Overnight Oatmeal

[bluemongoose]

I remember (back in the fuzzy part of my brain) that there had been a thread on here about soaking your oatmeal overnight and then just heating it in the morning. I tried to find this thread so I could attempt the oatmeal, but alas, I cannot.

 

So if you soak your oatmeal, how do you do this? What type of oats...what is the liquid ratio etc? I need to make this work because my kids love oatmeal, but are not patient enough to wait the 20 min to cook it!

[Liz CA]

I just soak it in enough water to cover the oats and I add a little whey or buttermilk to the water.

The next morning, you can cook them up really fast with a little milk.

[MomOfOneFunOne]

It was I!

 

I put 1/3 cup of oats in a bowl that probably holds a cup. I fill the bowl the rest of the way with milk. You have to cover with plenty of milk. cover and ready in the morning.

 

Yeah, the bowl reads 1 Cup on the bottom.

Edited January 20, 2011 by MomOfOneFunOne

[bluemongoose]

Thanks Liz...but now I have another question.

 

Can you only use water? We have a dairy allergy here, so whey and buttermilk cannot be used.

[Liz CA]

Thanks Liz...but now I have another question.

 

Can you only use water? We have a dairy allergy here, so whey and buttermilk cannot be used.

 

Yes, just water should be fine as well. I always do it the other way to neutralize phytates as recommended by Sally Fallon in "Nourishing Traditions." but if you are just soaking for a quicker breakfast, water should be fine. Just to clarify, I only use about 1 tablespoon of whey for 2-3 cups of oatmeal.

[MomOfOneFunOne]

Actually, I use soy milk.

[bluemongoose]

momofthefunone, is that just for 1 person?

 

Liz- what are these phytates, and is there a problem with not neutralizing them? Does heating the soaked oatmeal up on the stove top in the morning neutralize them?

 

Do I add additional water to the pot in the morning when I heat them, or is the soaking water enough?

[JennyD]

I have a rice cooker with a timer -- I put steel cut oats and water in there at the ratio recommended on the container (I think it's 1:4, IIRC) and set the thing for the morning.

[bluemongoose]

Jenny-that is a great idea, but I dont have a rice maker:lol:

[Liz CA]

momofthefunone, is that just for 1 person?

 

Liz- what are these phytates, and is there a problem with not neutralizing them? Does heating the soaked oatmeal up on the stove top in the morning neutralize them?

 

Do I add additional water to the pot in the morning when I heat them, or is the soaking water enough?

 

Phytates are difficult to digest. Phytates occur in most every grain. Rice has the least of them so soaking rice is supposedly not so important. Soaking grains higher in phytates in a slightly acidic solution for approx. 12 hours will neutralize them. Similarly to soaking beans overnight. You leave the grains to soak at room temperature.

 

I always add a little more milk into the pot when I cook them in the morning unless I overdid the water and they are very moist.

[bluemongoose]

Ok...so should I add lemon juice or something to neutralize them since I cannot add milk?

[ChristusG]

I've been meaning to try the overnight oatmeal cooked in the crockpot that's here on this blog: http://mycharmingkids.net/2010/11/crockpot-oatmeal/

 

It looks yummy!

[Peela]

It is easy. Any amount of oatmeal and water is ok- I use about 1 part oatmeal to 2 parts water to soak overnight, and then often add another part of milk to cook the next morning.

I do it with lots of grains. I am doing it with chia seeds at the moment- soaking them overnight (along with raw cacao and sultanas) and in the morning I have a lovely soft chia porridge (I dont cook it either).

Also rice...whenever I remember, I just put the right amount of water on the rice, that I will cook with, and soak it overnight. SOmetimes even for several days- I soak for 12 hours then drain and rinse several times over the next couple of days- I have even had the rice sprout. Then I cook it- very healthy.

[dhudson]

Here's Alton Brown's Overnight Oatmeal Recipe:

 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/overnight-oatmeal-recipe/index.html

 

I use it several times a week. I think you could leave out the milk, I have unitentionally and it was still good.

[bluemongoose]

Wow! Sprouted rice...I have never even heard of that before!

 

And what is chia?

[MamaSheep]

I've been meaning to try the overnight oatmeal cooked in the crockpot that's here on this blog: http://mycharmingkids.net/2010/11/crockpot-oatmeal/

 

It looks yummy!

