Secrets of cooking oatmeal with milk

Porridge with milk is the most common type of breakfast, which has not lost its relevance for centuries.Despite its external unattractiveness, oatmeal is rich in nutrients, gives a charge of vivacity and a feeling of satiety before dinner, and recipes for its preparation are many. Therefore, every breakfast with porridge can be original and tasty every day.

The recipes for oatmeal are varied and very colorful. This is due to the universality of this type of breakfast, its prevalence in many countries of the world and the speed of preparation. Oatmeal is ideal for children from an early age, active working people, retirees, supporters of all types of food: vegetarians, vegans, proper diet, etc.

Oat grains are rich in vitamins B, E, macro- and microelements, contain amino acids. Oatmeal is a low-calorie dish, it contains complex fats and carbohydrates, which are split in the body for a long time, maintaining a feeling of satiety. People with diabetes, oatmeal will help maintain proper blood sugar levels.

Depending on the structure of the ingredient (grains, flakes of various processing), recipes and especially the preparation time will differ, but there are general rules for making viscous porridge.

• Saucepan with thick walls and bottom with a tight-fitting lid. For cooking porridge is best suited thick-walled aluminum or non-stick coated pan. They retain heat well and make it possible for porridge to infuse and not cool for a long time ceramic pots or pots, titanium and granite pots that can be put on an open fire.
• The size of the pan should be with a margin. Porridge tends to swell and increase from the original volume by 1.5-2 times (the volume of increase depends on the ingredient: grains, flakes, Extra flakes, etc.).
• Preparation of cereals for cooking. No matter how well the grains are ground and the flakes are cleaned, before cooking it is necessary to rinse the grits under running water.
• To porridge cooked faster and not burned, it is better to pour the cereal at night or for several hours.
• Before starting cooking, it is better to grease the bottom of the pan with butter or olive oil so that the croup does not burn, you should also lubricate the edges of the pan so that the milk foam does not run to the stove.

• Do not cook porridge immediately on pure milk. On it, it will stew much longer, and the milk will lose its rich aroma and taste. It is better to cook the right amount of cereal in a small amount of water until half cooked, and then add boiled or pasteurized milk to the desired consistency.
• The ratio of proportions and consistency of the finished porridge. Oatmeal has a viscous consistency and, as a rule, is boiled in the ratio of 1 to 2 proportions, i.e. 2 glasses of liquid is taken for 1 cup of cereal. The longer the porridge is in the finished form, the thicker it becomes, this factor must also be taken into account. If a family prefers a porridge with a liquid consistency for breakfast, then you can add 200-250 g of cereals to one liter of liquid (milk and water).
• In the process of cooking the porridge must constantly stir, not forgetting to remove the foam from the milk. If she stays in porridge, she will turn into a lump, which will fall into a portion plate.
• After the allotted time of cooking, the porridge must be allowed to infuse, swell and absorb all tastes and aromas. To do this, you can leave the pan simply on a hot stove, but it is better to wrap in a blanket and let stand for 5-10 minutes.
• Add spices and oil at the end of cooking. In each serving plate you can put a piece of butter, so the taste will be even more saturated, and the breakfast is nutritious.

On the shelves of shops today presents a lot of oatmeal of varying degrees of processing, which determines the time of their preparation. The classical or traditional method of cooking milk oatmeal involves the use of whole grains for cooking, and not the “Hercules” common to many flakes. It is whole grains that contain the greatest amount of nutrients and trace elements.

To make the oatmeal tasty and nutritious according to the classic recipe, let us consider step by step how to cook oat grains for breakfast correctly.

• Preparation of ingredients. It is necessary to take 1 cup of whole grains, 2 cups of milk, salt on the tip of a knife, sugar to taste, 30-50 g of butter.
• Before cooking, grits should be thoroughly washed and the transparent shells removed from the grain. Enough to fill the grains with cold water and these shells, as well as small debris float up, after which they can be easily drained.
• To reduce the cooking time, it is better to pour the grains with cold water and leave overnight in a cool place. After swelling, oat grains will cook twice as fast.
• At the bottom of the pot you should definitely pour a small amount of water so that the milk does not stick to the bottom and let the water boil. Then pour 2 cups of milk. On medium heat, stirring occasionally, bring the milk to a boil.

• Add salt to the boiling milk on the tip of the knife and add the grits, reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes, stirring constantly. Sugar is better to add at the end of cooking.
• A foam will be collected on the surface of the milk during cooking, which should be collected with a spoon and removed from the pan;
• After 15 minutes, remove the pan from the heat and cover tightly with the lid, even if it seems that the grains have not boiled soft enough. To brew and reach readiness, porridge needs another 5-10 minutes. For better thermal effect, you can wrap the pot in a blanket.
• After 5 minutes, add some of the oil and let stand for another 10 minutes.
• Hot porridge laid out in a la carte plates. In each, you can optionally add a small piece of butter.

The consistency of classic oatmeal on milk is viscous and viscous. Whole grain cereal for breakfast will give a boost of energy and a feeling of satiety before lunch.

According to the traditional English recipe, oatmeal is boiled in water at a ratio of 1 cup whole grains to 1.5 cups water, as well as in the above classic recipe. But boiled warm milk is added to a portioned deep plate, and sometimes even sour cream. Often English oatmeal is eaten not sweet, but with the addition of spices: red or black pepper, paprika, basil, Italian dried herbs.

