7 Hearty Oatmeal Recipes

By Tabitha Alterman

Oats are chock-full of vitamins and minerals, and are especially high in protein, with 150 percent of the amount found in some kinds of wheat. Plus, we should all eat more fiber, and oats are a tasty way to add it to our diets. A half-cup serving of old-fashioned oatmeal has about 30 percent more fiber than you’ll get in a packet of instant oatmeal or a bowl of Cheerios (originally sold as “Cheerioats”). Ounce for ounce, whole oats are easily the least expensive of the three — even the most expensive organic-certified oats keep the cost per serving around 10 cents. By contrast, a bowl of Cheerios is about 30 cents, and each packet of instant oatmeal costs 50 cents.

Oats retain more moisture than other grains, so they help keep baked goods soft and moist longer. Plus, oat flour has triple the fiber of regular all-purpose flour. The protein in oats is water-soluble, so it won’t beef up the structure of dough like the gluten in wheat does. To achieve better lift in breads and pastries, combine oat flour with higher gluten flours, such as whole wheat. (Whole grains take longer than refined grains to absorb liquid, so it’s a good idea to let whole grain batters rest for a while before cooking them.)

We’ve all heard about the cholesterol-lowering, immune-boosting properties of oat bran. The oat kernel is one of the few grains that isn’t routinely separated from its nutrient-packed parts (the bran and germ) during processing. So you can enjoy the health benefits by eating almost any kind of oats, whether in savory stews or fluffy, sweet oat treats.

Most natural foods stores offer a wide selection of oats. The differences are based on the extent to which the grain has been broken down. For peak flavor and nutrition, store all of the following types of oats in the refrigerator or freezer:

Groats: whole kernels of the oat grain.

Steel-cut oats: groats cut into a few pieces to speed cooking time; also called Scottish or Irish oats.

Rolled oats: groats that have been steamed to soften them, then flattened with a roller and dried; also called old-fashioned oats.

Instant oats: flatter rolled oats, chopped to speed cooking time.

Oat bran: the nutritious outer layer of the oat kernel.

Oat flour: rolled oats or groats ground into flour; can be used as a thickener; easy to make in a blender or coffee grinder.

Oatmeal Three Ways

The following preparations all yield delicious bowls of oatmeal. They are best served with any of the following: a pat of butter; sprinkle of sugar or stevia; dollop of honey or yogurt; drizzle of milk and/or a healthy sprinkle of chopped nuts. For extra nuttiness, I highly recommend first toasting the oats in a dry skillet on medium-high heat for about 5 minutes.

Creamy rolled oatmeal. Combine 1 part oats, 3 parts water and a pinch of salt in saucepan. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low, cooking uncovered another 5 minutes or so.

Chewy steel-cut oatmeal. Combine 1 part steel-cut oats, 4 parts water and a pinch of salt. Let stand for an hour. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 30 minutes, or until it reaches desired consistency.

Hearty groatmeal. Combine 1 part groats, 4 parts water and a pinch of salt. Let stand 1 to 2 hours, or overnight. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 45 minutes to an hour.

Chewy Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup coarse raw sugar
2 tbsp molasses
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 large egg
1/3 cup oat flour
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups dried cherries

(You can substitute your favorite nuts and fruits for the chocolate and cherries.)

Melt butter over low heat. Add brown sugar, stirring constantly until the sugar just begins to caramelize (as soon as the mixture bubbles). Remove from heat, and let cool to room temperature. Mix in raw sugar, molasses, vinegar and vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir together baking soda and powder, salt and spices. Add to the wet ingredients, then beat in the egg. Mix in flours, then stir in oats, chocolate chips and cherries.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease and flour a baking sheet. Drop spoonfuls of cookie dough onto baking sheet, then chill the pan in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. Bake cookies for 8 to 12 minutes. Take them out of the oven when the center still looks a bit gooey, and leave them on the baking sheet for a few more minutes. Let baking sheet cool before starting another batch. Yields 40 to 50 cookies.

