Love your oats

There are three types of oatmeal on the market, steel cut oats, old-fashioned rolled oats and quick rolled oats.

Steel cut oats are made when the whole groat is cut into several pieces, rather than rolled. Steel cut oats look almost like rice that's been cut into pieces. This variety takes the longest to cook, and has a toothsome, chewy texture that retains much of its shape even after cooking.

Rolled oats also called old-fashioned or whole oats, look like flat, irregularly round, slightly textured discs. When processed, the whole grains of oats are first steamed to make them soft and pliable, then pressed to flatten them. Rolled oats cook faster than steel cut oats, absorb more liquid, and hold their shape relatively well during cooking. In addition to be heated for a warm breakfast bowl, rolled oats are commonly used in granola bars, cookies, muffins, and other baked goods.

Instant oats also referred to as quick oats, are the most processed of the three oat varieties. They are pre-cooked, dried, and then rolled and pressed slightly thinner than rolled oats. They cook more quickly than steel cut or rolled oats, but retain less of their texture, and often cook up mushy.

Rolled oats can be used in place of instant oats, although it will require more cook time, and the final dish will have more texture.

Steel cut, rolled, and instant oats all have the same nutritional profile since they're all made from whole oat groats.

Oats on the whole are excellent sources of complex carbohydrate and dietary fibre. They are also a good source of niacin, riboflavin, other B vitamins iron and calcium.

Oat bran, the bran derivative of oats is high in soluble fibre and can help lower blood cholesterol levels, thus possibly helping to reduce the risk of heart disease. It also helps the body utilise insulin effectively, an asset in controlling diabetes.

If you don’t fancy a bowl of oatmeal, (rolled oats) on mornings, you can of course enjoy the nutritional benefits of this grain by enjoying it in oatmeal cookies or by adding them to your muffins and breads, they add great texture.

To add extra flavour to your oatmeal try toasting your dried oats in a non-stick frying pan for a couple of minutes then making your oatmeal with the toasted oats.

Overnight oats

½ cup Greek yoghurt

½ cup rolled oats

⅔ cup cows milk, almond milk, rice milk or soy milk

1 tbs chia seeds

pinch sea salt

honey, agave or maple syrup to sweeten.

Mix all ingredients together, place on a glass container and cover.

Refrigerate overnight.

Enjoy for breakfast

Variations:

Add ½ ripe, chopped banana and 2 tbs dark chocolate chips or 1 tbs cocoa nibs.

Add: 2 tbs cocoa powder and 2 tbs almond or peanut butter.

Home-made island granola

3 tbs coconut oil

⅓ cup honey

1 tsp molasses

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ground ginger

½ tsp salt

2 tbs brown sugar

3 cups old-fashioned oats

1 cup assorted chopped nuts or seeds, un-chopped

¼ cup shredded coconut

1 cup dried fruit, raisins, cranberries, pineapples etc

Preheat oven 300F.

In a small saucepan warm oil with honey and molasses, stir well.

In a large bowl combing cinnamon, ginger, salt, sugar, oats, nuts and coconut, pour on honey mixture and stir well to evenly coat.

Spread mixture onto a 11x17 lined baking tray, bake for 40 minutes, stir every 10 minutes.

Add fruit stir and remove from oven.

Cool and store in glass jars.

Makes about 5 cups or 10 servings

Oatmeal raisin cookies

¾ cup flour

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

¾ cup softened, butter

1½ cups brown sugar

1 egg

1 tbs water

1 tsp vanilla essence

3 cups uncooked, oats

1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 375F.

Line or grease cookie sheets

In a small bowl combine flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in a small bowl.

With an electric mixer, beat butter on medium speed, add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add egg, water and vanilla.

Add flour mixture and beat at low speed just until combined.

Stir in oats with a spoon.

Add raisins and stir to combine.

Drop by tablespoons of dough onto a cookie sheet 2 inches apart.

Bake in preheated oven for 12 minutes until golden brown.

Remove from oven and transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies

Oat bran banana squares

¼ cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 large ripe banana, mashed

1 cup milk

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup oat bran

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350F.

Cream butter with sugar until light. Add eggs one at a time beating well between additions. Add vanilla, banana and milk.

In another bowl sift together flour with baking soda, nutmeg and cinnamon.

Stir flour mixture into banana mixture mix just until combined.

Spoon batter into a 9-inch square baking tin.

Bake for about 45 minutes