For those who adhere to the system of proper nutrition or diet, oatmeal with milk is well suited for breakfast.

Grains or flakes of oats act on the intestines of a person as a brush, cleansing it of harmful substances. Wholegrain oatmeal has a low glycemic index, which means it is suitable for people who follow a low-calorie diet, and at the same time replenish the required level of complex fats, carbohydrates. The long process of splitting grains allows you to maintain the required level of sugar in the blood, so this breakfast is suitable for patients with diabetes who, for health reasons, must follow a diet.

For a diet breakfast, you can choose whole grain cereals and oatmeal. The recipe for cooking diet porridge in milk is not significantly different from the classic, but has its own nuances.

• Choosing a grade of cereal: whole grain cereals are the most useful, since all the useful elements are stored in each grain, as well as they are nourishing, because they are split longer in the body. Flakes "Hercules" quickly boiled soft. Cereal of flakes consistency will be more uniform. The least useful for the qualitative composition of flakes "Extra" or instant porridge in portioned sachets. The upper hard layer is completely removed from them, along with part of the beneficial microelements, but such porridges can be cooked even without cooking.
• Proportions: 1 cup of cereals, 1.5 cups of milk, 1.5 cups of water. The consistency of dietary oatmeal is less viscous due to the use of more liquid. Milk is a fairly fat product, so for diet porridge it must be diluted with water in a ratio of 1 to 1;

• During the preparation of dietary breakfast should not add salt and sugar. If you need sweet porridge, you can add honey or sugar substitute to the portion plate.
• Dietary cooking time - 15-20 minutes, if “Hercules” flakes are used - 8-10 minutes, “Extra” flakes cook no more than 5 minutes.
• Instead of butter, it is better to add corn oil or extra virgin olive oil to the dietary dish. Vegetable oils should be added only to the pan, because in a serving plate this will not look appetizing enough.
• Oatmeal boiling until full readiness is not worth it, better let insist in a warm place. Honey, fresh fruits, dried fruits can be added to taste in portion plates to the dietary oatmeal.

Many nutritionists advise cooking porridge-scrub for the intestines without cooking. Oatmeal is poured overnight with non-fat milk or 1% kefir in a ratio of one to two in a glass or plastic container. Tightly closed and put in a cool place or refrigerator. In the morning, this porridge can be heated in a microwave or eat it cold.

A traditional breakfast of milk oatmeal can be quite varied and not get bored for years.

You can diversify oatmeal using not only different cooking recipes, but also methods: in a slow cooker, in a microwave oven, in a skillet.

Be sure to experiment with the consistency of porridge. According to its properties, oatmeal makes viscous porridge, but it is worth adding half a serving of liquid - oatmeal can be an interesting side dish for vegetable stew or omelette. When the ratio of cereal and milk is 1 to 3, you get a very liquid porridge, which resembles breakfast from childhood.

You can replace sugar with the help of honey or Urbech - this is a ground mass of apricot kernels or black cumin seeds. Thanks to the natural sweet additives, the beneficial properties of breakfast will increase significantly, and the taste will only improve.

Today, many refuse to use lactic products and replace cow or goat milk with products of plant origin. In this case, it is perfectly permissible to cook oatmeal on vegetable milk.

• Almond milk has a sweet creamy taste and is ideal for making breakfast cereal without sugar. Almond milk is rich in Omega-3, calcium, zinc, phosphorus. Almond milk on the shelves of supermarkets prepared from roasted almonds, and therefore lost some of the useful elements (folic acid, zinc). Therefore, it is better to prepare almond milk on your own from unroasted almonds.
• Coconut milk - the sweetest kind of lactose-free milk, which contains, in addition to a variety of useful trace elements, lauric acid. Lauric acid supports immunity and helps fight viruses. Despite the sweet taste, sugar and fructose in this type of milk is less than in other types of lactose-free products.
• Rice milk - a version of vegetable gluten-free and lactose-free milk, which is rich in beneficial trace elements (antioxidants, calcium, vitamins D and E). Rice milk is obtained from brown rice, which means it is rich in fiber and is ideal for dietary cereals.

There are other types of vegetable milk: oatmeal, pumpkin, cashew, etc. What kind of milk to choose depends on personal preferences and tastes, as well as what useful properties are necessary for the body.

If children do not like milk porridges, and adults are bored with the monotonous look and taste of a traditional breakfast, you can diversify traditional milk oatmeal with various additives.

• Dried fruits: dried apricots, raisins, prunes, kiwi and melon chips, dried banana or pineapple blend well and reveal the taste of oatmeal.
• Fresh fruits: banana, apple, peach, pear. The choice is limited only by personal preferences and seasonality of a particular fruit. Oatmeal with a banana or apple should be served immediately before consumption, because these fruits, reacting with oxygen, turn black and lose their appetizing attractiveness.
• Nuts: walnuts, cashews, peanuts, almonds, cedar. Walnut is a fairly fat product, so do not abuse these supplements, especially those who are on a diet.

In oatmeal, you can add one ingredient or mix. On the shelves of shops you can find instant milk oatmeal with dried fruits and nuts. Advantages of this product: fast preparation and ease of use. Such porridges can be used in the office or on the road, when there is no possibility to cook or not for this time.

There is no need to get involved in quick-cooking cereals, because, due to excessive grinding of the grains, the croup doesn’t practically retain its useful properties, and for long-term storage, each package contains a lot of sugar and preservatives.

How to cook porridge on milk, see the next video.