Posted Mar 6, 2010 Eat your oatmeal!” is a familiar morning refrain — and with good reason.
The hot cereal has been at the breakfast table for centuries, contributing hearty warmth, good nutrition and great flavor, and it’s still a favorite of many people. At least three local restaurants keep oatmeal on the menu because there are customers who want their whole-grain fix when dining out.
“We have regular customers who ask for it all the time,” says Natalie Woodworth, a server and coffee artist at Coyote’s Coffee Den at the Pueblo Nature and Raptor Center. “That’s all they get — they come in for their oatmeal.”
Woodworth says some people ask for oatmeal served with soy “milk” instead of cows’ milk and some request raisins and walnuts to mix into their bowls. The oatmeal comes with brown sugar on the side.
Ann Chenu, owner of Wireworks Coffeehouse, says she put oatmeal on her menu “because my family eats so much of it.” She says it’s very popular, even when the weather is warmer, and orders for oatmeal come in throughout the day, though it’s usually requested before lunchtime.
“We make each serving when it’s ordered,” Chenu says. “We use organic quick oats — it cooks a little faster that way — and we top it with fresh fruit and almonds.”
She also uses oatmeal in cookies and as the base for Wireworks’ granola, and it’s contained in the baking mix — along with flax seeds and corn meal — that she uses for blueberry muffins.
The Daily Grind also serves oatmeal but doesn’t get many requests for it, says owner-manager Charles Sole.
“We use instant oatmeal because it’s more of a quick and convenient thing. We use water as the base, though one guy likes milk as the base for his.”
Sole says he plans to bring out a new menu at the Daily Grind in a month or two that will include oats served with a choice of fresh fruit.
Keep it hot
As any aficionado will tell you, the key to tasty oatmeal is serving and eating it freshly made and still hot. Left to congeal, it resembles wallpaper paste and doesn’t taste much better. Unfortunately, there are more than a few folks with childhood memories of being stuck at the breakfast table, confronted with a bowl of sticky, lumpy, cold-and-growing-colder oatmeal. Who would want to eat such unappetizing stuff?
Besides eating it soon after it’s prepared, there are no other rules in this writer/oatmeal fan’s book, except not drowning it in too much cold liquid. An obvious way to avoid this is to heat the milk or soy, rice or almond beverage that you’re using. Top oatmeal with sliced bananas or finely chopped apples, raisins, chopped dates or dried apricots. If it’s still not sweet enough, add a little honey, brown sugar, maple syrup or even molasses. Garnish with sunflower seeds or chopped nuts; add a sprinkle of cinnamon and, if you’re big on getting omega-3 fatty acids, a dash of ground flaxseed.
High in fiber, B vitamins
Oatmeal is a whole-grain food and, as such, has many health benefits. The American Heart Association reports that oatmeal and oat bran are high in soluble fiber, which when regularly eaten in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, can help lower blood cholesterol and may help reduce the risk of diabetes, colon and rectal cancer and heart disease. Fiber-containing foods such as whole grains help provide a feeling of fullness with fewer calories and so may help with weight management, the heart association notes.
Grains such as oats also are good sources of nutrients, including B vitamins, which play an important role in metabolism; folic acid, which helps the body form red blood cells; iron, which is used to carry oxygen in the blood; magnesium, a mineral that’s used to build bone and release energy from muscles; and selenium, which is important for a healthy immune system.
Besides eating oatmeal for breakfast, it can be added to other foods for lunch, dinner or snacks. Grind it and add to soups and casseroles; to bread crumbs for coating or topping foods; and to baked goods in place of some of the flour.
— Sources include www.americanheart.org and www.webmd.com.
maryp@chieftain.com
Oats star in recipes for any time of day
FRUITFUL MORNING MUESLI
2 cups Quaker Oats (quick or old-fashioned, uncooked)
2 cups apple juice or apricot nectar
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh fruit (any combination of banana, peaches, nectarines or strawberries)
One 8-ounce carton vanilla low-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped nuts (optional)
Combine all ingredients except nuts; mix well.
Cover; refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
Serve cold; sprinkle with nuts, if desired. Refrigerate in airtight container up to four days.
Note: For extra flavor, toast nuts by spreading them evenly in small shallow baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 to 8 minutes or until light golden brown, stirring occasionally. Or, spread nuts on microwaveable plate. Microwave on high for 1 minute; stir. Continue microwaving, checking every 30 seconds, until nuts are crunchy.
