I like the steel cut oats, much better flavor than rolled oats or instant, but they take forever to cook and I rarely do them from scratch in the morning. Here's a trick to save on the time spent:

The night before, measure the oats, butter, sweetener and other additives into a small thermos bottle. (Wide mouth is best). Pour into the thermos the appropriate amount of boiling water, stir it up, close the thermos, put it on the counter and go to bed.

In the morning, open the thermos and stir it up, add milk if desired, and eat. If you need them warmer, spoon them into a bowl and microwave them briefly.

You'll need to experiment to find exactly how you like them, but this technique sure saves time in the morning.

I love oatmeal! My Grandma used to call it Nature's Broom! It is such a comfort food for me and I eat it regularly. I always make it with 1/2 milk, 1/2 water, throw in a handful of raisins, a bit of cinnamon and top it with cinnamon and cardomom. Let it rest about 5 minutes before eating. It is delicious!

Another way to enjoy oatmeal is to heat ut the milk you'll be using to pour on the cereal once it's cooked. Divine!

Another tasty idea I learned from my stepmom especially if you can't have sugar, is to add 1 mashed banana to the finished product and let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving. You get the sweet taste without the sugar.

Grainlady, love the idea of fried oatmeal, have you tried it and is it tasty? Would you take it as a snack for work, or is it better hot?

Catherine

My favorite way to eat oatmeal:

1/3 C. old fashioned oatmeal
2/3 C. water

Microwave for 3 minutes until bubbly.

Add frozen blueberries, sugar-free maple syrup and a dash of cinnamon. If desired, add sliced almonds.

Kari

ziporion - I like that - "Nature's Broom". I also add a tablespoon or two of flaxmeal to oatmeal, so that must be "Nature's Roto-Rooter".

Fried oatmeal is akin to pancakes/French toast and is better hot. I used to make it when I first got married (I associate fried oatmeal with our "poverty days" when hubby was in college). Be sure to keep the slices very thin or you have a crispy outside and a mushy inside. Hubby says the best "cooked oatmeal" I make is in the form of Oat Farls - an Irish scone (oatmeal, buttermilk, all-purpose flour, soda and salt).

Additional information on steel-cut oats-
Overnight, quick-cooking method:
Bring 4 c. water to a boil (salt optional) and turn off heat. Add 1 c. steel-cut oats (I also add 1 T. whey, kefir, buttermilk or yogurt to reduce the phytates found in whole grain). Place the lid on the pan and set aside until ready to cook. The next morning cook the oatmeal on low for 5-10 minutes (if you didn't add salt during the soaking, add it during the final cooking).

Interesting tidbit:
(Source: Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon & Mary G. Enig Ph.D.)

In Scotland it was the custom to prepare oatmeal in large batches and pour the cooked cereal into a drawer in the kitchen hutch or dresser! Squares of congealed oatmeal could then be cut out as needed and reheated by adding a little water. This process allowed the oatmeal to ferment a second time. [The first time the oatmeal fermented was when it was soaked for 7-12 hours, probably with whey in the soaking water, prior to cooking, much like the method described in the overnight quick-cooking method for steel-cut oats.]

Because oats contain more phytates than almost any other grain, soaking oats before preparation is important. The phytates are contained in the bran of the oat and can have a chelating or detoxifying effect. Frequent ingestion of unsoaked oats or oat bran can lead to mineral losses, allergies and irritation of the intestinal tract. That's why the overnight soak is important for people who consume oats frequently. When the "oat bran fad" came along in the 1980's, people innitially had such great results using oat bran; but because they didn't use a soaking method, it often resulted in mineral losses and intestinal problems, when consumed excessively.

-Grainlady

I never thought of toasting oatmeal or adding nuts and both sound so good. I love oatmeal and it is one of my favorite late night snacks.

I did find an interesting recipe for Cream of Rice w/rosewater. Although I would use Cream of Wheat, another of my favorites and I would add fresh fruit instead of the sugar.

Cream of Wheat and Rosewater (Mhallabiyyi)

1 cup cream of rice
7 cup skim milk
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon rose water

Combine cream of rice, milk and sugar in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture starts to thicken. Lower heat, and allow mixture to simmer until it attains the consistency of a cream filling.
Add rose water, turn heat up. Bring to a fast boil, and remove from heat immediately. Pour into bowl or individual serving bowls. Serve warm or cold. If desired, drizzle with honey and garnish with pistachios.
http://www.recipegoldmine.com/worldmideast/mideast57.html

Michelle

I love oatmeal but only with steel cut oats.

