Oats / Porridge / Soaked or not soaked

Jjjjjjjjbarry · 24-11-2019 1:36pm #1

I have porridge every morning. I just put the oats in a bowl and add hot water, give it a mix and add maple syrup or whatever then.

Is this an unhealthy way to eat it? I've googled this and get mixed results. Is there a reason why people soak the oats other than for taste? Some say soaking the removes the bad side affects but what are they?I now prefer the way I eat them and don't like the mushy paste of cooked porridge as much.

Just don't know if I am doing damage or not. I don;' feel like I am so what's the deal with the soakage!!

the beer revolu · 24-11-2019 1:43pm

Porridge oats are already cooked.
Enjoy your porridge.

Tree · 24-11-2019 1:44pm

Soaking is a mix of texture and speeding up cooking time. Looks like you don't need either, so rock on!

(I however like porridge cooked soft in milk, so where I remember to soak, I do, otherwise I stir stir stir)

Fritzbox · 24-11-2019 1:58pm

Jjjjjjjjbarry wrote: »

I have porridge every morning. I just put the oats in a bowl and add hot water, give it a mix and add maple syrup or whatever then.

That's a very strange way to prepare porridge, I'd say. Can't be good for the digestion?
Normally porridge is cooked in a saucepan, brought to the boil, let it simmer for a minute then take it off the hob and let it stand for a few minutes? That's how I did it a few hours ago.

Here's how Jamie does it:

Graces7 · 24-11-2019 3:09pm

Jjjjjjjjbarry wrote: »

I have porridge every morning. I just put the oats in a bowl and add hot water, give it a mix and add maple syrup or whatever then.

Is this an unhealthy way to eat it? I've googled this and get mixed results. Is there a reason why people soak the oats other than for taste? Some say soaking the removes the bad side affects but what are they?I now prefer the way I eat them and don't like the mushy paste of cooked porridge as much.

Just don't know if I am doing damage or not. I don;' feel like I am so what's the deal with the soakage!!

That is fine. I often add a handful of oats to cereal with cold milk for a varied texture. Never heard of side effects from porridge. You like this as I do so carry on.

Rodin · 24-11-2019 3:11pm

Milk.
Microwave.

whiskeyman · 24-11-2019 5:15pm

Rodin wrote: »

Milk.
Microwave.

That's how I do it also.
Just add lots of toppings after.

I know people who boil the hell out of it, then let it cool and eat it.
It's more like wallpaper paste then!

NIMAN · 24-11-2019 5:16pm

Soak it overnight, microwave in the morning.

FishOnABike · 24-11-2019 8:08pm

One part porridge, two parts water, two and a half minutes in the microwave, add a little milk to cool and eat.

tangy · 24-11-2019 8:36pm

the beer revolu wrote: »

Porridge oats are already cooked.
<snip>

Realy?

Royal Legend · 24-11-2019 8:40pm

Porridge is a slow release sugar food, if you just add water hot or cold to dry flakes and eat, it becomes an even slower release, so the effect lasts longer, ideal for a long cycle/run afaik

the beer revolu · 24-11-2019 10:25pm

tangy wrote: »

Realy?

Yes, steam cooked as far as I know.

Meusli is usually packed with porridge oats.

Graces7 · 25-11-2019 8:38am

Personal variations on a theme.... always good to see.

Does anyone use pinhead oatmeal? Or barley flakes?

phormium · 25-11-2019 8:58am

Yes rolled oats are steam cooked and the difference between the 'instant' type ones and ordinary ones is how much they are cooked. The instant ones are steamed longer and I think rolled even flatter so they are instant.

Saw a recent episode of Inside the Factory with Greg Wallace which covered the production of porridge oats

Very interesting it was too!

Stratvs · 25-11-2019 9:21am

Rodin wrote: »

Milk.
Microwave.

Soak in milk overnight, microwave, add blueberries & honey.

Jjjjjjjjbarry · 25-11-2019 11:03am

Thanks All. So looks like I'm doing no damage by just eating them as I do. I started this way as one day in work, the microwave was broken and it just stuck. I figured it's surely healthier not to to microwave my food and then got used to the taste... much chewier and nicer I think!

I still don't get the soaking part.... all that effort to save a minute in cooking time? Surely the taste isn't that much different. Nice idea to put more effort into your food though I suppose and when I'm retired, I shall soak porridge oats in my country kitchen

cruizer101 · 25-11-2019 11:14am

I don't cook them at all don't like the smell or texture.
Porridge oats, handful of cheerios, cold milk, natural yogurt, bit of honey job done. (If I'm feeling fancy I might even put a bit of fruit in)

notfromhere · 25-11-2019 11:23am

Same as that,Soak overnight in milk and yogurt, Then in the morning add Banana,granola, blueberries. I never cook it at all.

twignme · 25-11-2019 2:09pm

Graces7 wrote: »

Personal variations on a theme.... always good to see. Does anyone use pinhead oatmeal? Or barley flakes?

I use the pinhead oats, but I cook them in my pressure cooker in the morning. I can make them as nutty and chewy as I like or slightly softer but they are quick and easy that way.

tangy · 26-11-2019 1:53pm

the beer revolu wrote: »

Yes, steam cooked as far as I know.

