
Have you ever had a bowl of oatmeal that looked like a gelatinous blob? Well, there are a few simple tricks to making a rich, creamy bowl of oatmeal.
You'll need to use steel cut oats or old-fashioned rolled oats; this doesn't work for instant oatmeal. If you're gluten-free, Bob's Red Mill food company offers gluten-free options.
The amount of liquid is important. You need three to four times the amount of liquid to dry oats; so, if you’re using a 1/2 cup of oats, you’ll need 1 1/2 - 2 cups of liquid.
Use milk or non-dairy milk alternative instead of water. For non-dairy milk, try Oat, Almond or Coconut Milk. You could also use a mixture of milk and water. I first cook my oats in water (3x the amount of liquid to oats) and then top of the oatmeal with a milk alternative. See my recipe below.
Be sure to simmer the liquid and oats – not boil. Boiling will turn the oatmeal into a sticky glue.
While the oats are cooking, stir the mixture periodically to prevent it from clumping and to promote the release of starch from the oats. Stirring allows the oats to cook evenly and prevents them from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Gentle, periodic stirring releases just enough starch to thicken the oatmeal without making it stodgy.
This is the oatmeal I make for myself. Feel free to double or triple the recipe. This may seem like a small bowl of oatmeal but although oatmeal has some great health benefits (its beta-glucan soluble fiber helps lower LDL and stabilize blood sugar), eating a large amount of oatmeal can cause blood sugar to spike and can lead to weight gain. So, this amount is perfect for me – it fills me up enough so that I’m not hungry until lunch, yet it’s not too heavy that I feel bogged down.
Ingredients:
1/4 cups oats
3/4 cups water (or use milk or milk alternative)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 teaspoons of dried fruit, such as raisins, apricots, or dates
1 teaspoon chopped walnuts
2 teaspoons maple syrup, honey or another sweetener
1/4 cup milk or milk alternative
Spices of your choice, such as cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom
Directions:
Add 3/4 cups of liquid, oats, vanilla, dried fruit, and nuts to a small saucepan.
Place pan on stovetop and bring mixture to almost a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer.
Let simmer for several more minutes, gently stir the mixture periodically (total cooking time is about 4-5 minutes, but if you double or triple the recipe, you'll need more time). As you stir, the oatmeal will become thicker and creamier.
Pour oatmeal into a bowl and stir in the sweetener.
Add in the milk or milk alternative.
Sprinkle spices on top and enjoy.
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