I had a real treat this morning, I had leftover Bananas Foster (don't know how that happened). I stirred the leftovers into the cooked oatmeal. WOW!

I ate almost an entire box of granola as a response to this thread! I just couldn't put it down. Darn hormones.

I remember fried oatmeal and fried cream of wheat from my childhood. We ate it with butter and cinnamon sugar or syrup. Fried oatmeal isn't as good as fried cream of wheat, imo.

I've never fried oatmeal, but Grandma used to fry slices of cornmeal mush, which were then rendered edible by copious amounts of butter and maple syrup.

I didn't like oatmeal when I was younger, but have learned to eat it and now I actually enjoy it. My favorite is with brown sugar and raisins, but I often stir in a handful of blueberries, chopped peaches, some walnuts or almonds, a drizzle of maple syrup, but not all at once. Whatever suits me that I have on hand can go into the oatmeal, it's bland enough that it can take nearly any flavor. Add a dash of cinnamon, some vanilla, Ashley even adds Hershey's chocolate syrup and a bit of peanut butter stirred in.

Annie

If you want really creamy oatmeal, don't heat the water, add the recommended amount of oats directly to cold water, then heat, stirring constantly. Add butter and cinnamon. Delicious.
Alberta

DELICIOUS BAKED OATMEAL (tastes like an oatmeal cookie)

It is made the night before you bake it!

1/3 c. butter
2 large eggs
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 & 1/2 t.baking powder
1 & 1/2 t. pure vanilla
1 t. nutmeg or cinnamon
1/4 t. salt
1 cup whole milk
2 T. whole milk
3 c. oatmeal (use regular or quick)

Melt the butter.
Grease your 1&1/2 qt. baking dish with butter, and drop in the eggs and beat them well.
Add the brown sugar, baking powder, vanilla, nutmeg and salt.
Mix very well until there are no lumps.
Whisk in the butter and both measures of the milk, then add the oats.
Mix in well and cover with wrap and refrigerate overnight.

PREHEAT oven to 350
Bake oatmeal uncovered for about 35-45 minutes, or until the oatmeal is set in the center.
Serve hot with warm milk or cream poured over.

This stores well in the fridg and you can just reheat it in the microwave.
Will serve about 6

This is the only way we make it now that we tried this method.

I love oatmeal and my favorite comes from the caf at work. It is very creamy and gluey. It would give Elmer's a run for the money! I wish I could make it like that at home. I've tried cooking it slowly overnight, but it's not the same. I add 1% milk and raisins to it, along with a pack of Equal. My BF mushes a banana into his.

All these recipes sound terrif.

I mean all the recipes except the Haggis. Gaaack.

Remember that skit on Sat Night Live with Chevy Chase -- something about haggis?

I wish I liked oatmeal more! Dr. Oz on Oprah said it is really good for you. By the time I make it so that I can eat it (butter and brown sugar), I ruin the health of it all! I am making that recipe tonight when I get home Lizzynola... THANK YOU! :o) Great ideas on dressing up such a bland food.

The haggis recipe was meant to amuse... ;-) Gaaaack, indeed!

Annie, too funny about Ashley and her PB and choc syrup in her oatmeal... you'll have to tell her she's got my daughter onto milkshakes in the morning with the peanut butter, choco syrup, banana combo! THanks! Maybe she'll take the jump and try the oatmeal combo!

Grainlady, thanks for the info... I usually only buy the old fashioned oats, but tonight I picked up some steel oats, which I plan to soak overnight in anticipation of a lovely breakfast tomorrow morning.

Lizzynola, that recipe sounds heavenly!

Vacuumfreak, isn't oatmeal supposed to actually lower cholesterol? I've heard it's really good for you, and for my own reasons I just eat it because it keeps me feeling full for the bulk of the morning (less likely to snack on other stuff too).

Catherine

What is the difference between Steel cut oats and regular and Irish Oats and good ol' Quaker Oats?

I'm going to check out TJs today and see what kind of Oatmeal they carry.

Kathleen, I checked out Amazon for the McCann's and there is even a cookbook for Oatmeal, "Cooking with Oats: Oat Bran, Oatmeal, and More".

