Are You Making These Oatmeal Mistakes?
By Sara Butler
If you’re eating oatmeal in the morning in an effort to be healthier, then good for you! You’re taking a really important step to start your day by having this fiber-filled breakfast bowl. But, there are some pitfalls when it comes to oatmeal and a few mistakes that are easy to make when you’re getting your morning meal going. Here are some mistakes you might be making with your oatmeal.
Use Milk
Oatmeal is such a great breakfast because it will stick with you all morning, helping you to feel better and setting up a healthy appetite for the rest of your day. You need to use a protein to make your morning oatmeal, though. Many people use water, but you’d be better served by using milk. You can use dairy milk, almond milk or soy milk to make your morning oats. The important thing is just to add the protein to get you going in the morning and keep you feeling satisfied.
If you don’t want to use milk to make it, then add some source of protein to it. Some nuts, seeds or peanut butter can do the job too.
It’s All About Timing
If you use your microwave for morning oats, then you can skip to the next tip, but if you use the stovetop you need to read this. If you want your oatmeal to be creamy and not resemble the texture of paste, then you need to know when to add your oats. You should add the oats right after the liquid you’re using comes to a simmer. If you like chunkier oatmeal, then you should add them to the cold liquid then put them on the stove.
Don’t Skip the Salt
It’s unusual to read about adding salt to something, but no matter if you’re going for savory or sweet for your morning oats, you should add a pinch of salt. If you add it at the beginning of the cooking process then you’ll end up with a tasty, nutty and delicious bowl of oats. Don’t add it at the end – lest it tastes like you made it with salt water.
Stir It
The bubbles that form during the cooking of your oatmeal shouldn’t be allowed to get too big or you might end up with a sticky explosion. Stir your oats about every 45 seconds if you’re microwaving. If you’re using the stovetop method, just make sure to stir frequently. The stirring will help to release the starch and give your oatmeal a creamy texture. Who doesn’t love creamy oatmeal?