My girls love it so much that my 1st grader takes oatmeal to school as her snack every single day and my preschooler sometimes takes it as part of her lunch (in a Thermos to keep it warm). Apparently a lot of people use water to make their oatmeal, but our secret is milk. I feel the same way about hot chocolate, too. Forget the water…use milk! At the start of our budget pledge last year I tried making oatmeal with water as a cost saving measure and my 6-year-old would have nothing to do with it. I didn’t even tell her anything was different I just served it like I normally do, and she knew immediately that something was wrong. And she wouldn’t eat it either. So after more than a year of playing around and tweaking our oatmeal recipe just the way my kids like it I thought I would share.
Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup milk any variety will do but we use whole milk at our house
- 1/2 cup oats rolled (I get ours out of the bulk bins at Earth Fare)
- 1 dash cinnamon
- drizzle honey
- pure vanilla extract
- raisins (good with nuts on top, too)
Instructions
- In a small pot over high heat warm up the milk.
- As soon as the milk starts to bubble drop in the oats, stir once, and turn the heat down to low.
- Let the oats simmer for 2 – 3 minutes. You can stir it a couple times if you’d like.
- Once the oats have soaked up most of the milk add the vanilla, honey, cinnamon, raisins, and mix everything together. Take off the heat and serve or store for later in a Thermos.Tip: My daughters like their oatmeal a little “soupy” so I usually try to catch it before all of the milk has been absorbed by the oats. You could also add a little extra cold milk at the end, which will help cool it down for little ones as well.
Thank you for a yummy, quick, easy-to-make recipe! I’m not traditionally a fan of oatmeal, but this recipe is added to my list of favorites — I even shared it on FB, a rare thing for me.
Thank you! This oatmeal is sooo yummy & so quick & so easy, I’ve added it to my favorite recipes. I also — a rare thing for me — shared it w/my friends on FB.
My grandma makes the best porridge/oats in the world. I’ve said it since I was about 4 and I’ll continue to say it. I love oats, I’ve always tried to replicate Nanna’s recipe but being time poor before school made me want a recipe that was quick and didn’t require much washing up (ie no saucepan). After years of tweaking I perfected my perfect porridge recipe. I’ve been using it for quite a while now so here it is.
I’m a bit of a cheater and use quick oats (oats that are chopped really little) and cook in the microwave. I also use coconut milk, the one that comes in a carton in the long life milk section near the almond/oat/soy milks, not the one in a tin!
I think I use 1/3 cup quick oats, pinch of salt (grandma’s trick, it gives them a sort of softer texture and makes them taste ‘less raw’), and just enough coconut milk to *just* cover the oats, then I add a decent drizzle of honey and microwave for 2 minutes. Stir, if it’s a bit dry add a splash of milk, then microwave for another minute.
Add some extra milk before serving and top with banana (extra honey if you’ve got a real sweet tooth).
I’ve been browsing this site as I get more into eating whole foods and enjoying it so far. Wanted to offer some tips on this post since I’m an avid eater of oatmeal myself and yes, I confess, I use water.
Maybe I’m just used to it because dairy has always affected my asthma and my skin so my mom didn’t give me more than necessary growing up. But for those seeking dairy free, you can replace w/ coconut milk – or just give it a try with water. I also don’t use sugar if I can avoid it and replace it w/ organic honey or a fruit.
I use plain quick oats, cinnamon, sliced bananas, organic raisins and sprinkle a handful of organic pumpkins & sunflower seeds on top.
Also a fan of adding frozen blueberries with a teaspoon-ish of honey if I’m tired of bananas.
When I’m feeling “fancy” I like adding the honey with a teaspoon or so of Now Food’s organic cocoa powder and sliced bananas.
The secret to all of the above as well, is I add about a teaspoon of virgin coconut oil to the water before I throw in the oats and dash w/ cinnamon. Even if I change up fruits or flavors, the coconut oil/cinnamon has been my one consistency with the oatmeal. I find cinnamon and/or vanilla extract can help “trick” my senses into thinking the oatmeal is sweeter than it is.