Also for the Oatmeal obsessed, offered at Amazon a 50lb bag of Pinhead Oatmeal for $50!

It always makes me laugh when I see an innocent question generate such enthusiasm and interest. Who'd a thought!

Michelle

If you are a diabetic you have to be careful with oatmeal, it has a lot of carbs (27 grams), so eliminating sugar is of little consequence - 1 tsp sugar = 4 grams. I use Splenda Brown Sugar on my oatmeal, but I'm not diabetic. A bowl of oatmeal is 2 starch exchanges, 2 Tbs raisins is one fruit exchange.

I love it, eat it 3 or 4 times a week. I make mine with low carb milk, a huge handful of raisins, a tsp or so of cinnamon, nuke for 2 1/2 minutes, then a good stir and more milk.

I disagree with diabetics needing to "be careful with oatmeal". All carbohydrates count, but the Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load also need to be considered.

Steel-cut oats prepared as oatmeal has a Glycemic Index of 52 and Old-fashioned oats prepared as oatmeal has a GI of 49, so a 1/2 cup serving should NOT be a problem for diabetics.

Low GI foods have a rating of 55 and below, while high GI foods are 70 or more. Compare oatmeal to Corn Flakes (84), Grapenut Flakes (80), Rice Krispies (82), Rice Chex (89, or Total (76). The low-GI commercial cereals are All-bran with extra fiber (51), Bran Buds with Psyllium (45), Special K (54).

-Grainlady

Michelle, the oat groat (the oat with the hard inedible outer shell removed) is the start of all the oats.

For steel cut oats, the groats are just chopped into pieces so they are little chunks. Steel cut oats take longer to cook because the water and heat have to penetrate the chunk. And even after long cooking there is still some chewyness to the resulting porridge.

Apparently pinhead oats are the same as steel cut.

For rolled oats, the steamed groats are put through rollers that make them very flat. The flatter they are made, the faster they cook. I prefer the 5 minute kind because the faster cooking ones seem to make an oatmeal with less character.

One time I got part way into making Muesli and realized I didn't have enough rolled oats so I used steel cut. It turned out edible but it took a lot of chewing.

Here is a link that might be useful: pictures of oats in various forms

Grainlady, could you share your oatmeal farl (scone) recipe? I use the following recipe about every week for my husband's breakfast. The scones are good, but I think I'd prefer a less sweet version. Thanks!

Sue

Starbucks Orange Oatmeal Scones

2 1/2 C. all purpose flour (I use 2 ¼ cups total)
2 C. oatmeal
1 C. sugar ( I use ¾ cup sugar)
1 t. salt
1 T. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 C. very cold unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
1 egg
1/2 C. orange juice
1/4 t. orange extract
1 C. raisins (I omit)

Glaze:
milk, sugar, orange zest (I omit)

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 425 F.

In a large bowl, place flour, oatmeal, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda and mix together. Cut or rub in butter to make a mealy mixture.

(I combine 1 cup of the oats & the other dry ingredients in the food processor; then process in the butter. In the meantime, I soak the other cup of oats in the orange juice)

Stir in egg, orange extract and orange juice. Mix to make a soft dough. (Dough is difficult to mix with spoon; press together with hands) Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead for a few minutes. (I don't really knead; just press everything together & shape)

Roll or pat out into a thickness of 1/2 inch. (I make a 7 inch round) Using a serrated cookie cutter, cut into disks, squares or rounds. (I cut into 8 wedges) Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar and orange zest. (I omit the topping; I just brush with cream) Bake until nicely browned  about 14 minutes.

shambo - Here's the recipe.... The original recipe came out of a magazine article on traditional Irish breads.

-Grainlady

OAT FARLS

2 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
1-1/4 to 2-1/2 c. buttermilk (I use homemade kefir.)
2-1/2 c. unsifted all-purpose flour
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda

1. Several hours or the night before, in large glass bowl, stir together oats and 1-1/4 c. buttermilk until combined. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let stand in a cool place overnight.

2. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease a baking sheet. [I use parchment paper.]

3. In medium-size bowl, stir together flour, salt, and baking soda. Gradually beat flour mixture into oat mixture to make dough. (Add more buttermilk, if necessary, to make the dough soft enough to shape.)

4. Shape dough [on a floured board] into a flattened 8" round, about 1" thick. With a sharp knife, cut dough into quarters. Place each quarter, or farl, onto a greased baking sheet. Bake 40 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire rack. To serve, break farls with fork or fingers and butter well.

