Before now I was using Quaker Oats, the kind that come in that big cylindar with the Quaker guy on it. I'm not sure what type of oats they actually are, probably instant. After reading the FAQ I decided to switch to steel-cut oats. The problem I had this morning was that these oats are so small that the blender can't chop them up. They wound up piling up at the bottom of the blender, and I resorted to just scooping them out with a spoon. I'd rather not have to do this all the time, as the things are hard and take a while to chew. Is there an easier way to blend steel-cut oats?
Try a coffee grinder. You can shake the grinder manually as the blades spin to make sure nothing piles up at the bottom.
Uggh...you are cooking them, right? I love steel cut oats, but they've got to be like sand if you don't cook them first...
I tried cooking them, and I prefer to to soak them overnight w/some diced fruit in the fridge & eat cold in the morning
Oh, I didn't realize that. So in terms of health benefits, the Quaker "rolled" oats are just as good as steel-cut? Well in that case I'll switch back, since the rolled oats blended nicely.
Just make sure it's not the instant oats that you have. I think them and the rolled oats are packaged in that some cylinder type package. Check out the ingredients list. The rolled oats should have one ingredient: 100% whole grain rolled oats.
Instant oats will say "Quick Cooks in 1 minute" or something similar on the tube. For reference: Quick Regular
Ok cool, I think the ones I've been using are the "old fashioned," so I should be good. Thanks for the input everyone.
Rolled oats are more processed than steel cut. And instant is even more processed than that. The difference? Rolled oats are pre-cooked and flattened and often fortified (which is not a good thing IMNSHO... think enriched flour). Steel cut are in a more natural state and have more of their inherent nutrients, fiber (about twice as much) and phytochecmicals. With the others, they are being cooked twice before you eat them. Even though you say you are eating them raw, I would personally choose steel cut every time... pretend they are chocolate sprinkles on your shake...! It only takes about 25 minutes to cook the steel cut oats. I heat some water, feed the dog, dump in the oats, take a shower, get dressed and they are ready to go! You can make a batch and refrigerate. But really, it's not that much effort (compared to, say, cleaning a blender).
No it doesn't. 6 minutes in the microwave, 10 stovetop for me. Maybe I'm just impatient, but they taste pretty darn good to me.
I make about 4-5 days worth of steel-cut oats and it takes about 30min from the time I turn the stove on to completion. I just do it at night and do some other food prep in the meantime.
I guess there's no reason why I can't cook a large batch of steel-cut oats, and eat them throughout the week. Maybe I'll try that.