Hope it helps and love this blog so far! <3
I eat oatmeal all the time! My recipe is awesome! I only use the 1/3 cup to measure.
1/3 cup oats
1/2 of a 1/3 cup of pecans
1 1/2 of a 1/3 cup of milk
Microwave for 2 1/2 minutes on 7 power.
Add 1/3 cup of frozen blueberries. No need to let it cool. The frozen blueberries cool it right down!
I used to HATE oats as a young child . My mom used rolled oats . Rolled oats are ‘lumpy ‘ . I HATED those lumps ! Those lumps would catch in my throat . I use the quick oats. NO lumps . Mom says the quick oats are the ‘left-overs ‘ from the oats processing . I don’t care . NO lumps . There’s no real difference in the rolled and the quick oats , Right ?
I found adding 1/2 a teaspoon of cloves warmed up the oatmeal, and adding vanilla yougurt added just enough sweetness and creaminess to the oatmeal! I loved the recipe thanks again!
Love oatmeal. I use water and two tablespoons of powdered milk and we use many different add ins. Powdered peanut butter and a mashed banana or coconut, pistachios and dried cranberries or frozen raspberries with two poached eggs on top.
Most of these have salt and a dash of cinnamon for added flavor. A quick, easy and inexpensive dinner.
I actually usually make my oatmeal in a rice cooker, so I can set it up and go do yoga or something while it’s cooking. For a single serving, I’ll put in 1/2 cup oats, 1 cup water (I still use water), and some frozen organic berries. Then, about 40 minutes later, when it’s ready, I’ll either top it with some maple syrup OR some fruit crumble topping I sometimes mix up and keep handy in the freezer (a mixture of oats, granola, walnuts or pecans, butter, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg that’s meant to be added to fresh fruit and baked, but I like as a topper to my oatmeal). Easy peasy.
I just bought your cookbook and this is the second recipe I’ve made. Absolutely the best oatmeal we’ve ever made. I can’t believe the difference in cooking it in milk. My kids also loved it. A flavor idea (what I had this morning) diced candied ginger, fresh peaches, and a few chopped pecans. The best! Thanks for a great recipe!
This is my first attempt at oatmeal, I found it bland and had to add raisins to make it palatable. Perhaps I’m doing it wrong? Even added more honey.
Hi Jennifer. If you are used to sweet packaged oatmeal, it just takes a little time for your taste buds to adjust to less sweetness. I love nuts and a bit of maple in mine and sometimes add a sprinkle of granola for varied texture.
Greetings,
I was just wondering if Steel-cut oatmeal has less of a chance of being contaminated with gluten than rolled-oats?
Thank you so much!
Hi there. The issue with oats is that they are often processed on the same equipment as wheat and other gluten containing grains. With either variety, you would need to find a gluten free label.
I buy Bob’s Red Mill gluten free steel cut oats. Soak overnight, bring to a boil then put on low for five-ten minutes. Add any toppings you want! My kids eat this every morning. I sometimes add baked apples, cinnamon, raisins, sliced almonds, maple syrup, you name it. I find that soaking the steel cut overnight greatly reduces cooking time.
My favorite oatmeal right now is using whole milk, cinnamon, a sprinkle of ground flax seed and Chia, and a spoonful of either coconut milk or coconut butter. Then any fruit my daughter wants on top! It’s delish.
I love cooked oats but not in summer!
I make overnight oats. Oats, rice milk, cinnamon, Chia seeds and goji berries etc. Soak overnight (in the fridge). In the morning, I add a small dollop of yoghurt and Voila!
Love oatmeal too, but HATE the clean up. Hints?
Before the days of microwaves, we made oatmeal in pans. Recommendation was to fill the pan with cold water after serving, and that worked well. You wouldn’t want to shock the pan by going from boiling to ice cold, so I’d let it cool until after we eat and then soak/rinse with cold water.
I serve my oatmeal and immediately wash with hot water while the oatmeal cools in my bowl. It takes less than a minute to wash. :)
What do you think about Quaker Organic Regular instant oatmeal?
Hi Ashley. Regular is just rolled oats with no added ingredients. Those are fine. ~Amy
Lisa, this recipe is great, but I thought you were cutting artificial flavoring, too? Vanilla extract is not flavored by the vanilla bean it is actually artificially flavored. Do you use some alternative?