[I divide the dough into 2 rounds - 1-inch thick - and cut them into eight farls (wedges). These are a realistic serving size - more like a biscuit size. I've also cut them with a shamrock cookie cutter for St. Patrick's Day Hooleys (party). Bake 20-25 minutes for the smaller farls. I split any leftovers, wrap in foil, and freeze. You can heat them (in the foil) in a toaster oven, or they are great toasted in a toaster oven.]

I make the McCann's instant oatmeal that comes in a box. It's whole grain, and has no sugar. I put about 1 1/2 cups of 1% milk and a pinch of salt in a saucepan along with 1/2 a cup of oatmeal. Bring to a boil and turn off the heat. Add 2 TBSP ground flax seed and let it sit for a few minutes until it thickens up. Then I add 1 TBSP of maple syrup, you really do need something to sweeten it a bit, use Splenda if you don't want to add a bit of sugar. I think the McCann's Irish oatmeal has a great texture and flavor. Cooking it in milk with a pinch of salt makes it more than palatable.

Well, I'm so disappointed to report back that the steel cut oats just didn't cut it for me. Maybe I'm just used to the consistency of the old fashioned, but I just didn't go for them. They were good, but not great. And to top it off, my stomach was rumbling at 10 this morning.

I'll give them a try occasionally, as I've read so many reports on how yummy they are, who knows maybe I'll become a convert.

Thanks again.

Catherine

I think I'm last but not least !!!!!

Annie: I,m with you and a few others. But I cheat a little.
Don't have time for all the fuss.

I use Instant Oatmeal w. Fruit. Bananna is my favorite.
I use milk instead of water. It's done in a minute.
If I use the plain Instant Oatmeal, I add some Cinnamon ,
butter and Pancake Syrup.

I'm going to make some Peaches and Cream instant right now.

Lou

I've posted this recipe elsewhere online but I'll post it again because I love it so much:

Oatmeal Pancakes

½ C. oatmeal, old fashioned oatmeal
1/2 C. egg substitute or 4 egg whites
1/3 C. low-fat or f-f cottage cheese
½ t. baking powder
pinch of salt
pinch of cinnamon

Blend in a blender or Magic Bullet. Cook on a griddle
like regular pancakes. Makes about 6 regular size pancakes.

Low-Carb Blueberry Syrup

½ C. sugar-free syrup
½ C. fresh or frozen blueberries

Microwave for approximately 2 minutes.

Yum, oatmeal! Oatmeal has always been a comfort food for me, but once I discovered this combination, I've had it every morning for the past 8 years. I use the Silver Palate oatmeal, (I think it's steel cut) cooked in milk (or almond milk), topped with 1/4 chopped Gala apple and 2 T. chopped pecans. the apple is so sweet, there is no sugar needed!

The secret to nutty tasting non-gluey oatmeal is to not stir it once you have added the oats to the milk. Stirring releases the gluten and then it's too gloppy. Just swirl the oatmeal around once to distribute it evenly in the pan and walk away!

Nicole

I never have time for steel cut oats like McCains, my can has been here for a year, so I usually do the quick cooking rolled oats. I like mine chewy, not gloopy and soft, so once the salted water is boiling I add the oats and immediately remove them from heat. Cover 5 minutes and they're done.

I use evaporated milk (or 1% evaporated), a little splenda or fresh or dried fruit.

i make mine in the micro. My oven is 1800 watts so adjust to suit your own oven.
I use non quick cooking oats
1/3 cup oatmeal
3/4 cups of water
pinch of salt and cook on half power for 4 minutes.
I use a heavy ironstone soup plate and eat it right out of the cooking dish.
It's cooked, no war taste and still has some bite to it. It's something to chew not just swallow.
It's awful raing cats and dogs and all I planned to do today involves outside, so I guess i will dink around with some flour and oatmeal, starter and a few bits of dried fruit and see what I get...
Linda C

Catharine, I think Ashley would put chocolate and peanut butter onto nearly anything. Those shakes, though, they're a lot more nutritious than most of the things kids eat for breakfast anymore, I think.

Yes, indeed, chocolate/peanut butter oatmeal. Who'd a thunk it? (Not me, that's for sure.)

