Best Ways To Cook Oats For Healthy Breakfast

If you wondered how to make oats faster and taste better, then here are five different ways to determine the best way to cook well-cooked oatmeal. Try them out for a delicious breakfast.

A stovetop is the most common and traditional method of making oats. The main ingredients and the instructions to prepare oatmeal by this method have been highlighted here. 

Ingredients 

• 1/2 cup oats (quick or old-fashioned rolled)
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon sweetener (optional to taste) 

Instructions

1. Place your chosen oats in a clean saucepan. Add some water and milk.
2. Put the pan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.
3. Once boiling, lower the heat to keep it at a gentle simmer.
4. Stir frequently while you simmer the oats. This prevents sticking and ensures even cooking.
5. Continue cooking until the oats absorb the liquid and reach your preferred thickness.
6. If desired, stir in your chosen sweetener, to taste.
7. Transfer the cooked oatmeal to a serving bowl and add your preferred toppings or seasonings.

Pros:

• Control texture: You can adjust consistency to your liking.
• Versatility: Works well with quick and old-fashioned oats.
• Customization: Easy to add ingredients as you cook.

Cons:

• Attention required: Needs constant stirring.
• Time-consuming: Takes longer than some other methods.

Making oats in the slow cooker is surely a long process but it's worth it. After the prolonged hours of preparation, you will get creamy, gooey oats. Let's see how this can be made.

Ingredients

• 2 cups oats, steel-cut or old-fashioned rolled
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (optional)

Instructions

1. Pour in the oats, milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt into the slow cooker.
2. Mix all condiments together until combined.
3. Put the slow cooker on low for about 6-8 hours and on high for about 3-4 hours.
4. Spoon the cooked oatmeal and put toppings of your desire on top.

Pros:

• Convenience: Very easy to set and forget in the morning.
• Texture: Great, super creamy, well-cooked texture.
• Quantity: Great to make big batches.

Cons:

• Long Cook Time: Usually must cook overnight.
• Sticking: May stick to pot without stirring occasionally.

The oats can even be prepared in the microwave. This method provides a quick solution for individual portions.

Ingredients 

• 1/2 cup oats (quick or instant oats work best)
• 1 cup whole milk
• A pinch of salt
• 1/4 tablespoon black pepper (optional)
• Fruits and nuts as desired

Instructions

1. Place oats, milk, salt, and pepper (if using) in a microwave-safe bowl.
2. Stir all items together.
3. Cook uncovered on high for 2 to 3 minutes, watching carefully to prevent overflow.
4. Remove from the microwave, stir well, and add your chosen fruits, nuts, or additional seasonings.

Pros:

• Speed: Quick and convenient cooking.
• Portion control: Perfect for single servings.
• Easy cleanup: Minimal dishes to wash.

Cons:

• Monitoring: This can boil over if not watched carefully.
• Uneven cooking: May not heat consistently.

Oats can also be baked. Baking creates a textured, dessert-like oatmeal perfect for batch preparation and reheating. 

Ingredients

• 3 cups oats (use Old-fashioned rolled oats)
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 6 tablespoon butter

Instructions

1. The foremost step is to preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Mix oil with your favorite sweetener or olive oil.
3. Keep the oats on a baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. Add your choice of spices and a little salt.
5. Then bake oats in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.
6. You can stir halfway for the uniform baking.
7. Make sure the oats are golden brown. If not bake it for a longer time.
8. Remove the oats from the oven and let them cool completely on the baking sheet.
9. Once cooled, you can store it in the fridge or serve it immediately.

Pros:

• Unique texture: Creates oatmeal bars or cakes.
• Batch cooking: Can make large quantities at once.
• Versatility: Easy to add fruits, nuts, or other mix-ins.

Cons:

• Time: Takes longer than other methods.
• Heat: Requires using an oven, which may warm up your kitchen.

Steaming oats preserves their natural flavor and offers a simple, healthy preparation method. It's ideal for those who prefer a pure oat taste or are short on time.