Hi Abbey. There is artificial vanilla and pure vanilla extract. Lisa sometimes even makes her own. Pure vanilla extract is made by soaking beans in alcohol for several weeks. She does not use artificial. :) ~Amy
If you like the texture of steel-cut oats, but hate the long cooking time, start the night before. Add 1 cup oats to 3 cups boiling water, stir, cover, and let sit overnight. In the morning, add another cup of liquid (water, milk, juice, whatever) sweetener, spices, etc, stir and heat to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and let it cook until it’s thick, then let it sit for 5 minutes, uncovered. REALLY good.
What is the difference between oatmeals, i have been told to stay away from oats that cook instantly because they loose their nutritional value. Is this true? I love the steel cut oats but hate the 25minutes required.
Hi Brenda. Steel cut oats, because they are in a more whole form, probably do hold onto a bit more nutrients when cooked than their rolled counterparts. The only difference between old fashioned rolled oats, quick oats, and instant oats, is how thinly they are rolled and how quickly they soften when cooked. ~Amy
As soon as the grain is cut in any way, it starts to oxidize the nutrients. So steel cut isn’t any better nutritionally than rolled oats or quick oats. You would have to buy whole oat groats and slice them yourself to retain the nutrition. Basically, oats are fibre, which is still excellent for you.
Has anyone tried this in the microwave, similar to the store bought packets? Also, should I use “traditional” rolled oats or the quick oats? Thanks :)
Hi Megan. Lisa uses traditional rolled oats. We haven’t tried microwaving them. ~Amy
Megan, I use quick oats.I use 1/2 cup oats and 1 cup almond milk. I microwave for 1 minute 45 seconds. I let it sit for a minute and then add honey and cinnamon.
We are moving slowly toward “real food” and I was still using oatmeal packets from the store. But we are iced and ran out, so I decided to look up how you do it. It was a big hit! The only thing I did different was to use my hand blender to blend the dry oats a bit before cooking. About half are still whole oats, but there are smaller pieces and powder that make it creamier and more likethe consistency you get from the packets. I made up several more packets of measured, blended oats with cinnamon and raisins for the next several days!
Melynda, your tip about blending the oats first so they have the texture of the packets worked great! I have been trying to switch to rolls oats but missed the taste of the packets and this did the trick!!
I absolutely love oatmeal. To save a little money I usually use half milk and half water – there is not much of a difference in taste, and it tastes sooo much better than when you just use water!
Plus, there are so many varieties- add any fruit!
I usually add two or three differend kinds of fruit to keep it interesting- anything from apples, bananas, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, grapes, oranges, mandarin oranges, pineapple, … you get the picture.
Tastes amazing!
Tried this for my child’s school snack today. She loved it! It was delicious and easy. Thank you for the idea and the Thermos tips!!
Yummy!!!! TFS!
Hi, I’m new to the website so not sure if this has been discussed before but what is the best oats to get? Rolled, quick oats, steel cut, and is plain instant ok? Thank you for any tips! :)
Ask on her FB page and they always reply :)
Hi Kristie. You can use whatever you prefer though I would avoid instant. The texture of instant is far more mushy. :) ~Amy
I am in my late 60’s and this is pretty much how I have made my oatmeal for many many years. I also have made it in my crockpot overnight
Our recipe is similar, but my granddaughter and I add a scoop of peanut butter as well…yummy!
I send oatmeal to daycare with my 21 month old usually once or twice a week, and have a question if I could prepare it differently. I send dry quick oats with a little brown sugar, a several shakes of cinnamon and either dried or fresh fruit. I pack this the night before, all in a single glass dish, and place in the refrigerator. His teachers add the water and microwave it in his classroom. Would honey and vanilla be ok to add to the dry ingredients like this?
Hi Karissa. That sounds yummy and perfectly okay. :) ~Amy
This is such a great recipe! I love the oats like this, and it is easier for my kids to eat. Love your site, keep up the great work! xoxo
Pin oats take longer to cook but are more nutritious.