Annie

Oatmeal Smoothie
1 cup milk (or soy milk)
1/2 c rolled oats
1 banana
14 frozen strawberries (or fresh but then I add ice cubes)
Mix together in blender or smoothie machine, optional to add 1/2 tsp vanilla and/or 1 1/2 tsp sugar

Grainlady: I don't think I like that Scot's custom!!!!!
Putting Oatmeal in Dresser Draws, Especially if my drawers are in there.
Did they call them Oatmeal Drawers ?????

I can see me telling someone " I've guat Oatmeel ein me
Dreawerrss " And they answer " any wunder yer scretching "

Oatmeal Farls ??? Is that spelled right ?

Annie:If you put some Spaghetti Sauce on the Cornmeal Mush,
You would have " Polenta " a staple in Northern Italy.

Lou

Another oatmeal lover. A nurse I know cooks hers overnight in a very small crockpot. I've tried without luck to find one. Anyone know where I might buy one?

I went to TJs and they had several varieties of Oatmeal, so I picked up the cheapest, plain steel cut brand. I just made a bowl and I like it! There is a bit more of a nutty flavor to the steel cut oats. Maybe I don't fully cook my Quaker brand but I don't see much difference between the texture of the steel cut and Quaker Oats.

pink, are you looking for a small slow cooker? I think they still sell the small ones, if not try Ebay. The problem with older slow cookers is that they rust on the outside. I know I just threw out my small slow cooker, still worked great but the outside was a bit rusty. But I've not used it in years so maybe it was where I stored it. But I would be careful with buying a used slow cooker.

Michelle

There is a small crockpot on Amazon - it calls itself a slow cooker so it doesn't come up with a search on mini-crockpot. It is shown as coming from Target so perhaps it is in their stores as well. I'm not familiar with the brand. Some of the Rival regular size crock pots come with a "bonus" mini-crockpot.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mini-slow cooker

I like oatmeal and since trying steel cut oats I like it even more. I think I ate a bowl of Old-fashioned Quaker oats almost every morning last winter. After reading all the coments I decided to try steel cut oats.Yum, with some brown sugar they are like having a dessert for breakfast.I usually cook enough so the following day I just need to warm the rest up and its still good.I used Bob's Red Mill brand.
Lois

Last week my doctor sent me a letter saying I need to lower my cholesterol, and so I thought adding oatmeal to my diet might help. I don't really like oatmeal, but I can force myself to eat granola with non-fat yogurt in the morning, which is what I did today. Yesterday I bought almond granola and rolled oats at the health food store (as well as some RYR pills), and I plan to try at least three of the recipe here, including oat pilaf (similar to what I do with grits), oatmeal smoothie, and oatmeal pancakes. I'll have to adjust some of the recipes because I have to omit sugar (can use a sub). I also have to eliminate butter, since that is bad for cholesterol, and so some suggestions here would not be useful to me.

The woman at the health food store said that any whole grain would be good for reducing cholesterol, but I bought the oatmeal anyway. I used to make my own granola, but I think I will try simply toasting the oats by themselves. I might try oatmeal again, but I don't like cinnamon or anything sweet with it, and so I probably won't like it. I always check granola when I buy it to make sure it does not contain cinnamon. I get sick at my stomach if I walk down a bread aisle and smell cinnamon, although I don't get the same effect with apple cinnamon. I guess it's just the combination of cinnamon and grains that I don't like.

Lars

Lars, you might try nutmeg to add some flavor instead of cinnamon.

I LOVE oatmeal (must be my scotish blood). Grandma had it for breakfast every morning, and now that she's retired, mom is following the trend. I don't eat it much in the summer, but a lot in the winter. Depends on what you don't like about it. For a lot of people it is the texture. I like the quick oats the best, I cannot abide by the instant, (pure paste), but the steel cut ones are just OK in my book.
Just a suggestion, but you can mix oats with other grains. Try bulgur wheat. I like that a lot as a breakfast cereal. I'll bet a mix of bulgur, quick oats and coarse ground cornmeal would be good.
I like to add fruit to my oatmeal, and warm milk. And yes, don't forget the salt, it is essential!
If it's the fiber you like, try oat bran muffins.

I found out yesterday that the granola I bought at the health food store has whey powder in it, and therefore I cannot eat it. What were they thinking!? I can eat yogurt, but whey powder, even a small amount in a cracker, will cause instant stomach problems. DB can't eat whey or whey powder either, and I wish they would leave it out of products.