Yields 4 servings.
— Recipe courtesy of Quaker Oats
BANANA BREAD OATMEAL
3 cups fat-free milk
3 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups Quaker Oats (quick or old-fashioned, uncooked)
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped toasted pecans
Plain or vanilla nonfat yogurt (optional)
Banana slices (optional)
Pecan halves (optional)
In medium saucepan, bring milk, sugar, salt and spices to gentle boil (watch carefully); stir in oats. Return to boil; reduce heat to medium. Cook 1 minute for quick oats, 5 minutes for old-fashioned oats or until most of liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally.
Remove oatmeal from heat. Stir in mashed bananas and pecans. Spoon oatmeal into six cereal bowls. Top with yogurt, sliced bananas and pecan halves, if desired.
Note: To toast pecans, spread evenly in shallow baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 to 7 minutes or until light golden brown. Or spread nuts evenly on microwave-safe plate. Microwave on high for 1 minute; stir. Continue to microwave on high, checking every 30 seconds, until nuts are fragrant and brown.
Makes 6 servings.
— Recipe courtesy of Quaker Oats
STUFFED TURKEY BURGERS WITH SMOKY AIOLI
Aioli:
1/2 cup 93 percent fat-free mayonnaise
1 canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, seeded, minced
3/4 teaspoon adobo sauce (from canned chipotle peppers)
1 clove garlic, minced
Burgers:
1 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey
1 cup Quaker Oats (quick or old-fashioned, uncooked)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
6 ( 1/3 to 1/2 ounce) fresh mozzarella balls
6 whole-wheat hamburger buns, split and lightly toasted
3/4 cup jarred roasted red pepper halves, drained
1 bunch watercress, arugula or other favorite salad greens, stems removed
For aioli, combine all ingredients in small bowl; mix well. Chill at least 1/2 hour.
Heat grill or broiler. For burgers, combine turkey, oats, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, salt and pepper in large bowl; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into 6 large patties, about 1/4-inch thick. Place one mozzarella ball in center of each patty; shape burger mixture around cheese so it is completely hidden; reshape into patty.
Grill or broil 4 inches from heat for 5 minutes on each side or until centers are no longer pink (170 degrees F). Arrange burgers on bottom halves of buns; top with aioli, roasted pepper pieces, watercress and bun tops.
Note: If small fresh mozzarella balls are unavailable, substitute large fresh mozzarella balls, cut into 1/3- to 1/2-ounce pieces. A 3-ounce chunk of part-skim mozzarella cheese, cut into 6 pieces, can be substituted for fresh mozzarella.
Makes 6 sandwiches.
— Recipe courtesy of Quaker Oats
DILLED SALMON CAKES
Sauce:
1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1/3 cup seeded, chopped tomato
1/3 cup seeded, chopped cucumber
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
Salmon cakes:
1 can (14 3/4 ounces) pink salmon, drained, skin and bones removed
3/4 cup Quaker Oats (quick or old-fashioned, uncooked)
1/3 cup skim milk
1/3 cup liquid egg substitute with yolk or 1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
In small bowl, combine sauce ingredients; mix well. Cover and chill while making salmon cakes.
In medium bowl, combine ingredients for salmon cakes; mix well. Let stand 5 minutes. Shape into 6 oval patties.
Lightly spray large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Cook salmon cakes over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown and heated through. Serve with sauce.
Makes 6 servings.
— Recipe courtesy of Quaker Oats
QUAKER’S BEST OATMEAL COOKIES
11/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) margarine or butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 cups Quaker Oats (quick or old-fashioned, uncooked)
Heat oven to 375 degrees. In large bowl, beat margarine and sugars until creamy. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg; mix well. Add oats; mix well.
Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 8 to 9 minutes for a chewy cookie or 10 to 11 minutes for a crisp cookie. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.
Makes about 3 1/2 dozen.
Note: For high altitude, increase flour to 1 3/4 cups and bake as directed.
Variations|
–Bar cookies: Press dough onto bottom of ungreased 13-by-9-inch baking pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. Store tightly covered. –Stir in 1 cup raisins or chopped nuts. Omit spices; stir in 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, butterscotch chips or peanut butter-flavored chips.
— Recipe courtesy of Quaker Oats
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