Meusli is usually packed with porridge oats.

phormium wrote: »

Yes rolled oats are steam cooked and the difference between the 'instant' type ones and ordinary ones is how much they are cooked. The instant ones are steamed longer and I think rolled even flatter so they are instant.

Saw a recent episode of Inside the Factory with Greg Wallace which covered the production of porridge oats Very interesting it was too!

Thanks both. Live and learn I just thought rolled oats were - well - rolled

Graces7 · 11-12-2019 4:08pm

twignme wrote: »

I use the pinhead oats, but I cook them in my pressure cooker in the morning. I can make them as nutty and chewy as I like or slightly softer but they are quick and easy that way.

Or leave them to soak overnight...

twignme · 11-12-2019 10:02pm

Graces7 wrote: »

Or leave them to soak overnight...

I don’t know what I want for breakfast until I get up in the morning

And even if I did know and soaked them, I would still have to spend time standing there stirring away for more time than I have to spare. Pinhead oats aren’t a quick fix, soaked or not.

NIMAN · 11-12-2019 10:06pm

On the subject of oats, is there any difference in quality in them?

There is a massive difference in price between say the cheapo Lidl ones, and organic ones.

Its not like they are a food with great taste.

Jjjjjjjjbarry · 11-12-2019 10:21pm

I always try go for the organic rolled or jumbo ones. I figure it's better to avoid the chemicals and the rolled ones are usually the jumbo ones and I think taste better the way I eat them raw with boiling water over then. The smaller 'milled' type ones don't taste as nice raw.

Tesco due a really cheap bag of organic ones actually and the Kavanaghs in Aldi are cheap enough too.

Graces7 · 12-12-2019 8:07am

twignme wrote: »

I don’t know what I want for breakfast until I get up in the morning
And even if I did know and soaked them, I would still have to spend time standing there stirring away for more time than I have to spare. Pinhead oats aren’t a quick fix, soaked or not.

Oh ok. The thought of a pressure cooker early even if I had one! :eek:

each to their own.. lol

NB they microwave fast and well

dastardly00 · 12-12-2019 8:19am

Graces7 wrote: »

Personal variations on a theme.... always good to see. Does anyone use pinhead oatmeal? Or barley flakes?

I often use pinhead oatmeal. I cook them overnight in a slow cooker on a very low heat... absolutely delicious.

Here's a couple of recipes:
https://www.intelligenteating.org/healthy-diet-recipes/slow-cooker-porridge

https://food52.com/recipes/3062-overnight-steel-cut-oats-with-almond-butter-honey

pigtail33 · 12-12-2019 10:49am

Jjjjjjjjbarry wrote: »

Tesco due a really cheap bag of organic ones actually and the Kavanaghs in Aldi are cheap enough too.

I tried the Tesco Organic ones, but no matter how long I microwaved them for, they would not fully soften. Maybe cooking them over the hob would help, but a microwave is all I have in work.

Flahavan's Organic Jumbo Oats for me, one of the more expensive at €2.75 a kg, but I get approx 20 portions out of that, so 14c for a meal is still pretty cheap! And no other oats get as creamy IMO. I soak them for 20 mins or so while catching up on e-mails.

phormium · 12-12-2019 6:22pm

I buy the cheap Dunnes bags for using to make brown bread but if I want oats to actually eat as porridge I pick one of the better quality ones, when you have both beside each other you can see the cheap ones have a lot of smaller pieces and more dust for want of a better description. Doesn't really matter in the bread when mixed with brown flour but big difference texture wise for straightforward eating.

caviardreams · 12-12-2019 8:36pm

pigtail33 wrote: »

I tried the Tesco Organic ones, but no matter how long I microwaved them for, they would not fully soften. Maybe cooking them over the hob would help, but a microwave is all I have in work.
.

I find this too but I LOVE the chunkier texture - it's unlike most of the other jumbo oats imo. I'm weird, I know

Jjjjjjjjbarry · 13-12-2019 1:48pm

I like the chunkier chewy texture too. You should all try my no cook method! Just pour the almost boiling water over the oats and stir it in and let it soak in for a minute. Doesn't look as nice and creamy but once you top with something it looks well and tastes better.
I find the small dusty oats don't taste anywhere as near as nice as they big jumbo ones though as they are designed for cooking.

Jellybaby1 · 13-12-2019 11:07pm

My microwave is ancient so have had to change from a quick 4 minute zap to 2 minutes, then leave for 5 minutes, stir well and then zap again for another 2 minutes. This works best for me at the moment. Mix porridge with a teaspoon of honey and a couple of tablespoons of ground flaxseed and I have it with a cup of warm water for brekkie.

Planet X · 14-12-2019 4:53pm

the beer revolu wrote: »

Porridge oats are already cooked.
Enjoy your porridge.

"Flahavan's".......cooked twice apparently.

rubadub · 15-12-2019 8:43pm

the beer revolu wrote: »

Meusli is usually packed with porridge oats.

I used to add it to muesli to "dilute" it, as most is way too sugary.

It can be microwaved on low/defrost for a longer time and you might not need to stir as the heating is more gentle and has time for the heat to conduct throughout.

Oats / Porridge / Soaked or not soaked

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