How do YOU optimize your oatmeal?

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xJocelynx87
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How do YOU optimize your oatmeal?

Post by xJocelynx87 » Wed Jun 04, 2008 12:53 am

I typically am not an oatmeal eater --- have never been a fan of hot cereal. However, after reading the post on breakfast and seeing how many people seem to enjoy it, I'm thinking of giving it another shot. Looking for some yummy recipes and add-ins to make it more of a meal, suitable for breakfast or lunch. So...how does everyone prefer their oatmeal?

Thanks in advance for the ideas.

Jocelyn
Last edited by xJocelynx87 on Wed Jun 04, 2008 4:00 am, edited 1 time in total.

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NoelFigart
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Post by NoelFigart » Wed Jun 04, 2008 1:21 am

Oatmeal, dried fruit that is not raisins (cherries and apricots are a fave), a small handful of sunflower seeds and a small handful of nuts (almonds this week). Pour some hot water over it. OM NOM NOM NOM NOM.

xJocelynx87
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Post by xJocelynx87 » Wed Jun 04, 2008 1:29 am

Noel ---

What's the consistency like if you just pour hot water over it, and don't cook it on a stove or in the microwave?

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Post by Jessies Daughter » Wed Jun 04, 2008 1:43 am

I enjoy my oatmeal UNCOOKED. Not instant or quick

1/4 to 1/2 cup oatmeal. 1 tablespoon flax seeds. Add 1/2 container of yogurt on top. Add a handful of dries fruit (cherries, apricots, peaches) and walnuts or almonds and enjoy.

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Tulsa
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Post by Tulsa » Wed Jun 04, 2008 1:48 am

I cook it with a handful of blueberries or some chopped up strawberries. I add ground flaxseed and some chopped walnuts or pecans when done. Also I use the Scottish oatmeal from Bob's Red Mill or steel cut oats over the rolled oats most of the time.

Tulsa

kccc
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Post by kccc » Wed Jun 04, 2008 1:54 am

Oatmeal soaked in milk. Dash of cinnamon.

I have a trail mix I like that I scoop in - it's a mix of various dried fruits and nuts. If I have a banana, may chop that on top.

Eaten hot in winter, cold in summer.

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NoelFigart
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Post by NoelFigart » Wed Jun 04, 2008 2:08 am

xJocelynx87 wrote:Noel ---

What's the consistency like if you just pour hot water over it, and don't cook it on a stove or in the microwave?
With old-fashioned cut oats, it's chewy. I wouldn't do that with instant, but I think instant is like wallpaper paste, anyway.

roseha
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Post by roseha » Wed Jun 04, 2008 2:52 am

Old Wessex Instant cooks great with just some boiling water, I make it sometimes just by eyeballing the water so I can make room for milk. It tastes great.

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Post by Jaxhil » Wed Jun 04, 2008 7:16 pm

Apple Pie Oatmeal :D

Grated apples, cooked with the oatmeal along with cinnamon, vanilla yogurt and chopped pecans...yuummm! and maybe a tablespoon or so of real maple syrup if I use plain yogurt-not much!

I also like it with blueberries and almonds or pecans, and sometimes wheat germ or the ground flaxmeal would be good as well!. I have to put nuts of some kind, otherwise I find it doesn't fill me up. And I do use a little sugar-not much, especially if I use vanilla yogurt, since its very sweet to begin with.
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Post by blueskighs » Thu Jun 05, 2008 2:23 am

Apple Pie Oatmeal :D

Grated apples, cooked with the oatmeal along with cinnamon, vanilla yogurt and chopped pecans...yuummm! and maybe a tablespoon or so of real maple syrup if I use plain yogurt-not much!
Hilary

I fon't much like oatmeal but your Apple Pie Oatmeal sounds YUMMY!
might have to give that one a try!

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CrazyCatLady
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Post by CrazyCatLady » Thu Jun 05, 2008 2:49 am

I like to make "punkin pie oats"....basically add all the spices of pumpkin pie to oats! So cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg. Once I added too much ginger and it was awful...but usually if I add lots of cinnamon, and a little nutmeg, and a tiny shake of cloves and ginger...its yummers! I also add some brown sugar, and pecans for the flavor and protein.

