One of my rituals for this new year is to choose a word for the coming year. My word for 2011 is EXPERIMENT. To support my EXPERIMENTAL focus, I commit to post the results of a new experiment each Sunday of this year.
Almost 20 years ago I had my first experience with Outward Bound. I loved MOST of that first experience – except the oatmeal. We ate oatmeal every morning – for 14 days. I developed a very strong disappointment-that-grew-into-dislike of oatmeal.
So I tried it again. Before stepping into this experiment, I asked many of my oatmeal loving friends for input. I got the low-down on rolled-v- steel cut; sweet-v-savory; and more liquid-v-more solid camps.
I was ready. I knew I’d be going for the less savory, more solid options – ’cause, well because.
I tried the rolled oats first – adding some nuts, dried blueberries, a little honey and milk (remember my milk experiment?). They tasted like I remembered them – like glob with cool stuff in them.
THEN I discovered steel cut oats. I added the same goodies. And they worked this time. They had texture & flavor. They made me smile. They (almost) made me want to start growing oats and sharpening steel.
So I love my new breakfast option. I’m even branching out on what I add.
I love it when what I’m sure I hate turns into something I love.
What was it like, if this has ever happened to you?
Lisa’s Cheap Therapy blog 
Will have to experiment with this myself. I’m still using the little instant packets …I was able to convince my kids this was a great tasty breakfast. I’m suddenly realizing…not so great and tasty!! Poor kids! I’m going to give the steel cut try this week. I’ll let you know how that works for me!
Where does one find steel cut oats? All I’m able to find is Quaker Oats Old Fashioned.
I grew up with a mother who absolutely ABHORRED oatmeal due to childhood issues. (She beat the oatmeal pot with a hammer when my grandfather died and my grandmother moved into a new condo.) So, while I have tried oatmeal a time or two as an adult, my mom’s feelings enter in everytime. There are times when I can almost get past my mom’s past…and I’m thinking maybe, just maybe, steel cut oats that don’t glob may help! 🙂
LOVE steel cut oats. You can even cook them overnight in the crock pot and add whatever you want. They definitely put the globby kind in the shade! My kids still prefer cream of wheat–it’s a texture thing, I think. Oh well, more steel cut oatmeal for me! 😉
Lee & Ludi, lookin’ forward to hearing what you think about your steel cut experiements.
and THANKS for the crock pot tip, Alicia!
appreciate ya’ll chiming in. ever had any other experiences of hate turning to love?
You made the right choice! That doesn’t sound judgmental does it?
Steel cut, precisely because you can preserve the chewy texture, is my favorite – and I LOVE oatmeal.
To Judy, try a health food store. If you don’t have one nearby, try the health food section of your grocery store. They aren’t hard to find and you can pretty easily get them organically grown as well.
Adding chopped almonds, dried fruit, a little brown sugar or maple syrup and then just enough milk to make the creamy. That’s my favorite way.
I thought a lot about this one. Oysters. My mother made the best oyster stew, but all the oysters always had sand or shells in them! Yeccch, like eating a hand grenade, I never knew when a bite would blow up in my mouth. I started hating New Year’s because of the oyster stew that was di rigeur. When I moved to the Pacific Northwest I discovered oysters not in stew: pan fried, al pesto, rockefeller, on horseback, barbecued, etc. I have changed my oyster tune and joined the walrus for a stroll with the oysters.