Falling in Love With Oatmeal

Oatmeal was also something I didn’t have too often growing up. But that was because what I had tried of it, my taste buds had adamantly opposed. It just seemed like unedible paste to me, even the super processed kid-friendly ones with all the apple/maple/chocolate additives in them. But now that I do love&appreciate all it has to offer, I can share with the world all I have learned.
I really wish I could find the point in time when my taste buds changed. College was a transition period where I started to try lots of new culinary delights (thank you MC), mostly of the non-healthy variety really, but it was post college life where I realized I finally now have a very small Do-Not-Eat (DNE) list. When I was a wee one, my DNE list was preeettttty long, I always tried to make sure I could serve my own food for dinner to ensure that the “gross stuff” (i.e. zucchini, asparagus, all forms of spinach, etc) was but a small portion of my, what I thought was an, oversized plate. I figured that my tastes would never change but I was wrong on so many levels.
Besides time, I think one of the ways I was able to broaden my food horizons was by trying out different versions of a food. I realized that just because I didn’t like something early on (“no Mom I’ve tried that, I know I don’t like it”) didn’t mean my aversion was based on every recipe that contained one of my DNE foods. It was after that lightbulb moment, which was a slow switch to ON, I started to try out and really appreciate healthier foods that I pushed away as a kid. A lot of the recipes that I seem really excited about on this blog are, for the most part, things that I am (re)discovering.
So let’s discover what is so great about oatmeal for breakfast:

 

 (Currently featured, my breakfast, 3/4 cup of Whole Foods Organic Quick Oats, 1 1/2 cup of Silk Pure Almond milk, sprinkle of cinnamon and 1 banana)

Nutritional Benefits to Oatmeal

• Oatmeal falls into the friendly whole grain category which have PROVENto reduce the risk of many chronic diseases. Here are some of a few notables:
  • stroke risk reduced 30-36%
  • type 2 diabetes risk reduced 21-30%
  • heart disease risk reduced 25-28%
• Whole grains can also decrease your blood pressure

Different kinds of Oats (and should always be organic!)

• Steel Cut Oats – Although these take the longest to cook, there are nutritional advantages to use them for your oatmeal (benefits for your health). They are richer in flavor and bigger because they are basically the original whole grain cut into pieces after the outer husk is removed, but they still contain bran which makes these oats super chewy. They are chopped up by steel blades, hence the name.
• Rolled Oats – These oats have the bran removed to allow for easier chomping. They are slightly less nutritious but are much easier to cook and are still a great option.
• Quick Oats – Thin flakes of rolled oats that are extra rolled & flattened so you can cook your b-fast faster. These have the least nutritional value but are still a great source of thiamine, iron & fiber.

And oatmeal isn’t the only way to get your fix’o’oats, there is always home-made granola or chocolate chip cookies!

Sources:
The Whole Grain Council
Steal Cut Vs. Rolled