Ingredients 

• 1 cup of steel-cut oats or old-fashioned rolled oats
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• For toppings fresh fruits and nuts (optional)

Instructions

1. Bring water to a boil in a pot or steamer.
2. Place oats in a heat-safe vessel that fits inside your steamer.
3. Add salt to the oats and pour boiling water over them.
4. Cover the steamer with its lid.
5. Steam for 20-25 minutes.
6. Carefully remove the bowl and stir the oats.
7. Serve with your choice of toppings.

Pros:

• Nutrient retention: Saves more nutrients than other procedures.
• Texture: Creates light and fluffy oatmeal.
• Savory option: Works well for non-sweet oatmeal dishes.

Cons:

• Equipment: Requires a steamer.
• Time: Longer cooking process than stovetop or microwave.

Some tips and tricks to be followed to make your oats taste even better are:

1. Choose Steel-Cut Oats for Superior Texture

Steel-cut oats do take a little longer to cook than the quick type or rolled oats, but they are really worth the time and effort. These kinds of oats yield an incomparable texture that is creamy yet has a perfect chew that raises the oatmeal-eating experience.

2. Avoid Instant Flavored Oatmeal

Those flavored packets of instant oatmeal are laden with added sugars. Eating those often and over time may contribute to gaining weight and inflammation in the body.

3. Get Your Liquid-to-Oat Ratio Down

Follow the cooking directions on your oatmeal package for perfect texture. For steel-cut oats, this means 3 /4 to 1 cup liquid for every 1 / 4 cup oats. For quick-cooking or rolled oats, it means 1 cup liquid for every 1 / 2 cup oats.

These proportions helps to prevent the texture of your oats.

4. Try Other Cooking Liquids

Boost the nutritional value and flavoring of your oatmeal by utilizing low-fat milk or plant-based milk alternatives instead of water. Those will give you calcium and a creamy added richness to your oatmeal.

If you want to get wild, try cooking your oats in some apple cider. The liquid-to-oat ratio remains the same for these variations.

5. Make-Ahead Methods

Prep your breakfast ahead of time for easier mornings In a slow cooker, cook a big batch of steel-cut oats on Sunday.

Refrigerate the mixture for the week and every morning reheat a portion in the microwave with a splash of water until hot, about 1-2 minutes. This approach ensures that your breakfast will be quick and in great taste during the week.

Or make the overnight oats. In a jar, combine equal parts old-fashioned oats and water with a pinch of salt; chill for at least overnight or up to three days.

Verifying the freshness of oats implies validating a "use by" or "best by" date on the packaging. These dates will give you a pretty good notion as to the length of time your oats will stay in their best state of quality.

Store steel-cut oats in their original sealed wrap or transfer them to an airtight vessel for up to one year. Store in the cooler, darker part of your pantry for better nutrient retention and nutty flavor for up to 12 months.

This prevents the oats from absorbing moisture or smells in the surrounding environment and going stale or rancid. If you have purchased oats in bulk quantity or would like to keep them for an even longer period, then you may want to consider freezing them.

Frozen uncooked oats are good for one year and are sometimes really convenient since you always have them in your freezer ready for use anytime for your favorite recipe.

Here are some notions for topping your oatmeal to make it even better and palatable at the same time. These toppings add taste along with nourishment to your breakfast.

Fruits improve the fiber ratio of your oatmeal, while unsalted nuts add healthy fats to the dish that help you feel full longer.

1. Fruit Options:

• Dried fruits: Raisins, cranberries, cherries, or chopped apricots and dates
• Fresh or frozen berries
• Applesauce
• Jam
• Fresh sliced fruits: Bananas or apples

2. Nuts and Seeds:

• Tree nuts: Pistachios, pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds
• Peanuts or peanut butter
• Seeds: Sesame, ground flaxseed, or chia seeds

3. Sweeteners:

• Maple syrup
• Brown sugar
• Honey

4. Spices:

Enhance flavor and aroma while adding antioxidants with:

• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg
• Ginger
• Cardamom

5. Dairy and Alternatives:

Increase calcium intake by adding:

• Yogurt
• Milk
• Calcium-fortified plant-based milk