February 28, 2018 · Written by Foodtolive Team

The Right Way to Prepare Oatmeal

Want a healthy breakfast to rev up your energy in the morning? Oatmeal is a perfectly nutritious food to consume for breakfast. It has a high soluble fiber that will leave you satisfied and full in the morning. It gives significant vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants that are great to keep your body moving during the day. It stabilizes blood glucose and it lowers down bad cholesterol which makes it a heart-friendly food.
There are 3 types of oats that you can explore to include in your healthy breakfast and preparing them the right way is as easy as enjoying them. Oats varieties are the steel cuts, rolled oats and quick oats. You can prepare these oats by using a microwave or cooking it over the stovetop.

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1. Quick oats

Let’s start with the simplest among the three to prepare, the quick oats. As its name implies, quick oats or popularly referred to as instant oats have a little cooking process and can be cooked instantly. This kind of oats went through many processes. They are pre-cooked, dried, rolled and pressed a little thinner than rolled oats. It is an ideal oat for those who are on the go.

On a microwave, put ½ cup of instant oats to 1 cup of water or milk and microwave it on high for 1 to 1 ½ minutes. On a stovetop, put ½ cup instant oats to 1 cup of water or milk and boil it for 1 to 2 minutes.

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2. Rolled oats
The second type of oats are the rolled oats or commonly known as the old-fashioned oats. These oats are processed by steaming to make it soft and easy to flatten. It is rolled out much thicker than the quick oats thus it will need more cooking time than its counterpart.

On a stovetop, put 1 cup of water or milk with a pinch of salt in a pan. Bring it to a boil and stir in ½ cup of oats. Cook for 5 minutes over medium heat. Remove from heat and let stand for 2-3 minutes more. In a microwave, you can put the same measurement on a microwavable bowl and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes. Stir it before serving.

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3. Irish or Scotch oats

The last variety of oat is the steel cut also as called Irish or Scotch oats. This variety is steamed and cut into several pieces. It takes the longest to cook among the 3 but it has a chewier texture.

For a single serving, cooked over a stovetop, put 1 cup of water or milk in a small pan. Bring to a boil and stir in ¼ cup steel-cut oats. Set the heat to low while stirring occasionally for 30 minutes. It is ready once it’s tender and liquid is almost absorbed. You can also prepare it to slow cooker just combine 6 cups of water to 2 cups steel oats in low setting for 6-7 hours or in a high setting for 3-4 hours.

To fully enjoy your oatmeal, you can add a pinch of salt to every preparation or some sweetener such as sugar, honey, and maple. To make it more nutritious and delicious, have it topped with your favorite fruits and nuts. There is no limit to enjoying healthy oatmeal for breakfast. Prepare one now and give your body the health it deserves.