Oatmeal Recipes from WifeWithAKnife.com

Adventures in Oatmeal

Steel cut oats with almonds and dried cranberries

     ~ Oatmeal transformed ~
       From plain porridge to
           sublime cereal

Oatmeal is a nutritional powerhouse, supplying:

Protein (10.6 grams per serving)
Soluble Fiber (stays with you longer and makes you feel fuller)
Energy
Rich with vitamins and minerals, Manganese, Selenium, Vitamin B1, Magnesium, Phosphorous, Tryptophan

Click for recipes: Steel Cut Oats with Almonds and Dried Cranberries - or - Oatmeal Squares, for an easy on-the-go meal or snack idea

Eating breakfast has always been a struggle for me, and I traditionally go without. When I started dieting on the Weight Watchers program I resolved to eat a healthy breakfast in the morning - every morning. Move the clock forward, and I'm loving my gourmet oatmeal breakfast and - dare I say it - even anticipating it when I go to bed at night!

"Quick cooking" and "old fashioned" rolled oats are much the same with only a couple of minutes cooking difference between them. There is also the longer cooking, steel cut oats, which are my favorites.

They are all very good for you, no matter which you prefer they provide the same nutritional profile, as they are all 100% whole grain oats.

"Never work before breakfast; if you have to work
before breakfast, eat
your breakfast first."
-Josh Billings

How they compare:

1 Cup Raw Steel Cut Oats:

Weighs 6.4 ounces
4 servings
600 Calories
15 Weight Watchers Points Plus
4 parts water to cook
Yields 3 cups cooked
Chewier than rolled oats
Reheat very well

1 Cup Raw Rolled Oats:

Weighs 3.4 ounces
2 servings
300 Calories
8 Weight Watchers Points Plus
2 parts water to cook
Yields 2 cups cooked
Not as much texture as steel cut
Do not reheat well, too gluey

Oatmeal is a
Healthy Choice
Oats cooked in milk have richer flavor

Forcing myself to eat breakfast led me to discover an increase in focus and energy in the morning after I had my oatmeal and - best of all - when I had a large serving I could go all morning without even thinking about food, instead of day-dreaming about what I would eat for lunch as my hunger grew.

Not thinking about food constantly has also helped with my weight loss, not surprisingly. Being satiated has given me willpower to resist a lot of the temptations I used to give in to - the birthday cake at the office, the bowls of candy, and rich, buttery appetizers, all the "I'll just have one's" I used to eat. All those ones added up.

Additions for Oats:

NUTS and SEEDS:

Chopped walnuts, pecans, peanuts, etc.
Sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds
Chia seeds

SWEETENERS and FLAVORINGS:

Maple syrup
Brown sugar
Vanilla, almond, maple or other extract
Cinnamon stick
Milk flavored with vanilla bean (split bean lengthwise and put 1/2 in 4 cups milk. Refrigerate for 24 hours. Remove bean before using milk)
Cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg or other spices
Serve with milk or plain yogurt after cooking
Top with crunchy granola or crushed cereal

FRUITS:

Dried raisins, apricots, pears, pineapple, etc.
Goji Berries
Peeled chopped apples (add 15 mins. before done) or other firm fruit
Applesauce

Add just before serving:

Sliced bananas, strawberries, peaches, etc.
Canned mandarin oranges, fruits in juice, etc.
Frozen blueberries, peaches, raspberries, etc.

Cook in juice:

Replace up to half of the water with white grape, apple or orange juice

How about treating your cat to some oat grass? They love to snack on it too!

Mr. Maxwell enjoys lounging in the oat grass lawn

OAT SEEDS and grown oat grass are commonly sold as "Cat Grass". Our cats enjoy chewing on the grass as much as I do on the grain.

Take a peek at Steve's Indoor Cat Lawn for our kitties and see how you can grow your own.