Lars

minced crystallized ginger

Does anyone besides me like to cook steel cut oats in fruit juice instead of water or milk? I figure I'm sweetening and adding a partial serving of fruit. Cranberry juice makes them come out a very funky color, but it's really tasty.

I really like the minced crytalized ginger idea.

I put oatmeal into a morning smoothie for DS & me. The trick is to "grind" them dry in the blender first, then add the rest of the ingredients:

1/2 cup uncooked whole oats (not the quick cooking kind)
6-8 frozen strawberries
1 ripe banana
5 ice cubes
1 cup milk

I also throw in a small scoop of protein powder & a Splenda packet, but that's optional.

Put oatmeal into blender & pulse until powdery. Add the rest of the ingredients. Blend. (My blender's smoothie button has a 1 minute program of blending & pulsing.) Makes about 16 ounces.

What a fun thread. We eat oatmeal daily, (whole oats and/or steel cut only) loved it as a child and love it as an adult. DH puts butter, sugar and cream in his, I like mine with just a touch of sugar, but this thread has gotten me to thinking about all those blueberries I put up in the freezer ... :)

Only one way to make oatmeal palatable... add butter, eggs, sugar, maybe some raisins or nuts, roll into 1" balls and bake on a flat pan in a 350 degree oven.

Anything less is like eating glue. ;-)

grainlady, I didn't know about phytates in oatmeal; knew they were in wheat. If soaking gets them out, don't you need to drain off that water full of phytates and replace it with fresh?

For my whole childhood I was "made" to eat oatmeal and hated it. The glutinous quality always got me. My mom would put a big chunk of butter on there (double yuk), maybe some cinnamon, even jam she tried. Hated them all. When I found I liked Cream of Wheat (a little) I was allowed to switch to that; could only get that down with chocolate chips tossed on and allowed to melt. As an adult my brother switched to steel-cut oats but I don't care for those either. Then making oatmeal once for my Dad at my house I found out what the problem was: overcooking. Now I actually like it. I use regular oats and cook it in the microwave for 2 minutes a bowl, just so it's soft enough but hasn't started releasing the gluey stuff. Now I cook it with dried cranberries in it and add 2 T of ground flax seed. The flax seed adds a LOT to the flavor: to me it tastes sort of like ground almonds. Then top off with a scant half teaspoon of maple syrup: a little goes a long way; it has so much flavor that you barely notice that amount of sweetness.

Crumbled bacon. Brown sugar (or honey or apples & cinnamon) and crumbled bacon are divine in oatmeal.

Fortunately, I'm too lazy to cook bacon in the morning and too tired at night, so I almost never have that in my oatmeal anymore. I'm guessing bacon's not too good for the cholesterol...

We love oatmeal, extra thick...
I add a dash of salt, dried fruit (cherries, cranberries, etc) and a little wheat germ. Milk of course.

Linda

W have oatmeal every Saturday morning. I put everything in it but the kitchen sink. Dried or fruit fruit, raisins, crasins, nuts, brown sugar or honey or maple syrup. And I love it with 1/2 & 1/2 on the top. In Sctotland they put heavy cream and Scotch.

I use to buy McCain's steel cut oatmeal in the can. We would cook it over night in the crock pot. So creamy!!! I will have to get some and do that again.
Clare

I use old fashioned quaker oats. 1/2 cup and just enough water to cover, microwave for 1.5 min - as soon as it makes a bubble it's done. I add a spoonful of sugar or equal, a dash of cinnamon and spices, and handful of raisins before cooking. If I'm at work, I just put my oatmeal in a coffee cup and add the instant hot water from the coffee machine - let it sit for a minute and it's perfect! Other favorite add-ins: apple butter or apple sauce.

I like mine with some brown sugar and sliced banana or chopped apple, when I want to be decadent I add a small scoop of low-fat vanilla ice cream. I make mine like Jenathegreat, 1/2 cup (or more if I'm hungrier) old fashioned Quaker oats and just enough water to cover. Cook 1 to 1 1/2 minutes until bubbly around the edges. I got this recipe from a popular local restaurant. I have oatmeal there sometimes for breakfast (with the scoop of low-fat frozen yogurt, brown sugar and banana) and I was telling our favorite waitress how much I love their oatmeal. She said "Thanks, I made it!" and then told me how they do it. I can't believe how much better it tastes than if you follow the directions on the label!