Hi. Do you buy organic oats? Just wondering if oats are worth buying organic. Thanks!
Hi Shaina. Honestly, buying organic items free of pesticides, GMO’s and such is always a good idea. However, we know it is not always affordable nor are a large variety of organic items always available. When picking and choosing pay close attention to the EWG’s Dirty Dozen + list. This post will help guide that:https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/05/02/what-to-buy-organic/. We do look for organic grains whenever possible. ~Amy
Do you make this in a big batch for the week or fresh daily?
Hi Shelley. Definitely daily. Enjoy. ~Amy
Thanks for the awesome recipe. Made it for breakfast this morning. I like to use it as a base and add things like cranberries, pecans, sunflower seeds, etc. Do you soak your oats over night and if so do you just soak in water or do you add yogurt/kefir/something to the water to help make the oats more easily digested?
Hi Nicole. We have not practiced soaking our oats but I have read a bit about its potential digestive benefits. ~Amy
We are just starting out making healthier food choices. I am trying to start slow ( since I have NO IDEA what I’m doing) I am starting on making our breakfast healthy and more natural. My kids love oatmeal in the morning, so I would like to try your recipe. Please forgive my ignorance, but would it be ok ( healthy/natural) to use Quaker quick oats for this recipe?
Hi Sabrina. Congratulations on making the choice to get started! We hope you use this blog as a guidepost. And yes, you can use quick oats. They will have a bit less texture and cook a bit quicker. ~Amy
Oh,by the way, your right, the secret is the milk. It makes the oatmeal taste so good…naturally! Thanks again!
Thank you so much for this recipe. I was worried that my four year old daughter wouldn’t like it because I usually make her oatmeal with brown sugar and the fake maple syrup that is pretty much just sugar, but the LOVES this recipe and I even let her cook it (with supervision of course) and I think that helped! This oatmeal is the best I have tasted ever with no butter, salt, and sugar!! Thank you so much!
Shredded coconut, mashed bananas, applesauce, peanut butter, etc. I hope all of you that comment realize how helpful you can be! We are pledging to kick the instant packets habit here, and this recipe is perfect! My family and our health thank you!
I didn’t like oatmeal until I tried this recipe. The only thing I did different was use real maple syrup along with the honey and I put dried cranberries in with the oatmeal so they got all plumped up by the end. This is so good I think I’ll be able to get my husband to eat it!
What is the microwave version of this? As labeled on the oats? Or, is there a better way?
Hi Brian. I would just follow the directions on the oats. Jill
I just made a great Fall oatmeal that my kids LOVED (and so did I even though I’m not a big oatmeal fan). I used my pumpkin coffee creamer, which I made from the Deliciously Organic webpage: http://deliciouslyorganic.net/homemade-coffee-creamer/
1/3 cup whole milk, 1/3 cup pumpkin creamer, 1 Tbs pumpkin puree–warm in saucepan. Add 1/2 cup rolled oats and cook for 3 min. Sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice before serving!
Can this be made dairy-free with almond milk?
Hi Sara. Yes, you can use almond milk in the recipe. Jill
I just made this for my oatmeal loving daughters! I put apples in it, they love apple oatmeal. I asked my daughter (age 9) to let me know what she thought because it was a new recipe- she said “Ummm, yeah, this is good!”
Sweet-ness!!! Didn’t dump a ton of brown sugar in it (none at all in fact) and I got a huge thumbs up from the kids!
Although I have to say- I do not have picky eaters at all- but none-the-less, oatmeal is by far one of their faves- and now it is even better! :-D
Quadrupled the recipe for my whole family. I only added a tablespoon of real peanut butter and topped with sliced strawberries. My kids gobbled it up! We have tried many of your recipes and/or incorporated the 100 days rules to other recipes for several weeks now. I can’t believe how much my kids are willing to try and really do like. Thank you for helping us get healthier.
I love to use a dry fruit mix in place of the raisins. Everything softens up. Cinnamon is key because it keeps the glucose levels from spiking which can happen with oatmeal. I use water and mix in dry milk that I need to rotate in my food storage. For a treat I occasionally stir jam or a little chocolate in.
