Smoothies are for summer. Oatmeal is for winter! I recently "discovered" Quick 1-minute oatmeal. I was amazed that I actually liked it and really couldn't tell the difference from the long cooking original variety I had always used. It was a pain too. Always running over on the stove and the pan was hard to wash. Cooking the Quick variety in the microwave in a 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup solved all of my problems.
The first few times I "cooked" it in the microwave for 4 minutes using box instructions it did not run over and I was thrilled. Then, for some reason, it started running over. I decided to experiment and ended up with the perfect recipe for me. I started out with 1/2 cup apple cider and 1/2 cup of tap water. Then I added a generous 1/3 cup oats and a HEAPING tablespoon of ground flaxseed meal. I grind my own seeds in my coffee and spice grinder. You can buy the flax meal already ground if you wish. I cook this mixture in the microwave for 4 minutes and it doesn't run over. I was able to omit the salt too. It is delicious and the measuring cup is so much easier to wash than the pan on the stovetop was. I am thrilled.
This photo shows my entire kitchen wall. I was leaning on my refrigerator to snap the picture. I have always had "old men" friends and we often discussed the woes of the oatmeal pan running over. My mother wanted oatmeal every morning no matter the season or weather. We had elderly next door neighbors when I was young and the man ate a vegetable bowl of oatmeal every morning. All of these old men in my life lived to be 100 or nearly that ripe old age and I think the oatmeal helped. I think its gooey consistency must remove some of the plaque from your arteries as it passes thru your body. What do you think? I have never read this, it's just something I suppose must be going on.
Anyway, I wanted to share my new way of cooking quick and easy oatmeal in the winter. Let me know if you try it. Stay safe and warm since it seems to be cold or very cold almost everywhere. xo
23 comments:
UPDATE: My recipe for oatmeal cooked in the microwave. Enjoy. xo, Rosemary
I'm a huge fan of oatmeal, in fact, ever since my last abdominal surgery, I eat a bowl every single day for breakfast. I use the microwave and love how quick and easy it is. I have to try making it with cider--that's new to me. I generally put some dried fruit in, then when it's done, a pat of butter, a teaspoon of brown sugar and a hand full of walnuts on top. I know that ups the calories, but I just love it! Your old neighbor friends were smart to eat their oats. I think it has beta glucan in it and that does fight cholesterol, as you said, Rosemary. I think it also helps stabilize blood sugar (so that teaspoon of brown sugar shouldn't hurt me much).
I have cooked my Bob’s Red Mill extra thick cut oatmeal in the microwave for well over 10 years and it never boils over! I think you hit the nail on the head about it removing plaque. 1/3 cup oats with 2/3 cup water.
I do the same thing except I use the small Corning Ware petite pans, they come in two sizes, I use the larger for oatmeal. No lid. It foams up and then settles back down. Haven’t done it in a while. Maybe I stop halfway thru and stir. I put in raisins and when finished eat it with brown sugar, margarine or butter and some milk. Eat it out of the pan.
I must admit - I have never liked oatmeal - but I did use to eat cream of wheat when I was young.
Pam -- Your daily bowl of oatmeal sounds delicious. I always eat a handful of walnuts for brain health but never thought to top my oatmeal with them. I also like cut-up dried apricots added before cooking. Keep up the good eating. Yours sounds delicious. xo, Rosemary
Linda - Behind My Red Door -- Linda, I don't remember ever seeing the Bob's Red Mill Extra Thick Cut Oatmeal but I shall look for it. I love all of their products and my grocer has a special section devoted to that brand. I must finish my tall box of Quaker first. I was surprised how quickly I went through my first box and I'm thrilled with the microwave way to cook by daily bowl. xo, Rosemary
Gary -- My oats foam up but don't run over. I used to eat my hot oatmeal with butter, salt instead of brown sugar, and half and half or milk. I can eat my apple cider, water, flaxseed meal, and instant oats plain and it satisfies me quite well and it tastes very good. Thanks for stopping by to comment. xo, Rosemary
Carrie @ Cottage Cozy -- Oatmeal can be very unappetising if it isn't prepared correctly. My mother was a great cook and passed on her love of oatmeal to me. She added rolled oats to our meatloaf too. We sometimes had your Cream of Wheat too before walking to school. xo, Rosemary
I also eat a bowl of oatmeal everyday.... one cup of the old fashioned oats, water and then some milk and sugar after it's cooked. today my grocery didn't have the large box....so I had to buy a small one.
Joanne S -- Looks like you are another member of the "oatmeal breakfast club". Speaking of oatmeal boxes -- when I was young the box was ALL paper and you pulled a string to make the lid. Why doesn't QUAKER go back to this type instead of the part plastic lid they now have? Going back to their original packaging would be so much better for the environment and then the whole thing would be recyclable. xo, Rosemary
My grandmother, who lived to 104, always said oatmeal puts a lining in your stomach! I love my oatmeal with a little maple syrup.
