Food Friday: Oatmeal: Warmth in a bowl

(Photo courtesy of Quaker Oats)

Oatmeal is the new breakfast of champions. Even fast food restaurants Burger King and McDonald’s have added oatmeal to their list of breakfast offerings.

Oatmeal has come a long way from the pasty mush that I used to eat as a kid, and researchers have found that oatmeal is packed with health benefits. Oats are a good source of fiber and nutrients, including vitamin E, zinc, selenium, copper, iron, manganese and magnesium. They’re also are a good source of protein.

Most oatmeal is made from whole oats that have been rolled and flattened into flakes. Steel-cut oats, which are whole oats cut into thirds, have become a trendy form of the old staple. My friend eats them before working out at the gym; she says they give her energy.

According to the American Cancer Society, the insoluble fiber found in oatmeal has cancer-fighting properties. And the soluble fiber may reduce the bad kind of cholesterol.

Oat consumption in the United States has grown by 5 percent each year since 1997, when the Food and Drug Administration first issued its health claim for oat-based foods, according to the North American Milling Association.

With all that going for it, how can you resist a bowl of hot, steaming oatmeal?

This recipe from Penn State Cooperative Extension is bound to hit the spot. Mix the ingredients in a slow cooker at night, and when you wake up the next morning, breakfast will be ready. How great is that?

Overnight oatmeal

1 cup steel-cut oats
1 cup raisins, cranberries or dried fruit of choice
4 cups water
½ cup milk, half-and-half or buttermilk
2 tablespoons cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
2 tablespoons maple syrup

In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients. Cook on low heat, covered, for 7 to 9 hours. Stir and serve.

For non-dairy oatmeal, try adding applesauce, apple butter or almond butter instead of a dairy product.