 

I make oatmeal in the crockpot fairly often here. I use a 1:4 oats to water ratio, but after reading her recipe that has 1:7 maybe I'll play with mine a little. It's very yummy.

[bluemongoose]

So last night I put out 1pt steel cut oats to 3 pts water and set on the counter. This was at about 7pm. Fast-forward to this morning 9am...honestly the oatmeal looked like I had just poured it in. It didnt look like it soaked up any water, and so I just went ahead and boiled it for about 15min. It turned out fine, but it didnt save me time.

 

What did I do wrong?

[Liz CA]

Ok...so should I add lemon juice or something to neutralize them since I cannot add milk?

 

Yes, that would work. After I came home, I looked into my book and found out you can also use a little vinegar since you want to stay away from anything dairy.

[Liz CA]

So last night I put out 1pt steel cut oats to 3 pts water and set on the counter. This was at about 7pm. Fast-forward to this morning 9am...honestly the oatmeal looked like I had just poured it in. It didnt look like it soaked up any water, and so I just went ahead and boiled it for about 15min. It turned out fine, but it didnt save me time.

 

What did I do wrong?

 

Steel cut oats may not look much different even though I remember that mine looked like they had absorbed a good amount of water. Perhaps you can try lukewarm water and stir it slightly, then let it sit overnight. If nothing else - if you added lemon juice or vinegar - you have neutralized the phytates!

[bluemongoose]

ok...I will try again with warm water next time. Oh and lemon juice or something. I didnt do that this time (are they going to get tummy aches?).

 

Thanks so much for your help!

[JadeOrchidSong]

Here's Alton Brown's Overnight Oatmeal Recipe:

 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/overnight-oatmeal-recipe/index.html

 

I use it several times a week. I think you could leave out the milk, I have unitentionally and it was still good.

I tried it once. It is too soupy and is very sweet, and I don't like the taste and texture of the figs because they lost their sweetness into the soup and are tasteless.

[JadeOrchidSong]

So is this only for steel cut oats or rolled oats too? I bought 25# of rolled oats and hope to find ways to cook it overnight.

[Liz CA]

So is this only for steel cut oats or rolled oats too? I bought 25# of rolled oats and hope to find ways to cook it overnight.

 

Any cut of oats will soak well. The steel cut ones are much smaller and harder though which is perhaps why bluemongoose could not see much of a difference in the morning. I've used both, steel cut and the "flakey" looking kind.

[MomOfOneFunOne]

Maybe there is a lack of consistency in labeling. I prefer steel-cut oats. I buy them in bulk at WF. They look like the rolled oats but are thicker. Then there are steel-cut oats in the can sometimes labeled at Scottish or Irish oats. These looks like chopped twigs to me but I like them. In the bulk section at WF they are labeled as oat groats. I think that when they are labeled Scottish Oats or Irish Oats they're yummy but when they're called oat groats . . . well, somehow they just don't taste as good. ;)

 

Sooo, when I say I like steel cut oats, I don't mean the twiggy looking ones, I mean the ones that look like rolled oats but say steel cut.

 

clear as mud?

[Gratia271]

We use the Irish oats too.

[KatieH]

I soak 1 cup oatmeal with 1 cup warm water and 2 tbsp milk kefir or whole milk yogurt, over night. Cook it in the morning with 1 cup water and 1 tsp salt, and eat it with a tbsp of pastured butter and real maple syrup. One of my favorite breakfasts!

[Liz CA]

Maybe there is a lack of consistency in labeling. I prefer steel-cut oats. I buy them in bulk at WF. They look like the rolled oats but are thicker. Then there are steel-cut oats in the can sometimes labeled at Scottish or Irish oats. These looks like chopped twigs to me but I like them. In the bulk section at WF they are labeled as oat groats. I think that when they are labeled Scottish Oats or Irish Oats they're yummy but when they're called oat groats . . . well, somehow they just don't taste as good. ;)

 

Sooo, when I say I like steel cut oats, I don't mean the twiggy looking ones, I mean the ones that look like rolled oats but say steel cut.

 

clear as mud?

 

Oh, I see. The steel cut I buy do look a lot like groats. I buy buckwheat groats and they do look similar. Perhaps it has to do more with Irish/Scottish Steel cut? I think that is what it says on my box from TJ's.