At the very top of the whole grain hierarchy are intact whole grains. Using intact grains to make your breakfast cereal is more nutritious and economical than what comes out of boxes and bags. Intact grains are grains that look very similar to how they looked when they were picked off the plant. They have not been cut or rolled, ground, flaked or puffed. They have nothing added and little, if anything, taken away. There are many ways of incorporating them into your diet, from breakfast to dinner. If you like rolled oats and steel cut oats, you will likely enjoy oat groats as well. Store cooked groats in the refrigerator and enjoy cold or heat up before eating. Lasts for about 5 days in the refrigerator.
Pressure Cooker
2 cups (500 ml) oat groats, rinsed and drained
3 1/2 cups (875 ml) water
1/4 tsp (1 ml) salt (or to taste), optional
Cook on high pressure for about 5-6 minutes.
Slow Cooker
2 cups (500 ml) oat groats, rinced and drained
6 cups (1.5 l) water
1/4 tsp (1 ml) salt (or to taste), optional
Place ingredients in slow cooker. Cook on low heat for about 6-8 hours. In the morning, add 1-2 cups (250-500 ml) of non-dairy milk to add creaminess, if desired.
Stove Top
2 cups (500 ml) oat groats, rinced and drained
6 cups (1.5 l) water
1/4 tsp (1 ml) salt (or to taste), optional
Method One
Bring water (and salt, if using) to boil. Add oat groats and simmer on low heat for 45-60 minutes or until liquid is gone.
Method Two (my favorite)
Bring water (and salt, if using) to boil. Add oat groats and simmer on low heat for about 10-15 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit for about 3 hours or overnight.
Variations
1. Vary the grains – you can use another grain such as kamut or spelt or mix in some other grain such as quinoa or amaranth.
2. Add nuts and/or seeds – add 1/4-1/2 cups (60-125 ml) hempseeds, chia seeds or other seeds after cooking.
3. Add dried fruits – add 1 cup (250 ml) of dried chopped prunes, apricots, nectarines, peaches, apples, raisins or other dried fruit. It can be add at the end of cooking or at the beginning (pressure cooker), about 20 minutes before eating (slow cooker or stove top) or right after boiling (stove top method two).
4. Add fresh fruits – sliced bananas, grated or diced apples, berries, peaches and other chopped fruit are excellent additions. Apples are great cooked with the cereal.
5. Add spices and flavorings – add any desired seasonings vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, etc.