 Steel Cut Oats
Steel cut oats (also called pinhead oats) are the least processed form of oats other than the unprocessed form that are called groats. Steel cut oats are produced by cutting the groat into pieces. The cutting of the oats produces a product that is less tough, absorbs water faster, and cooks faster. The most common form of oats in the USA is rolled oats that are produced by mashing the oats often with a heavy roller, thus the name rolled oats. The difference between old fashioned oats and quick oats is that the quick oats are rolled thin so that they will cook faster. There is more general information on oats on the johnberardi.com site if you are interested. The steel cut oat is an excellent example of the saying “what is old is new.” The history of the steel cut oat is very interesting. According to Patricia K. Friend of AllAboutIrish (http://www.allaboutirish.com) it got its start in Ireland, where it was actually popular before the potato. Celtic warriors took sheaths of oats into battle with them. The warriors would chop up the oats with a steel blade, add water and cook into oat cakes on a flat metal surface over a fire. The time has come for the revival of the steel cut. All forms of oats are good for your heart but the steel cut will make you feel full longer, is better for your digestive system, and tastes better compared to other types of oats. Steel cut oats are not mushy when cooked as rolled oats are. It is time consuming cooking steel cut oats on top of the stove, but don’t worry, today we have the microwave. Here is the fast and easy way of cooking one serving of steel cut oats in a microwave:
1/3 cup of steel cut oats
1 cup of water
If you would like to have excellent water for this recipe, I would suggest that you  Create bottled water for less than a PENNY per gallon. Put the oats and water in a deep, 2 ½ cup bowl and cook in a 900 watt microwave for 25 minutes at 30% power. If you use a bowl of this size or larger you don’t even have to cover it. That’s all there is to it. If you want two servings either in two deep, 2 ½ cup bowls or one larger deep bowl it is just as easy.
2/3 cup of steel cut oats
2 cups of water
Cook the two serving amount for 25 minutes at 50% in a 900 watt microwave. If your microwave is more or less powerful adjust the percent power accordingly. You can even do this before you go to bed and simply reheat to save time in the morning. Anyone can do this. You will probably want to sweeten with sugar or sweetener and add milk. Use your own imagination for mixing in fruit or whatever. Dried cherries, raisins with cinnamon, or currants with cinnamon are very good. You will also want to try these fabulous fried oat cakes. The only ingredients for this simple oat cake recipe are steel cut oats and cooking spray or butter. First cook the steel cuts in the microwave as described above and let cool. Remove the oats from the bowl in one piece and slice ¼ to ½ inch thick. Fry in a non-stick frying pan using cooking spray or butter to prevent sticking. Serve with honey, jelly, or syrup (use sugar free if you are trying to watch calories). If you want to take more time and do something fancy you can use steel cut oats to make Creme Brulee by a recipe developed by the Executive Chef of The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco. If you are willing to take the time to make your own oat bread, and I recommend that you do, there are excellent oat bread recipes for steel cut oats. This is Homer’s favorite steel cut oat recipe for bread (good!):
| 2 cups steel cut oats |
1 yeast cake or one package granulated yeast |
| 1 quart boiling water |
1 cup lukewarm water |
| 1 cup honey |
1 tablespoon sugar |
| 1 teaspoon salt |
Unbleached white flour |
| 1 large tablespoon vegetable oil |
|
Mix together first five ingredients and let cool. Add yeast dissolved in 1 cup lukewarm water with 1 tablespoon of sugar added. Add enough white flour so dough won’t stick to hands when kneading. Cover with towel and let rise until doubled. Place in three greased loaf pans. Cover with towel and let rise about 2 hours. Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees F. If you are allergic to honey use corn syrup or King Syrup instead. King Syrup is a very good substitute for honey in any baking recipe. This recipe has not been adapted to a bread machine yet, but another good honey oat bread machine bread recipe is available from the Nebraska State Fair archives that includes bread machine instructions. Enjoy your steel cut oats, one of the best healthy and tasty foods you could find anywhere. See Homer's Cooking Store for helpful items you may need for these recipes and many others. You can substitute Hi Maize that you will find there for 20 percent of the flour in any recipe including these and by doing so increase the fiber content very dramatically.
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Feature Article:
Orchard of Health – Natural Health Benefits from Everyday Fruit
By Andrew LaPointe
Eating healthy is fast becoming a way of life. Studies show American’s are living longer and enjoying more active lifestyles. Due to advances on food technology, we are only just beginning to discover the health secrets Mother Nature placed in simple everyday fruit.
Recent studies have indicated the phytonutrients found in fruit provide a whole host of natural health benefits: the anti-aging power of blueberries, the joint pain relieving properties of cherries and a whole host of powerful antioxidants in pomegranates. As daily consumption of fruit is fast being recognized as a vital component to maintaining a healthy body and enjoying an active lifestyle it makes sense to consume fruit on a daily basis. However, with hectic days and busy nights eating fruit everyday may not be easily achieved. The multitudes of health components found in fruit are truly a gift from Mother Nature. Here are a few everyday fruits for healthy living:
Cherries – The Supercharged Fruit:
Are cherries truly fruit for a healthy you? Recent studies have revealed that cherries offer an assortment of health benefits including the ability to offer natural relief from joint pain caused from gout, arthritis and joint inflammation. Many are choosing to drink cherry juice, eat cherries or consume tart cherry dietary supplements to enjoy the natural benefits of this tiny red fruit.
Linda L. Patterson is a living testimony of the soothing affects of cherries on her joint pain. “I enjoy crocheting and lately my hands have been so painful, I couldn’t crochet for more than about 30 minutes.”, says Patterson. In an attempt to find relief from her pain, a friend recommended Fruit Advantage Tart Cherry, (www.fruitadvantage.com) a dietary supplement made from red tart cherries. “Within the first week of taking the tart cherry capsules my hands felt so much better.”, says Ms. Patterson. “I am now able to crochet without the pain in my hands.”
Blueberries – Nature’s Top Antioxidant Fruit:
Blueberries emerged as the top antioxidant capacity fruit in a laboratory testing procedure called ORAC - Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity developed by the USDA*. ORAC has become the definitive measurement of antioxidant capacity.
James Joseph, Ph.D, Chief of the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging in Boston, is working with blueberries to examine their potential to help improve motor skills and reverse the short-term memory loss that comes with aging.
"The blueberry has emerged as a very powerful food in the aging battle," said Joseph. "Given the possibility that blueberries may reverse short-term memory loss and forestall other effects of aging, their potential may be very great."
Terry Johnson, a resident of Grand Rapids, Michigan, munchies on dried blueberries for the convenience and taste. “I work behind a computer for eight hours a day and I like to snack. I began eating dried blueberries instead of a candy bar from the vending machine. Now I feel good when I snack because I am eating fruit instead of candy.”
Strawberries:
Studies have shown that strawberries can help promote a healthy digestive system and may help lower cholesterol. A handful of strawberries can go a long way to a helping you maintain a healthy lifestyle.
The Michigan-based company Traverse Bay Farms (www.traversebayfarms.com) offers free shipping on all three pound orders of dried fruit including organic dried blueberries.
If you are interested in learning more about the natural health benefits behind simple everyday fruit, you can enjoy a relaxing stroll though the Orchard of Health (www.orchardofhealth.com) Orchard of Health is the Internet’s first directory devoted exclusively to the natural health benefits of everyday fruit.
To view an online heart healthy cookbook Click Here !
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