I have a 10 month old and want to introduce oatmeal to her breakfast menu. Do you know if I can use vanilla extract at this age? I know I have to stay away from honey and no milk yet, do you have any ideas/suggestions to keep it sweet without the honey or vanilla extract?
Thank you!
Hi Andrea. I’ve not heard anything about vanilla extract, but, if you are unsure, I would check with your doctor. You could always sweeten it with fruit such as banana. Jill
Yum yum! Why don’t you just microwave them, and stir everything in at the end (or before you cook)? To me microwaving oatmeal is much less mess. I hate cleaning a sticky pot, especially if it boiled over! :) Love your website!
I have been making this same recipe for oatmeal for over a year for my toddlers. They love it, I just wish their older brother and sister did…
Try simmering the raisins and cinnamon in the milk/water before adding the oatmeal…it sweetens the liquid even more than adding them at the end. yum!
That’s funny, I’ve never made oatmeal with water. My kids love it when I make it this way – cook/microwave milk with the oats and a couple dashes of cinnamon. When cooked, I mash a half of a banana in it. That’s it!
I sometimes use apple juice or other juice as the liquid for oatmeal, which is helpful for the lactose-intolerant folk. I buy Silver Palate Thick and Rough oatmeal and combine the liquid and dry oatmeal together first, cook it on medium, turn the heat off when it starts bubbling, then stir and cover for a few minutes. Comes out creamier.
Re: buying anything in bulk: The idea is nice (old-fashioned, “natural,” I’ve found more spoiled, buggy, dirty material that way. Boxed is more reliable if it’s a good, chemical-free brand.
My youngest daughter loves oatmeal for breakfast every morning, but doesn’t like the texture of whole oats. I just throw a few cups in the blender and hit pulse a few times. It chops them up enough to give them a smoother texture while maintaing the same nutritional value (I also do this for my baby boy, but I pulse his to a powder and use that to make his baby cereal…the same trip works with rice, barley, and rye but you have to cook the grains for 10 minutes since they are still raw…not cooked and dehydrated like boxed baby cereals).
My girls love this oatmeal made in the mornings! We used to do Quaker (shameful, I know). Now I make this for them, but we use more milk. I use 1/3 cups oats and 2/3 cup milk. Cook for about 5 minutes. Once I remove it from the heat I add some vanilla extract and maple syrup. After it sits on the stove for a few minutes (and cools off), it soaks up a little bit more of the milk and gets really creamy! When I make it for myself, I do half water, half milk. Super yummy. I use fresh or frozen berries. Thanks so much for this fantastic website!!
Until now, it had never really occured to me that using milk rather than water would make oatmeal taste any different. I tried it, and I am so glad I did! It tastes SOOO much better (especially with whole milk because it is so creamy). Thank you for posting this. :)
My kids LOVED this oatmeal this morning! I don’t like oatmeal, so I didn’t try it, but the scraped bowls and quiet breakfast table told me it was a hit! So far this week (I just discovered your site), we’ve had the PBJ Smoothie, the peanut butter banana smoothie, berry sauce, and now the oatmeal. The kids (and hubby!! SHOCK) have loved all of it. Thanks for the recipes! My doughnut maker should be here this week and I’m going to try bagles!
Dates! Yum… Try chopped dates in place of raisins…
I will only eat oatmeal with milk. One reason is that it just makes it taste better and then also I don’t drink milk so if I can get it in that way then so be it. I love to add a pinch of brown sugar and cinnamon then top with fresh sliced strawberries…AMAZING!!!
We make steel cut oats overnight in a crockpot, using a smaller bowl I side, like a double boiler. I use a 1:3 ratio of oats to water in the small bowl, the add extra water around the outside of the small bowl. Leave on low overnight and wake up to hot oatmeal. We love it and it’s super cheap!! We get our steel cut oats from bulk bins.
Ok so I am new to this real food thing, so I have been taking baby step. Does anyone have any advice for me? Our town only has a small health food store so what do you find essential? Also how to I make steal cut oats? I don’t like oatmeal but this recipe looks AMAZING! What is the difference between steel cut oats and rolled oats?