I like old fashioned Quaker oats...never tried steel cut oats! I prepare them in the microwave or on the stovetop according to package directions....except I add the extras! I usually make a large batch, and try to talk the kids into sharing. But they prefer the horrible little packets with fake flavoring! So then I have lots of leftover oats...just a quick zap in the microwave and they are delicious for the next meal!

I think the apple pie oats sound good, too. Maybe I'll add some apple bits to my next serving!

kbits
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Post by kbits » Thu Jun 05, 2008 8:13 am

I like to add half or a full tablespoon of low(er) fat peanut butter. For me, it gives the oatmeal an sense of "I'm eating something" rather than a "did I just eat a bowl of cement?". Sometimes add in some "3 fruits" tinned fruit - although I find that can make it too watery.

It occurs to me that it might be possible to make Oatmeal cookies too, for when you need to be on the move?

*googles*

So it seem <_<

http://www.tackyliving.com/article.php?id=128

Interesting idea...but I think it violates the 'plating' and 'sweets' rule, in spirit if not in fact. Plus, X cookies are harder to track then 1 bowl of oatmeal, for me in anycase

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Post by resting52 » Thu Jun 05, 2008 11:43 am

I like to put my steel cut oats in the microwave (1 cup to 3 cups water) before I go for a walk and 50 minutes later they are cooked and the water absorbed. I mix about:
1/2 a cup of this
with frozen fruit-like blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and heat them through,
add 1/2 cup organic fat free yogurt,
about a tablespoon or Udo's Oil-for cholesterol
about a teaspoon of cinnamon-for blood pressure
a pack of splenda
maybe a small handful of almonds or walnuts.

I have a friend that pan toasts the oats before cooking to give them a nuttier flavor.

YUM!

Me who never ate breakfast HATES to miss this morning treat.

Resting

blueskighs
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Post by blueskighs » Fri Jun 06, 2008 3:01 am

resting,
I don't know if this is a stupid question, but do you "cook" your oatmeal for 50 minutes in the microwave while you walk?

Blueskighs
www.nosdiet.blogspot.com Where I blog daily about my No S journey

resting52
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Post by resting52 » Fri Jun 06, 2008 11:47 am

Hey Blue,

No. I used to cook it on high for about 5-6 minutes and then on low for 30.

Then I found out that if I just cook it on high for the 5-6 minutes and keep it in the microwave covered, that by the time I got back, it was done.

I use a 2 or 3 quart pyrex type dish and set the lid askew so it doesn't overflow during the boil. Then I set the lid on tight .

I have a friend that does the same thing on the stove top. She heats it all to boiling and then just shuts it off-comes back after her walk and it's done.

I use what I want and then refridgerate the rest for the next days.

Hope this helps.

Resting

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Blondie
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Post by Blondie » Fri Jun 06, 2008 1:55 pm

Seconding peanut butter. Yum.
What Navin said.

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fkwan
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Post by fkwan » Fri Jun 06, 2008 4:53 pm

I hadn't been eating oatmeal in a while -- sorry, Noel, it's the paste kind--that's what the husband bought, a big ol' gigantic box of the stuff. :) It just tasted too sugary to me and only took five minutes to eat.

Anyway, I decided to just put protein and flax and water in some for the hell of it and add some fruit afterward.

Amazing. Sucker was just sweet enough with the fruit and the consistency was solid enough to last a whole extra hour.

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reinhard
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Post by reinhard » Fri Jun 06, 2008 6:36 pm

If you can get to a Trader Joe's, it's very inspirational.

The variety of dried they carry is amazing -- and at great prices. Be bold, try the weird stuff. Variety keeps it interesting.

I pretty much still do what I described in my podcast. "Old Wessex Scottish Style Oatmeal" + dried fruit + nuts + seeds + hot water. There are tastier ways to prepare oatmeal which I'll do sometimes on a long lazy weekend, but for a quick, convenient, reasonably healthy, tasty and FILLING N-day lunch, you can't beat this.

Reinhard

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BrightAngel
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Post by BrightAngel » Fri Jun 06, 2008 8:32 pm

I add egg-whites to my oatmeal and cook them into pancakes.

I take 1/4 cup rolled oats, 3 real egg-whites,
1 tsp ground flaxseed, 1 pkg splenda.
Mix together in bowl.
I preheat a skillet, and coat it with non-stick spray.
Pour batter into 2 pancakes
Cook till brown and set, turn over do the other side.

