about it" Or is it something you eat just because it's supposed to be good for you? I'm not beimg silly - I would really like to know!

[htc]

I don't think warm oatmeal is GOOOD, but I like the museli stuff that others on this board recommended. The uncooked cold oatmeal. If you like to have yogurt parfait, you'd like the museli.

[mrsmac]

We cook porridge with milk and water then put some cold milk and brown sugar on it. My dad cooks his with sultanas so that they fatten up during cooking.

[Floridagirl]

I like the cold oatmeal in my muesli, cookies and cereal/müsli bars.