Steel cut oats will take a little longer to cook, but they are both whole grain (so it’s personal preference). If you can’t find certain staples in town consider shopping online instead! Here’s my list of essentials: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/09/02/real-food-tips-21-essentials-for-freezer-pantry-fridge/
I love oatmeal and so does my daughter (son, not so much). I make it a few times a week and have learned something- soak it overnight with a tbs or two of plain yogurt or kefir and just let it sit on the stove. Bring to a simmer in the morning and stir- it only takes a couple minutes to cook and the oats are more digestable after the soak. I also do it for baked oatmeal and just add the rest of the ingredients like fruit and nuts in the morning and bake.
Katie,
How much (many?) oats do you use? I’m trying to feed 4 adults and a 1 year old. 2 tbs per how much oatmeal?
I make steel cut oats in double or triple batches. I add raisins, walnuts, chopped fresh organic apple-peelings and all- and then I sweeten with our own honey and at the end I add cinnamon.
I keep the leftovers in the refrigerator and I like it cold – reminds me of rice pudding – or reheat it and serve with milk again.
Delicious
Have you heard of steel cut oats? We just started trying them, my kids are not sold on them yet – but I love them, especially with blueberries or other fruit. Dr. Oz claims they are better than regular oats!
Yes, I have (we think they take a bit longer to make and can be a little harder to “chew”)…but whether they are steel cut or rolled they are all “whole grain” oats.
I think I’ve gotten tired of having sweetened oatmeal. I recently started making savory oatmeal for breakfast in the morning and it’s great. I do the steel-cut oats overnight in a crockpot. I top it with spinach or arugula that’s been sauteed in a little sesame oil, and top with an over easy egg and some soy sauce. It’s a little odd, but I love it.
I make steel cut oats for us and add cinnamon, chopped apple, raisins, walnuts and either honey (our own) or real maple syrup. I like it all cooked together. I make it in a large quantity and keep the leftovers in the refrigerator. Then I heat it for more breakfasts or I even like it just like it is – cold – it reminds me of rice pudding!
I love my oatmeal! I eat it every day. I do whole grain in water in the microwave for about 2.5 – 3 minutes. While it’s cooking I mash a banana. I add cinnamon, walnuts, Smart Balance (margarine) and sugar free syrup or honey. My husband says eating this oatmeal daily is why my cholesterol is good lol. I want to try the pumpkin flavor now tho :)
This looks yummy Lisa! Do you have a recipe to make oatmeal in a crockpot during the night? I love your crockpot recipes.
I don’t, but that’s a good idea!
I’ve always cooked oatmeal with half water & half milk! That tastes perfect to me.
I love this blog not only for your posts but for the insightful comments of your readers. I love oatmeal but never really thought to play around with the ingredients. Yesterday I added cinnamon and vanilla. I loved it. I am still working on getting my daughters to love it as much as I do. To entice them I need a bit of brown sugar and maple syrup!
I always learn so much from the readers/comments as well!
Love this recipe. My son absolutely loves oatmeal and I need more ways to try to get my daughter to love it too. This looks like a fast and healthy breakfast they both will enjoy. They both love raisins:) Thanks!
We love oatmeal over here…with MILK! My kids each have their favorite ingredients to add from almonds, walnuts, diced apples, blueberries, bananas, dried cranberries, cinnamon,chia seeds and flax. Depends on what they are feeling that morning ;)
Here is one of our very favorite raw overnight oatmeal recipes… http://amomspassion.blogspot.com/2011/09/mmmmmmovernight-oatmeal.html .
My sister has trouble with my niece ~ my niece has always loved it made with regular milk, until my sister made it once with almond milk. Now my niece will only eat it that way! I LOVE oatmeal, I make it with steel cut oats in my rice cooker, usually with water but sometimes with half water and half almond milk. Cooked with ground flax and wheat germ, and topped with raw honey, chopped walnuts, and chia seeds ~ yum!!
I make mine with water and then add milk when it’s in the bowl. It cools it off, which is important when you’re trying to eat the oatmeal within 5 minutes of making it. (Never enough time in the morning!) I just wish I could convince my kids to eat it!