My husband eats oatmeal with flax. Both are heart healthy, for reasons I've forgotten. I'm the "bottle washer" so I know well the annoyance of washing out the pan or cooking bowl. I bought him a small Oster rice cooker (which will cook one serving of any kind of grain) with a high quality non-stick cooking bowl in it. Fantastically easy to clean. Sigh, he didn't like it, but I recommend it. Only $10 on sale a few years ago. Depending on the type of oatmeal, he cooks on the stove or in the microwave. At least he has taken it on as his chore. I am a devotee of Aldi's plain bran flakes (no sugar added), to which I add my own dried fruit and nuts. Many things Aldi sells are just so-so, but their plain bran flakes are terrific. No cooking, easy clean up. I think bran flakes are good for gut health. So much health info floating around; it's hard to keep up with it all. Your mention of oatmeal boxes from yore reminded me that Mom always saved them for me to upcycle as a kid. I even had a booklet that Quaker Oats produced loaded with ideas for reusing oatmeal boxes. I saved them religiously for years. Alas, they're not the sturdy, reusable cardboard they used to be. Too flimsy to reuse for anything, plus they often have plastic incorporated in them so recycling is a pain. I think sometimes millennials can begin to imagine how mindful many baby boomers have always been about reduce/reuse/recycle.
Count me in as a member of the "oatmeal breakfast club". I've eaten oatmeal every day for over 30 years since the doctor told my mother that it is good for the heart. I like mine made with half milk/half water, and topped with a little brown sugar and raspberries.
LANA -- I think your 104 year old grandmother was very wise. If oatmeal puts a lining in your stomach, maybe that's why it has such great holding power and keeps you from getting hungry before lunch. It's a very satisfying breakfast. Maple syrup sounds good too as a topping. xo, Rosemary
mia -- Please have your husband try the 4 cup Pyrex measuring cup in the microwave for his oatmeal. I think he will be very pleased with the much easier cleanup.
We just got an ALDI near me but I haven't been there yet. I'll remember their Bran Flakes when I go. I love dried fruit in my oatmeal, especially apricots. I enjoy recycling and composting and I have very little true garbage anymore. The mixed plastic in the oatmeal box is so unnecessary. Bring back the all paper box with the string to pull and cut out the lid. I think today's consumers would love it. xo, Rosemary
Tasha T -- Yay. Another member of the oatmeal breakfast club. Half milk is a good idea and topping with brown sugar and raspberries would be a treat. Since my mother passed in 2012 I haven't been eating oatmeal breakfasts until rather recently. I'm back for good now. It's mindless to prepare, tastes good, is good for me, and not such a pain to cleanup with my new cooking method. You were smart to stick with it for 30 years thanks to your mother's doctor's advice. xo, Rosemary
Thank you for suggesting the movie in your last post. I just watched it---and cried. It was a wonderful movie. Thank you for sharing that link. (I too like oatmeal but don't have it every day. I may start :D)
Angie -- I am so happy to hear you loved the movie "THE LUZHIN DEFENCE" as much as I did. I just stumbled on it and decided to give it a try because Emily Watson was in it. You will be most welcome to join the Oatmeal Breakfast Club if you like. xo, Rosemary
Just saying that instant oatmeal may have extra sugar and salt added, one needs to check the packaging. I have never minded cleaning the saucepan that I cook my regular oatmeal in, I approach it with a grateful heart that I have nourishment. I fill it with cold water before I eat my breakfast and when I'm done, the slight residue that was left comes out easily. If your oatmeal is boiling over, your heat is too high. I top my oatmeal with cinnamon, a chopped apple (some days just half, depending on size), a handful of walnuts and some dried fruit...tart cherries are a favorite. This breakfast keeps me full well into the afternoon. No milk, no sugar, just the oats and toppings, the fruit provides the sweetness. Oatmeal is a humble meal but good for us. :)
Kath -- You are probably right. I had regular oatmeal this morning not the instant kind. It ran over too but the pot was larger than the foam. YES. I had a high flame. Next time, I will try to cook it on low. I never use sugar on mine either. This morning, just a little salt, a small pat of butter, and soy milk. It was delicious. It is a humble meal that is good for us. My mother loved it and found it kept her from getting hungry before it was time for lunch. It has great staying power for you too. Thanks for the ideas for more toppings. xo, Rosemary
I have the perfect recipe for Quaker Oats old fashioned variety- not the instant which seems pre- digested. Put a hearty handful in a bowl and pour in water from tap to just wet and a slosh more. Swirl the bowl to make sure it mixes, but shoukd not be floating. Put in microwave for one minute, stir and go another 30 seconds. It’s done. I stir in walnuts and chopped strawberries and blueberries which I prepare while it cooks. If u really want decadence add low sugar dried cranberries.
Monty -- Sounds good for a nice winter morning. Thanks.
xo, Rosemary
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