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Oatmeal 101

May 17, 2015 29 Comments

Oatmeal

Scroll down to watch the video!

Oatmeal tends to be a staple in the diet of clean eaters.  They’re quick, simple, nutritious, affordable, and delicious.

But do you know the difference between all of the different types of oats out there?

In this video I cover the difference between oat groats, steel cut oats, rolled oats and quick cooking oats.  Plus, I share one of my favorite ways to make them!

If you are looking for some Clean+Delicious ways to enjoy your oatmeal, check out some of these recipes:

  • Baked Banana Oatmeal 
  • Clean Eating Apple Pie Oats
  • Chia Pomegranate Oatmeal
  • Pumpkin Vanilla Oats
  • Roni’s Banana Oatmeal Cups

Personally, I bounce back and forth between steel cut and rolled oats, depending on my time and what I am making with them.

What type of oat do you like best?  And what’s your favorite way to enjoy your oats?  I would love to hear your ‘oat-thoughts’ down in the comments below!

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Reader Interactions

29 Comments

  1. Anticiplate

    February 21, 2009 at 9:20 am

    Dani, this is my new recent obession. OATMEAL! I just made pumpkin oatmeal with agave syrup and dried cranberries. Soooooo good:)

    reply to this comment
  2. Jaya

    February 21, 2009 at 5:59 pm

    Dani, I know I’ve said it before, and I know this should probably be more focused on the content, but you look sooo beautiful! I hope you feel great, because you look absolutely radiant.
    Sidenote: I also love steel cut oats. Check out LiveWell360 for the most amazing repertoire of oatmeal breakfast ideas. I actually ate mine a la savory a few weeks ago and was surprised at how delicious it was!

    reply to this comment
  3. Channing

    February 22, 2009 at 12:20 am

    Hey Dani – I’m sure you’ve already figured something into your repertoire, but regarding the oats, could you demo or suggest a few recipes with them not in a porridge-type state? My biggest obstacles with my palate are textures, and I can’t stand mushy/gooey/gloppy things (no pies, preserves, puddings, oatmeal, grits, polenta, cooked gourds… you get the picture). I’d love to incorporate oats into my diet, I just lack ideas.

    Thanks so much for your hard work – and I agree with the above poster, you look radiant!

    reply to this comment
  4. andrea montler

    February 22, 2009 at 1:26 pm

    Dear Dani,
    I love oatmeal, it tastes so delicious
    I was wondering what you think about puffed oats though
    It is a cereal by Kashi and it taste fabulous but I am wondering if it is still good for you
    It is called 7 whole grain honey puffs

    reply to this comment
  5. Dani

    February 22, 2009 at 4:09 pm

    Anticiplate – How good is pumpkin oatmeal?! I just LOVE it!

    Jaya – Thanks for the compliment:). I’m actually about 5 months in this video. As for the savory oatmeal, I’ve never tried it. Thanks for the tip! I am going to link to the reference you mentioned!

    Channing – Hmmmm, we may have to come up with some cookies or some granola for you. Have you ever tried using oats as breadcrumbs? Try adding them to turkey burgers or even meatloaf!

    Andrea – I always think of healthy foods like a stair well. For instance oat groats (least processed form of oats – super healthy!) then steel cut, then rolled, then quick cooking… you get the picture. The least processed the better but still and all they are all healthy options at the end of the day. As for your cereal, I would have to read the label but it sounds like it would be a healthier option. One little culprit to look out for when it comes to the word “honey” in the title is how much sugar is in the cereal. If sugar (or any form of sugar) is listed in the top 5 ingredients, you may want to beware. I try to keep my cereals under 5grams of sugar per serving. Hope that helps!

    reply to this comment
  6. Rachael

    February 23, 2009 at 7:50 am

    Hi Dani,
    I have been doing a lot of research lately regarding soaking of whole grains to remove phytates that bind with minerals. Have you ever heard of this? From what I’ve learned it is recommended that oats be soaked for 24 hrs with water in an acid medium to remove the phytates.

    You can find some more information about this at http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2008/04/whole-grains-grinding-soaking.html and http://www.westonaprice.org/foodfeatures/be_kind.html

    I recently started soaking my steel cut oats with water and lemon juice for 24 hrs on my countertop and have found the flavor has not been altered at all, and the texture seems more creamy. I also feel good knowing that I will get all the nutritional benefits oats have to offer!