I agree with your daughters about the milk! I started making it that way to get some more calcium in my toddler but now i do it because when I tried making it with water again i thought it was disgusting! I grew up liking it made with water, but then again, I also drowned it in brown sugar :)
I like oatmeal actually but I always get a stomach-ache after eating regular rolled oats or steel cut oats- any suggestions?
You may be lactose intolerant. Gluten in oats is not supposed to cause the same issues as gluten in things like whole wheat bread, etc. I usually take a LactAid pill and have no problems. Good luck!
I think some people may soak their oats for better digestion, but I don’t really know very much about it since no one in my family has issues.
You must of read my mind….just adding oatmeal today to our new list of real food meals. I do have one question. Are 100% whole grain rolled quick oats ok? Thanks so much for changing our family.
Yes, all oats are whole-grain…here’s a post with more info about grains: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/07/22/understanding-grains/
Great recipe! I’ve found that many people who do not like oatmeal, like freshly rolled oatmeal! It’s WAY cheaper since you can get a 50 pound bag of organic oat groats for around $30 (we get it from Azure Standard) and then you roll what you need when you want it. You can vary the thickness of the oats and you know that they are as fresh as can be (since rolled oats can go rancid aka oxidize, b/c the oils in the groat have been exposed to air). Once you’ve had fresh rolled oats, you’ll never go back, not to mention how much cheaper it is for whole food!
Love that your daughters are hooked on oatmeal, it is my absolute favorite breakfast particularly when topped with a heaping spoonful of peanut butter and plain yogurt, and a healthy sprinkling of flax seed and wheat germ :) YUM!
PS and I mainly started with the “baby oatmeal” because I felt all the porridges out there (the commercial ones) just contained too many ingredients of which I didn’t know what it was, or I couldn’t even pronounce the ingredient names! Or it had sugar / HFCS in it! No way I was going to put that in my babies…
We also love oatmeal (with milk) – kids (4 and 6) eat it every day. I find it provides them with the best start of the day! We always add fresh fruit: so carbs, protein and vitamins – is there any better way to start the day??
I already started my kids on oatmeal as babies. I would take about 2 or 3 tablespoons of rolled oats and grind them up, then make it the usual way with milk (in the beginning with breast milk or formula), slowly but surely adding fruit and making it coarser. They’ve always loved it.
After discovering steel cut oats I prefer them to the rolled oats. They have so much more texture and a nuttier flavor. I also feel more full after eating a bowl of steel cut oats. My favorite way to cook them is in the crock pot over night. I use a modified version of this recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/overnight-oatmeal-recipe/index.html . You should try it sometime! I cook them with water but I do eat them covered in milk.
We make ours with water, but I add some shredded coconut while it cooks, then maple syrup when I take it off the heat, and top it all with milk, cinnamon, and butter. Love it!
Love how oatmeal can be changed to fit the seasons!
@JJ, that’s a great time saver. Here’s a make-ahead method: http://www.freshstartnutrition.com/oatmeal/
@Feeding My Tribe: you’re so right about the plump raisins!
Dont forget to soak your oats to make them more digestable. The Nourishing Home has a great note about this here:
https://www.facebook.com/notes/the-nourishing-home/how-to-soak-grains-for-optimal-nutrition/188668687814332
Kitchen Stewardship also discusses it here: http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2009/11/30/monday-mission-soak-your-oatmeal/
Here Kitchen Stewardship makes some ‘Soaked and Ready to Go’ Oatmeal so if you forget to soak oatmeal for the morning, you can cook these up as hot cereal, just as if they were “quick oats!â€
http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2010/04/08/how-to-soak-and-dehydrate-oats/
I’ve never been a big fan of oatmeal, either, but the kids like it. I did, however, discover that I really like steel cut oats when made a certain way. Thankfully, it’s easy to make (and to make a big batch to have throughout the week!). We love it!! Here’s how we do it: http://ourgrowingfam.blogspot.com/2011/10/overnight-steel-cut-oats.html. (I also have a “recipe” for pumpkin pie oatmeal, like the person above. Great for this time of year!) ;) This way takes no time at all, which is nice w/ steel cut oats. And we also like to use milk (when I make a big batch, I actually do half and half, esp since we use whole milk). Just does not taste the same with water! I agree! I’ll have to try your way to see how the kids like it (and me, too – haha!). Thanks!!