These are delicious. I do not add butter or butter spray.
They are good eaten alone,
but sometimes I sprinkle another pkg of splenda on them,
or use 1/4 cup maple syrup made with splenda,
or a tablespoon of Smucker's splenda jam.
I find these a delicious high-protein low-calorie treat for any meal.

I would never use sugar or butter on them.
I am a strong advocate for artificial sweeteners.
I find Splenda delicious, it is kind to my body,
and doesn't set up a craving like sugar does.
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blueskighs
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Post by blueskighs » Sat Jun 07, 2008 12:34 am

Resting,

thank you for the tip on cooking the steel cut oats, I will definitely keep that in my hip pocket, for the next time I venture into the Oatmeal World ....
Bwaaahhhhhaaaa! :D

Reinhard,
thanks for the tip to check out Trader Joe's didn't realize they had varieties there.

Blueskighs
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bonnieUK
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Post by bonnieUK » Mon Jun 09, 2008 1:44 pm

I saw this panseared oatmeal recipe and thought of this thread!

http://dgmgv.blogspot.com/2007/07/for-l ... se-to.html

Oats are very versatile, on occasion I make an oat cakey thing with soaked oats, chopped apple, chopped nuts & raisins (mixed up together, spread on a baking sheet, baked, cut up into slices - I thought it would be horrible but it was surprisingly good!).

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Post by CrazyCatLady » Tue Jun 10, 2008 12:49 am

Bonnie, what does balsamic glaze taste like? I can't imagine it being good on oatmeal? Maybe it is good because it is a small amount to balance the other flavors?

I went looking for oatmeal recipes, and found this. Warning-more like an S treat than a regular breakfast!


http://www.recipezaar.com/30954

It is MOST delicious! I cooked it exactly according to the directions the first time, except put it in a round baking dish, and it cooked up like custard on the bottom with sweet oatmeal goodness on top. I served it with a sprinkle of pecans on top for added protein.

Then I cooked it again, using 1/2 applesauce, 1/2 butter. Still very delicious. Next time, I will try substituting applesauce for all the butter. It still has quite a bit of sugar in it. I may try cutting back on that the next time, too. I probably won't use the original recipe again unless it is for a sweet breakfast on an S day. But...it is delicious, and very filling!

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Post by 3aday » Wed Jun 11, 2008 1:55 am

I had rolled oats made with water, threw in some almonds, sunflower seeds, and chopped banana for breakfast today....
It was yum!

Anyway...I make grilled cheese sandwiches for breakfast every day. That is all hubby would eat. I got so tired of grilled cheese sandwiches. Eating them, making them....

Hubs went grocery shopping with me and noticed Bare Naked Granola and suddenly decided he wanted to try granola and almond milk. I don't know where the inspiration came from....but I almost died. I can barely contain my excitement over not making a grilled cheese sandwich for breakfast tomorrow! I'm ecstatic!

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Post by jenabees » Wed Jun 11, 2008 2:01 am

plain oatmeal (old fashioned)
covered with some granola (flax plus is great)
then handful of nuts (walnuts today)
and handful of dried fruit (dates today)

... usually I do the hot water over it thing, but today I did cold milk, cause it's a heatwave here, and it was awesome!!!

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bonnieUK
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Post by bonnieUK » Wed Jun 11, 2008 1:39 pm

CrazyCatLady wrote:Bonnie, what does balsamic glaze taste like? I can't imagine it being good on oatmeal?
Not sure about that either, if I get around to making this recipe that's something I'd just leave out (even though the recipe says not to omit it!) because I don't particularly like balsamic vinegar.

CrazyCatLady
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Delicious Pumpkin Oatmeal!

Post by CrazyCatLady » Sat Jun 21, 2008 2:58 am

This week I had pumpkin oatmeal. I added various pumpkin pie spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, and a huge dollop of canned pumpkin. I think I added a bit of white sugar instead of the brown sugar that I usually put in oats. I microwaved a large batch Monday before work, and had it 4 times this week. Absolutely delicious, and very filling.

Each morning, I just pulled a serving of oats out of the fridge and microwaved it for about 2 minutes. Very different, and pretty, and yummy! I saved the leftover pumpkin in large dollops in ziploc bags in the freezer, so I can do this again.

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