    Thanks,
    Rachael

    reply to this comment
  7. Dani

    March 7, 2009 at 3:21 pm

    Rachael – I have heard of this process but have never tried it myself. I have to be honest… I can’t even begin to think about soaking my oats for 24 hours before I eat them. At this point, I’m just grateful to be eating oats and not donuts for breakfast;).
    But thanks for the link, it’s a great reference for anyone interested in this process, I

    reply to this comment
  8. Melanie

    August 10, 2013 at 12:14 pm

    Hi Dani! I’m wondering if oatmeal can be frozen in individual servings in the same way you demonstrated with cooked brown rice–in the plastic wrap. And if so, do you just run it under water, unwrap it, and microwave it? When I’m getting going in the morning I can’t babysit oatmeal on the stove for 30 minutes.

    Thanks!

    reply to this comment
    • Dani

      August 11, 2013 at 5:44 pm

      I’ve never tried this with oatmeal but I would imagine it would work just fine. And yes… run it under water, unwrap and microwave. Maybe add a splash of water if it looks a little dry. WOuld love to hear if you give it a try.

  9. Patricia

    March 4, 2014 at 10:20 pm

    Hi Dani: What about Scottish Oatmeal which is where the groat is ground smaller than the steel cut version so that it cooks faster than the steel cut but turns into a very nice creamy mush much nicer than when the Old Fashioned oats. Its my favourite.

    reply to this comment
  10. Tracey

    March 5, 2014 at 10:40 am

    Awesome video! I learned so much! Thanks Dani for making things so easy to understand:) BTW: You are soooo cute with your out-takes!!!

    reply to this comment
  11. Clara

    March 5, 2014 at 10:46 am

    If you are a bread baker, oatmeal bread is great. Makes a terrific sandwich. Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are super (but they are cookies). Yes to using oatmeal in meatloaf. I’ve done that for many years and fairly sure I learned it from my mom.

    We tend to alternate between steel cut and old fashioned and like both. A variety of fruits and nuts on the table gives everyone some things they like. Dates, sunflower seeds and chopped apple and banana are my favorites. Hubby likes blueberries and a splash of cream along with the dates and banana. Our son still wants a taste of brown sugar on his and eats his fruit before or after his oatmeal.

    Recently we noticed Bob’s Red Mill had ‘thick’ rolled oats so we’re trying them. No decision yet on how we would rate them. There are also organic/non-organic choices to be made.

    reply to this comment
  12. Paul

    March 5, 2014 at 1:30 pm

    Dani,

    I toast groats and steel-cut oats, then mix them 50/50 and cook them in my pressure cooker for 15 minutes (4:1 weight ratio of water to oats). After cooking, I mix in some salt & freeze the batch in muffin tins. When breakfast time comes, I nuke one or two of the muffins.

    Yum

    reply to this comment
  13. Christine

    March 5, 2014 at 2:18 pm

    Thanks for the video! I love oatmeal and I eat it every day for breakfast. I usually have it with vegan protein powder and dates mixed in and some nuts or seeds. In the warm weather I prefer overnight oats made with almond milk and chia seeds with some fresh fruit mixed in. Yum! 🙂

    reply to this comment
  14. Sogo

    March 5, 2014 at 5:41 pm

    Oatmeal is for champs, and I use the rolled oats, with raisin, cinnamon, almond milk, hemp seeds, agave, and coconut. To die for…breakfast,lunch or dinner

    reply to this comment
  15. Nabeeha

    March 22, 2014 at 5:48 pm

    Hi Dani
    In addition to the high sugar content in packaged oat sachets, they usually have Whole milk added also. Salt content may be high also.
    What are your thoughts on having uncooked oats. I usually do with almond milk and fresh or dried fruits. No sugar added. Keep up the good work.

    reply to this comment
  16. Tracey

    February 5, 2015 at 11:06 am

    Hey Dani,
    I’ve heard that you can make a 1/2 cup of oats seem like a much larger portion by adding more water & increasing the cooking time. Have you heard of this? If so, I’d love to know how to do this. 1/2 cup of oats always seems so miniscule.

    reply to this comment
    • Dani

      February 9, 2015 at 3:06 pm

      I have not heard of this. What I like to do is add some eggwhites in my oats. It makes them light and fluffy, and I find the protein helps hold me over;)

  17. Rebecca

    May 18, 2015 at 3:55 pm

    I love rolled oats topped with banana and pb! I’ve never seen steel cut oats at my grocery store, but Quaker does make “steel cut oats” that cook in 3 minutes. How is this possible? Is it truly steel cut oats or a more processed quick oat with the texture of steel cut?

    reply to this comment
  18. Wanda

    May 19, 2015 at 6:52 am

    The Quaker Oats Company

    Did you think that oats are just for breakfast? You’ll be surprised to learn that oats can make a great side-dish pilaf that rivals any other whole grain. Try this for an unexpected delight.

