Oatmeal (with recipe)

            Oatmeal is a catchall term for any number of different types of oats. Steel-cut oats of various grinds, rolled oats, oat flakes, and oat groats may all be referred to as oatmeal. They are simply different treatments of the oat grain, which grows worldwide in climates that are too cold for wheat. Oats possess many healthful qualities – the celebrated physique of the Scots is said to be due to its virtues.

            Processed oat products retain more of their original health value than processed wheat products; for when the oat is milled, the outer husk comes off but the bran and germ are left intact, unlike wheat, whose commercial milling removes both bran and germ. So you will get a better nutritional deal with the supermarket’s rolled oats than with most other supermarket-type cereals. But still, they will contain pesticide residues and will probably have been exposed to excessively high temperatures to make them quicker cooking, which robs them of nutrients.

           

            The “health food” version of rolled oats is usually called flaked or crushed oats, and the temperatures these products are exposed to are supposed to be low and carefully controlled to preserve food value.

            With steel-cut oats you can hardly go wrong, for here the whole grain is merely sliced and otherwise untampered with. The finer the slicing of steel-cut oats, the quicker the cooking – it varies from 20 to 40 minutes depending on the degree of coarseness. Whole oats in pristine state (oat groats) take 1-2 hours to cook. Whole oats can also be sprouted (see Sprouts), resulting in an enormous increase in vitamin content, particularly vitamin B₂. Oat gruel (made by cooking and cooking and cooking whole oats until they become thick like a beverage) is said to be extremely healthful and was a popular drink in seventeenth-century London coffeehouses. Steel-cut and whole oats are slightly more difficult to digest than rolled, flaked, or crushed oats. All oat cereals encourage circulation and peristalsis and can act as a mild laxative. Oats are reputed to lower cholesterol and therefore to be good for the heart.

            Leftover oatmeal need not be thrown to the birds. While it is still warm, mix in some raisins and hulled sunflower seeds, press into a buttered loaf pan, and refrigerate. The loaf can then be sliced any time, and the slices sautéed in butter – delicious with bacon and eggs. Or add leftover oatmeal to bread recipes 1 cup oatmeal will replace about ²/₃ cup wheat flour.

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OATMEAL PANCAKES

1 cup oat flakes (or rolled oats)

2 cups whole milk

1 ½ cups unbleached or whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons honey

2 eggs, beaten

4 tablespoons ( ½ stick) butter, melted

           

1.      Soak out flakes in milk overnight in the refrigerator (if you give in and use commercial rolled oats, soaking is unnecessary).

2.      In the morning, mix flour, baking powder, salt, and honey into oat-milk mixture. Add beaten eggs and melted butter. On a lightly greased griddle, at medium-high heat, spoon small pancakes, cooking on first side until bubbly and then turning; try to turn each pancake only once.

3.      Serve with butter and honey or maple syrup. For other oatmeal recipes, see Cereal.

4.      Makes about 20 four-inch pancakes.

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GRANDMOTHER’S OATMEAL COOKIES

2 cups unbleached white flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

4 tablespoons milk

1 cup raisins

2 cups steel-cut old-fashioned regular oatmeal (not instant)

1 ½ - 2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans

1.      Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift dry ingredients together. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each until smooth. Add milk. Add dry ingredients, then raisins, oatmeal, and nuts. Mix well. Dough will be stiff. Drop by the teaspoonful onto greased cookie sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

2.      Makes about two dozen cookies.