Raw oatmeal?

[Randolyn]

I have been reading that oatmeal is not really raw because it is steamed. Here at the McCanns site it seems to imply that their steel cut oats are not steamed? Leaving me to believe they are raw? Are they raw or is the wording just tricky?

http://www.mccanns.ie/pages/products1.html

[Rawkinlocs]

Oat groats are raw (far as I know) be they whole or steel cut. No, rolled oats from the store are not because they use heat/steam when they roll them. However, you can make your own rolled oats from oatgroats (whole or steel cut) by purchasing a grain flaker. They are normally sold for around $84 but you can get one from a site that is getting ready to discontinue them (IF they still have any) for $24!

If you're interested in something like that, do a quick search using the banana icon up top there and type in "grain flaker" and you should find a few threads on it that will have the link to that site as I don't have it on hand.

My family and I love ours as we can now have delicious oatmeal (raw, of course) and it tastes so much better than the oat "porridge" we used to make by simply soaking and blending the oat groats with honey or dates, fruit, etc.

[Minibean]

I think steel-cut oats are sometimes steamed, sometimes raw, like most things it probably depends on the brand. I saw those at the supermarket the other day and was actually going to e-mail them to find out - I'll let you know what they say. The website does give the impression that they are raw. :)

[Jodi]

Yes, they do still have the grain flaker. I just bought it yesterday for 24.00. The website is:

Villaware (http://www.villaware.com/)

Look at the bottom of the page and go to Outlet. It's in there...what a deal!



Jodi

[Halo Aglow]

Oooo! Thank you for this thread and all of your replies! I just finished ordering my Roller Flaker Mill from the site! That price is a steal compared to its original price.

[Rawkinlocs]

I just wanted to add how my family and I prepare our raw oatmeal because I've had a few to PM or ask in my journal how I make it.

I use either steel cut or whole oat groats - to me, steel cut gets softer faster. I roll them in the flaker on setting number 3. I usually run them through twice, but have found that even going through once with the steel cut ones is good enough...but with whole groats, twice is definitely better (going through the second time, you may find you need to kind of help them along with your finger - you'll know what I mean once you try it out).

Once the oats are rolled, I put into a bowl and add room temp (purified) water just to cover but you'll find your favorite amount to use. Allow to sit for at least 5 to 10 minutes but the longer, the softer they become.

I then add my sweetener which is usually honey or agave, sea salt to taste, cinnamon and sometimes I add chopped fruit such as raisins, apples, pears or bananas or sometimes a combo of two or more of them!

A tip: When I have it on hand, I also like to add about 1/2 tsp. of coconut oil (the Virgin De Coco brand that Alissa has on her site is the bomb compared to one other brand I've tried which was the NOW brand - yuck!) and that coconut oil coupled with the sea salt lends a "butter" flavor IMO.

One other way when you want your oatmeal warm is what PixieGreen does which is to either boil water and allow to cool until your pinky finger can comfortably sit in it OR just warm water on the stove until your pinky can tolerate it without burning it and use that. I'd think the amount of "sitting" time would be minimized when using warmer water.

Using almond (or other nut)milk in it is good too!

[sailaway]

Thanks so much for the site and the recipe, I just ordered 4 of them! 1 for me and the others for family that have started raw!

[Randolyn]

The recipe sounds great. :p I hope it is good without the oat machine thing? I may get one but seriously at this time I haven't even an idea what it does? I mean I read what it does and all I just don't understand it yet :confused:

[Rawkinlocs]

The recipe sounds great. :p I hope it is good without the oat machine thing? I may get one but seriously at this time I haven't even an idea what it does? I mean I read what it does and all I just don't understand it yet :confused:

Okay, imagine the rolled oats you buy at the store to make oatmeal with. They're all nice a flat-like. Well, oatgroats are not flat. They're kinda like rice grains in shape/size and they're hard.

The grain flaker, once you put the groats into the container up top rolls the groats into thin, flat flakes - just like rolled oats except without the heat/steam they use.

But you can do the same recipe with steel cut oats...you'd just need to soak them overnight and blend in a blender for more of an oat porridge rather than oatmeal. But it's still tasty, just not quite the same as oatmeal in texture.

[CAdreamer]

Why not try soaking the oat groats over night and then just roll them in the morning when you're ready for breakfast ?

[Rawkinlocs]

Why not try soaking the oat groats over night and then just roll them in the morning when you're ready for breakfast ?

If you mean roll soaked groats with the grain flaker, the rollers aren't supposed to ever get wet...so, no wet oat groats to run through there!

[PixieGreen]

If you mean roll soaked groats with the grain flaker, the rollers aren't supposed to ever get wet...so, no wet oat groats to run through there!

Actually...in the instruction booklet for the grain flaker it advises rolling hard grains when they are damp. Not wet, for certain. But I roll sprouted kamut when it is damp because otherwise it is too hard to squeeze through the rollers.

Christa

[caramba]

I just made my first batch of "oatmeal" this morning (inspired by Rawkinlocs recipe)

I soaked oat groats overnight, then put them in the food processor to mush them up, added some honey, cinamon & some warm water. Then added sultanas & sliced banana. It was DELICIOUS and I was very pleased that ds ate it & loved it...minus the banana & sultanas.

[Minibean]

I just got a reply from McCann's, here is what they said:

McCann's Oats are not raw. They are heated, not steamed, in the process of separating the kernel from the husk.

[Angelic Light]

Does anyone know where I can get one of the Flakers in the UK?

Thanks!

[lallen13]

Thank you Rawkinlocs

After reading this thread, I ordered the flaker. I am looking forward to using it. Thanks for sharing. I would have had no idea how to use it. Sound really good and can't hardly wait to try it out. I bought oat groats a while ago but they are just sitting there, I didn't know what to do with them ;) I am looking forwar to trying your recipy.

[dowager emperess]

:)

Thank you -- everyone for your posts regarding my question about oats. Rawkinlocs, I can't wait to try your recipe for oatmeal -- you got me hungry just reading about it.

This group is fantastic!!

[Sharon in Colorado]

Oh man I'm such a Gadget Queen and bargain shopper I just ordered one too.

Thanks for the recipe Cherie - I'm looking forward to using it for the kiddies as they do need something heavier in the AM...the fruit shakes I make them are great but I don't think it fills them up quite enough, then they end up eating some kind of cereal or other cooked thing.

Hmmm...just also noticed their ceramic heat diffuser. Dr. Lorainne Day touts these things. They allow for cooked eaters to slowly and barely heat their veggies for hours (like a crock pot I guess) so they get all soft.