I like these hearty oats. It's a totally different experience, especially if you've had too many mushy instant or quick cook oats in your life. I decided to finally try some amaranth as well
Arrowhead Mills Organic Whole Grain Amaranth, 16 Ounce
and added a few spoonfuls in (even though it takes longer for this particular oatmeal, depending on how you like your oatmeal, you might still have to start the amaranth cooking first for 5-10 minutes). Added some strawberries to the mix and topped it off with some real maple syrup
Hidden Springs Natural Vermont Maple Syrup, Amber Rich, 32 Ounce
(this stuff is totally worth the price and it's actually one of the best deals I could find, living in Florida mind you, on Amazon or in the grocery stores.)
One bag of this, buying a box of 4 bags at a time, costs about $3.50 for 16 oz., but it's organic and from what I've read from reviewers, grown in the U.S. Considering what I could be eating, this is actually a really good deal.
I'm not quite sure what the difference is supposed to be between "regular," steel-cut and rolled, I just know that lately when I went looking for a more sophisticated oatmeal in the store it was like something ultra-special just to get steel-cut, with limited options. Before the oatmeal packets invaded my childhood I remember eating oatmeal that didn't take 3-5 minutes, but something like 15-20 minutes. Where'd that go? Amazon, apparently. I guess anything else is the dust leftover from the special stuff. The instant crud in a packet that I used to eat as a kid certainly looks like dust compared to this stuff.
All I know is that I just wanted something that resembled what the grain looked like coming off the plant. I wanted soft, but textured. All this "fast living" has really flipped the presentation of a simple breakfast grain to the public. No time to cook? Eat mush! It's fast and yummy! Here let us give you tiny packets of dust with added flavor - "special" real (dried) fruit with sugar or how about "maple flavor" WITH real maple. Nah. Turn the TV off, go to bed earlier and wake up in time to cook a good breakfast on the stove. (I haven't had cable in years. $70 buys a lot of maple syrup, oatmeal and used books on Amazon. If I want to pee away my time, I'll do it wandering the internet looking for oatmeal recipes and writing philosophical and snarky reviews that might allow another consumer to perhaps make a more mindful purchase.)
I thought I'd come so far, but just having to sift through the oatmeal trash to find the real deal at this stage in the game has humbled me in my "unlearning process." You go, Bob. Keep it real.
'WHOLE GRAIN OATS.'