We love oatmeal in our house! I must be the odd person who prefers oatmeal cooked with water instead of milk. We often mix ours with applesauce & cinnamon, or bananas with chopped pecans & cinnamon. As mentioned above, we soak ours overnight too. 1c oats, 1c water, 2 Tbsp whey or kefir. Then cook in the a.m. with 1c water. The kids prefer this or the overnight steel cut oatmeal in the crockpot. They end up nice and creamy.
the first time I has oatmeal made with water was while living in the US. Here in Puerto Rico, that’s unheard of. We always use milk.
I just discovered steel cut oats and I love them so much more than rolled! The texture reminds me of Grape Nuts, which used to be my favorite breakfast until I realized how yucky it is for me. I never did like rolled oats with water though. I always use milk. Well, almond or coconut milk now, as I am vegan. Sweeten with pure maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. I like to top it with walnuts too. Sometimes I sweeten with banana and blueberries and it turns purple. Kids love that!
When cooking oatmeal I put in: 1-2 cardamom pods cracked, 2-4 cloves, I cinnamon stick. Fish them of before serving. This gives a taste reminiscent of kheer, Indian rice pudding. I like the savory richness of it- and it works flavor wise with (syrup) (brown sugar) (molasses) and (coconut oil) (butter) and (raisins) (nuts) (cranberries) and any spices you’d like to add later (cinnamon) (allspice) (ginger) (nutmeg)
Everyone who’s had it loves the flavor. Most often people don’t notice it specifically but say something like “I don’t usually like oatmeal but….”
We do ours with milk, applesauce, cinnamon and raisins…the kids tear it up :)
I notice that you add your raisins as a topping. Have you tried adding them to the pot with the oats? It makes them plump a bit and also makes them softer. Either way, they are good.
I’ve heard that about the raisins and need to try it…thanks!
Oh so wonderful. My 12 year old made it for breakfast this morning for the 3 of us.
1 cup H2O
1 cup Milk
1 cup Bobs Red Mill Extra thick Oats
1 handfull of Golden Raisins
1/4 cup sliced Almonds
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/4 tsp Salt
COOK uncovered 15 min, turn off heat, Cover 2 min Add…
1/2 Tablespoon Honey for each bowl.
Eat and LOVE!
I love oatmeal and so do most of my kids. We have it for breakfast about 3 times a week. Most of the time I make steel cut oats, but since our local Natural Grocers had a coupon in the Mambo Sprouts for free oatmeal with purchase, I have been making lots of rolled oats lately. I always soak mine overnight in water with a bit of whey drained of my yogurt. It is supposed to make the oatmeal more digestible and it speeds cooking time, especially an issue for steel-cut oats. My pumpkin pie steel-cut oatmeal recipe is on my blog at http://feedingmytribe.wordpress.com/2011/08/09/pumpkin-pie-steel-cut-oatmeal-in-less-than-10-minutes/, but you can follow the basic instructions and leave out the pumpkin and spice mix for plain steel-cut oatmeal in a jiffy.
I used to only make oatmeal with milk, too. Then little by little, I started substituting water for milk. Now, we only make it with water and we all love it. It’s an acquired taste, I suppose.
For me, I like to stir a spoonful of natural peanut butter into mine, with 1/2 sliced banana on top. Or I just dump a big scoop of frozen blueberries.
For my 5 year old, I top with a little vanilla almond milk and blue berries or a banana.
We do soaked steel cut oats or mix a little oatbran with the oatmeal. If you like prunes, they are actually great on oatmeal and add a LOT of sweetness. :)
Is it possible to make this in a larger batch beforehand and then reheat a serving as needed? If so- how do you recommend storing and for how long is it safe to keep? Thank you!
Good recipe. My favorite way is to make steel cut oats with water. Then add a little milk on top, with thinly sliced bananas, and a dribble of Maple Syrup. Yum!