Something you might not know about me is that I used to loathe oats as a child. And even as a young adult, I really couldn’t stomach the stuff. The texture was so off-putting to me and this only changed when I stayed at a very fancy hotel a few years ago where the chef had oats as part of the breakfast. I didn’t want to be rude so I hesitantly took my first bite and I was absolutely won-over. I loved the creaminess and how soft the oats were and immediately asked the chef for her secret. She told me that she only uses rolled oats as the steel-cut (and other finer variations) can have a cardboard flavour and will often taste of nothing. She also said that because most people see “quick cooking” on their oatmeal box, they assume it will be done in 5 minutes and unfortunately, that’s just not the case with oats. They need a little longer to release their starchy creaminess and become mouth-wateringly-delicious (yep, that is a word). So off I went to purchase a giant bag of rolled oats and I’ve never looked back. I always allow myself at least 20 minutes to cook oats the way I like it. I start by taking 1 part oats to 2 parts boiling water with a pinch of salt. I then combine this in a saucepan and boil if for 5 minutes before turning the temperature down and simmering for another 5-10 minutes, stirring every now and then. I then turn the heat off, add a knob of butter and cover with a lid and allow the oats to steam for another 5 minutes. To finish it off I stir in the (now) melted butter and a generous amount of cinnamon with a little sugar, et voila. Creamy, beautiful oats. To add a bit of interest, I often make myself a breakfast bowl with the creamy oats as a base. The options are endless really but I love using fresh raspberries (stewed apples are also awesome) and always add a healthy spoonful of breakfast seeds. In the mix I used here were sesame, chia and linseeds (flax seed) but I also like using pumpkin seeds. And of course, a spoonful of nuts would go brilliantly as well, I just didn’t have any. Finish it off with a drizzle of honey and you’re all set. This, by the way, also makes a great breakfast to take to work and just re-heat in the microwave oven (add a splash of milk to take the stodge out of the oats once it’s re-heated). And just like that, my tiredness is forgotten and I can’t wait to wake up early to get another pot of oats going. What is happening to me?