    INGREDIENTS
    1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
    1/2 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
    1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
    1/2 cup sliced green onions
    2 garlic cloves, minced
    1 Tbsp olive oil
    1 3/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, uncooked
    2 egg whites or 1 egg, lightly beaten
    3/4 cup chicken broth
    2 Tbsp minced fresh basil leaves or 2 teaspoons dried basil
    1/2 tsp. salt
    1/4 tsp. black pepper
    INSTRUCTIONS
    1. In a 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook peppers, mushrooms, green onions and garlic in oil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes.

    2. In large bowl, mix oats and egg whites until oats are evenly coated. Add oats to vegetable mixture in skillet.

    3. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until oats are dry and separated, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add broth, basil, salt and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Serve immediately.

    reply to this comment
  19. Annie

    May 19, 2015 at 1:54 pm

    Just want to mention my favorite type of oats which you didn’t cover in your sweet (as usual) video. Someone else mentioned them but missed an important point. Scottish oats are my very favorite. They aren’t rolled or cut. They are ground. And they are the traditional “Oatmeal” of the British Isles. Here’s a link to take you to explanations of culinary oats.
    http://blog.bobsredmill.com/featured-articles/steel-cut-rolled-instant-scottish/

    reply to this comment
  20. Annie

    May 19, 2015 at 1:57 pm

    My apologies to Patricia who actually DID mention the point that I, in my hurry thought she left out. 🙂

    reply to this comment
  21. ExitAisle

    May 20, 2015 at 10:40 pm

    By using oat groats the way most people use bread and potatoes or pasta, I lost 50 pounds by the end of 2010 and have kept it off. I buy 50 pound bags of groats from Canada.

    For added protein and flavor I use peanut flour (reduced fat and no sugar – Sucralose being my choice of sweetener). If you cook the groats in chicken or beef broth they make a hearty soup.

    Some posters here mention freezing, but I find the cooked groats get too mushy for my taste.

    I like the groats because they are filling and take longer to digest than the other kinds, but sometimes for convenience I use steel cut or rolled, regular or instant.

    One of the ways I use groats is like an oatmeal cookie with chocolate… I cut calories by using cocoa and sucralose… You can also bake it into bread using the peanut powder and regular flour. While it’s easy to transport, it’s calorie dense.

    I not only lost and kept off the 50 pounds, my nearly hyper tension blood pressure dropped to 120 over 70… and I’m 71 years old. Some studies suggest oatmeal has that effect…

    All I can say is it works for me…

    ###

    reply to this comment
  22. Marvin

    June 7, 2015 at 3:37 pm

    Hi Dani, my name is Marvin (I’m 68yrs young and in real good health) just came across a video on utube and then went to your web page.
    Well done and so easy to follow you, especially on video. One question I must ask before moving forward is your use of microwave device? I never use them and tell me if I’m wrong but they are not heathy for us or our food.
    Look forward to your thoughts Dani

    reply to this comment
    • Dani

      June 9, 2015 at 12:46 pm

      Hi Marvin! Welcome:) So glad you are enjoying the videos! As for microwaves, I shared a video a while back sharing my thoughts on microwaves. You can watch it here: https://cleananddelicious.com/ask-dani-whats-the-deal-with-microwaves/ Let me know if you have any other questions!

  23. Mary M. Martinez

    March 15, 2016 at 9:53 am

    Lately I’ve been reading about savory oatmeal and it has me intrigued. This recipe looks great.Thanks this post

    reply to this comment
    • Dani

      March 17, 2016 at 10:51 am

      You’re welcome… let me know if you try it and how you like it 🙂

  24. Deborah

    November 15, 2016 at 7:19 am

    Hi , Thanks for a terrific video,

    I’m thinking about looking at flakers. Do you have an opinion on them? Are there any brands you would recommend looking at. I wish there was a video that compared the Komo, Schnitzer, and the Marcato Mulino Marga brands… I have seen youtube videos on the Komo Flic Flock and Marcato Mulino Marga. But, the Flic Flock is a slow process and results of the Marcato Mulino Marga looked uneven. Any words of wisdom or other brands to consider? Thanks

    reply to this comment
    • Dani

      November 15, 2016 at 9:39 am

      Hi Debrorah! I’m sorry to say, this concept is brand new to me so I don’t have a lot to offer. I would love to hear what you decide to go with and how it works out for you.

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