Haha yes, judging from the cheesy pun, you know this post is about oats. 😛

Oats have not really been a favorite in our family because I grew up thinking that oats were bland and boring. But I thought it was time I introduce variety into our breakfast table instead of the usual milk, cereal and bread. After studying a little about oats and experimenting with some recipe, I was delighted that oats do not have to be on the breakfast table only, it could very well make a main course, even dessert!

Today I will introduce 3 simple and fool-proof recipes. But before that, have you ever wonder what’s the difference between the various types of oats or oatmeal in the market?

Captain Oats comes in 3 different types:

Rolled Oats: Also known as Traditional Oats. They are able to absorb more liquid, and hold their shape relatively well during cooking, has a chewier texture and nutty taste.

Quick Cook Oatmeal: Quick Cook Oats are the same as our Traditional Oats but they have been cut finer and rolled thinner. This makes them quicker to cook.

Instant Oatmeal: Instant oats are the most processed of the three oat varieties. They are pre-cooked, you just need to add hot water and stir!

 

What are some of the benefits of consuming oats?

  1. Oatmeal has a lower glycemic index (GI) compared to rice, releasing energy you need throughout the day.
  2. Oats contain high amounts of dietary fibre which improves gut health and prevents constipation.
  3. It is high in whole grains, which contain the entire grain – bran, germ and endosperm which packs in nutrients such as B-vitamins, iron and dietary fibre.
  4. Oats are also source of Beta-Glucan is a form of soluble fibre found in oats which helps to reduce the amount of LDL (”Bad”) cholesterol. This aids in reducing heart related health issues.

(source: http://www.mycaptainoats.com/)

 

So today I am sharing 3 recipes that I have tried, using all 3 different types of oats from Captain Oats.

1. Happy Sundae Bowl (Instant Oatmeal)

^^

This one is sooooo easy! I made this for Junya as breakfast before his school time. To cook Instant Oatmeal, you will need a cup of oats, and a cup of water.

Mix both in a heat-resistant bowl, and then pop it into the microwave for 1.5 minutes.

And then you have a bowl of cooked oatmeal. A life-saver when you run out of time to fix a proper meal for your kids! I add a small cup of chilled milk for a creamy texture and better flavor.

It’s all fluffed up and ready to serve! … well not yet 😛 We have to add all our kiddo’s favorite toppings.

For me I have banana, dark chocolate bar (with probiotics) and roasted mixed nuts.

It looks super good now but if you want to give it some extra colors, feel free to sprinkle some sugar strands and a cherry for the happy holiday feel!

(To be honest I never liked pickled cherry because it has this artificial taste to it, but this K&K red cherry I got from Meidiya actually tastes quite pleasant!)

Now you have a bowl of Instagenic Sundae Bowl.

^^

Sakura Oatmeal Porridge (Quick Cook Oatmeal)

Pretty in pink!

This is a super simple recipe for the baby, inspired by all the spring-theme meals I have seen in Japan lately. You will need: pickled cherry blossom petals, baby dashi (you can replace it with chicken stock or any other baby-friendly stock you have!) and half cup of Quick Cook Oatmeal and water, that’s all!

First you wash away the salt on the petals thoroughly (I use about 6 petals for the base and one for deco), and soak it for 10 minutes to minimize the salty taste.

Boil the water with a spoon of baby dashi, and add in chopped petals.

Add in Quick Cook oatmeal and let it simmer for about 3 minutes.

And it’s ready to serve! How does it taste like? It has a distinct scent of the cherry blossom leaf that resembles a sakura-mochi, with a savoury mild dashi flavor, very filling for the small tummy!

It was actually Sakura’s first time having oatmeal, I wasn’t sure how she likes it since she has quite a strong preference on food textures.

But she finished the whole bowl!!! I’m so happy that she likes oatmeal, it looks like now I have more recipe to play with when it comes to #lunchforsakura!

 

Mushroom, Sausage and Spinach Risotto (Rolled Oats)

I always have the impression of oatmeal being sweet with fruits or honey/syrup in it, so I decided to do it a little differently. Perhaps something savoury?  I love risotto and I thought, why not turn rolled oats into a risotto, since they have similar texture?

Ingredients: spinach, brown mushroom, sausages, parmesan cheese, and a cup of Rolled Oats. You can use your favorite soup stock (chicken/seafood).

First, sautee the sausage and mushroom with olive oil. (I use the spray type so it’s calorie-saving.) Add spinach and the rolled oats, then pour in half a cup of hot stock.

I cover the pan with a lid and let it simmer. Unlike the traditional arborio rice, I find it so much easier to cook with rolled oats as it only takes about 5-8 minutes and you don’t have to keep watching and stirring it constantly! Add in parmesan cheese right before serving for a creamy texture.

I prefer a slightly al-dente texture so I served it after 5 minutes of cooking. Sprinkle parsley and extra parmesan cheese.

To my surprise, guess what I think it tasted like? It actually has an uncanny resemblance to pasta!! It tasted like very mini Conchiglie (shell pasta), actually I think it would blend perfectly with meat sauce too!! Keeping note for next recipe. 😛

That’s all for today, I am very happy to have added these recipes to my repertoire, hopefully I can discover more creative cooking ideas through Captain Oats!

You can go to Captain Oat’s website for more info. They also have a wide range of recipes for your reference! ^^

FB Link: facebook.com/captainoats

Website: http://www.mycaptainoats.com/

 

 

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