HWN Suggests

You’re Doing It Wrong: Oatmeal

Steel-cut oats completely miss the point of oatmeal. For one thing, they take forever to cook. I would be willing to overlook this inconvenience if the final result were stick-to-your-ribs spectacular. It is not. The final result is usually a bunch of chewy little grain nubbins suspended in a hot, viscous liquid. It is not soft, it is not creamy, and it is not comforting.

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Featured

 Why oats are good for you

It's the ultimate winter breakfast, but getting your oats can also keep the body slim and healthy.

Articles of Interest

Steel Cut Oats | How to Cook the Perfect Bowl

For a cozy, everyday breakfast, however, a steaming, creamy bowl of classic stove top steel cut oatmeal is my forever love.

Steel-Cut Oat Porridge

Steel-cut oats (also called Irish or Scottish oats) take longer to cook than rolled oats but are creamier and chewier.

Types of Oats & How to Cook Them

Technically speaking, there are a wide variety of oats available for purchase. They include whole oat groats, steel cut oats, Scottish oatmeal, old-fashioned oats, quick oats, oat flour, and oat bran just to name a few.

A Little Bit of Excess in a Sensible Package

There’s deep pleasure in creamy chilled oats, a small indulgence that leaves you feeling great.

A nice warm bowl of porridge: 3 ways plus a potted history

Mix 1 cup of rolled oats with 3 cups of cold water in a saucepan. Add a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, and then turn the heat down. Simmer gently for about 20 minutes, stirring more as it thickens. If too thick, loosen with a splash more boiling water. If too thin, boil a couple more minutes.

How to make eating oats for breakfast a healthier option

Traditional oat porridge was made with flaked oats, but modern versions are more finely milled i.e. they are oat flour. This means they are easier to prepare. Think 1 minute in the microwave. But………. this changes how they behave in the gut. And these changes are NOT necessarily good for us.

Ireland's Renowned Oatmeal

Not all oatmeal is equal: Taste Macroom's, from a 200-year-old mill, and you won't want instant again.

Is Oatmeal Good for You? 3 Health Benefits You Might Be Missing Out On

To get the scoop, we asked nutritionists is oatmeal good for you and how to prepare it in the healthiest ways possible.

Is Oatmeal Healthy? Here's What the Experts Say

Oatmeal is a near-universally beloved breakfast. While it has historically been enjoyed across Europe, Russia and the U.S., oatmeal is rapidly gaining popularity in developing countries because of its affordability and its perceived health properties. But is oatmeal really good for you? To answer that question, it’s first important to differentiate among all the different types of oatmeal. There’s steel-cut and rolled, quick-cooking and instant. But all of these terms refer to different methods of preparing hulled oats for cooking.

Larry, Quaker of Oatmeal Fame, Gets a Makeover

The rosy-cheeked, white-haired man smiling out at you from the Quaker Oatmeal box is getting a haircut, losing some weight and dropping about five years from his age. Known among insiders as "Larry," the venerable Quaker man on the logo is getting a makeover as part of a wider effort by owner PepsiCo Inc. to reinvigorate the brand globally. It hopes to keep the 134-year-old brand "fresh and innovative," says Justin Lambeth, Quaker's chief marketing officer.

No One Knows Exactly How Much Herbicide Is in Your Breakfast

There doesn't seem to be any disagreement about the presence of glyphosate in our oatmeal; Quaker Oats and the EPA admit it's there. It's likely in myriad other food products as well.

Oats for Dinner and Dessert

Steel-cut oats can make a hearty and healthful breakfast, but as Martha Rose Shulman recently discovered, oats are a great grain at dinnertime too.

Overnight Oats

When soaked overnight in milk, oats become tender and creamy. Unlike oatmeal, the uncooked but softened oats retain a fresh flavor and, of course, they’re delicious cold.

Steel Cut, Rolled, Instant: What's the Difference Between Types of Oats?

Here's a breakdown of different types of oats. Among whole grains, oats offer serious nutrition. But are some healthier than others? We take a look.

Surprising Side Effects Oatmeal Has On Your Immune System, Says Science

That breakfast bowl really can do a lot for your body!

The Key to True Irish Porridge? The Right Oats

Macroom is truly old-fashioned oatmeal and the last of its kind. It is made at the last stone mill in Ireland, Walton’s Mill, in the namesake town between Cork and Killarney. Today, the oats we see in the grocery store are typically removed from their husks, sliced, steamed, and flattened as they are transformed into a quicker-cooking form. The process also removes their natural oils, along with those richer flavors, so that they are less prone to spoilage and have a longer shelf life.

The world's oldest oatmeal?

Did hunter-gatherers eat oatmeal 25,000 years before the spread of farming? That's the implication of a new study from this cave in southeastern Italy called Grotta Paglicci, which was occupied by Upper Paleolithic hunter-gatherers about 32,000 years ago.

We Tasted 7 Oatmeals, and This Is the Best One!

When it comes to taste, texture, and overall quality, I'd say it's a tie between Better Oats and the Trader Joe's brand. But because there can be only one winner, I chose Trader Joe's because it has a sustainability certification—and what's better than amazing oatmeal that's also kind to the environment?

Resources

7 Oatmeal Mistakes to Avoid

With some awareness of common missteps and registered dietitians' tips, you can prioritize health and flavor. Here’s what you need to know.

Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods

While all of our oats begin as whole grain kernels known as groats, the end result can look quite different. We take these groats and create varieties for every palate and recipe, while retaining all the fiber and nutrition of the whole grain. Many of our products are also available in organic and gluten free options.