Note: Molasses and caramelized sugar create chewy cookies, while oat flour keeps them moist longer. The other flours and coarse sugar improve their structure. I encourage you to experiment with different kinds of flours and sweeteners. If you adapt this recipe, for example, to create a lower-sugar cookie, please share your version in the comments section below.

Groat Pilaf

You can make this dish with any fresh ingredients you like. I used leeks, fennel, mushrooms, carrots and celery.

1 cup groats
3 cups vegetable or meat stock
1 cup flavorful beer (optional, substitute 1 additional cup stock)
4 cups vegetables, sautéed
2 tbsp fresh herbs, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 cup smoky cheese (smoked Gouda, smoked Swiss, etc.), grated

Garnish

1 green onion, diced (green part only)
More cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Follow the recipe above for groatmeal, but replace the water with stock and beer (if using). Combine cooked groats with your choice of sautéed vegetables. Season with salt, pepper and herbs. Spread in a baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes. Top with cheese and bake another 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with green onion and cheese. Serves 8.

We used this recipe:

Groat Pilaf

Grain Mixture

1 cup groats
3 cups vegetable or meat stock
1 cup flavorful beer (optional; use 4 cups stock if not using)

Vegetable Mixture

2 tbsp organic Canola oil
1 medium fennel stalk, diced
1 large leek, sliced in rings (tender white and green parts)
2 green onions, diced (tender white and green parts)
1 large shallot, diced
4 cloves garlic, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 rib celery, sliced
4 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp cultured butter (often labeled as European butter)
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 tbsp fennel fronds, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 cup Smoky cheese (smoked gouda, smoked Swiss, etc.), grated

Garnish

1 green onion, diced (green part only)
More cheese, grated

Follow the recipe above for Groats Oatmeal, but replace the water with stock and beer (if using). Set cooked groats aside.

Saute the fennel stalk, leek, onions and shallot in the oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add garlic, carrot and celery, stirring occasionally, and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and butter. Once the butter is melted, pour red wine over the mixture. Cook for 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pan to incorporate the browned bits. Season with fennel fronds, salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine vegetables and groats, and spread in a baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and bake another 3 to 4 minutes. Serve with  a sprinkle of cheese and green onion. Serves 6 as a side dish.

Banana Oat Pancakes

2 large or 3 small bananas, mashed
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp raw sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup oat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground
1/2 tsp nutmeg, ground
1 banana, sliced

Stir together bananas, butter, lemon juice and sugar. Beat in the eggs. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and spices. Stir together the wet and dry ingredients. Let batter rest for at least 10 minutes before use. (You can refrigerate the batter overnight, but you may need to add about 1/2 cup milk to thin it out.)

Heat a buttered griddle to medium-high. When the surface is hot enough that a drop of water sizzles across it, pour the batter onto the griddle 1/4 cup at a time. Flip the pancake when bubbles begin to form around the edges, after about 3 or 4 minutes. Cook on the second side for about 1 to 2 minutes more. Serve with sliced bananas. Yields a dozen pancakes.

— Adapted from King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking

Sunflower Honey Oat Bran Muffins

11/2 cups oat bran
1/2 cup oat flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unbleached flour
11/2 tsp baking powder
11/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup honey
2 tbsp molasses
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup sunflower seeds

Topping

1 tbsp raw sugar
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp rolled oats
1 tbsp sunflower seeds

Stir together oat bran, flours, baking powder and soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs for about a minute. Whisk in milk, oil and vinegar. Stir in honey and molasses. Add dry ingredients a little at a time. Stir in rolled oats and sunflower seeds. Let batter sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes. Stir together raw sugar and brown sugar plus a few oats and sunflower seeds, and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line muffin pan with paper cups, if desired. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Sprinkle the topping over each muffin. Bake 15 to 20 minutes. (A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.) Remove muffins from pan to cool. Yields a dozen muffins.

Attention Readers Who Cook

We’re putting together the first Mother Earth News cookbook, and we need your help! Please e-mail your favorite oat-errific recipes to letters@MotherEarthNews.com. We are especially interested in recipes that feature natural sweeteners, such as stevia, and those that are low in sugar.