Oat bran Questions

 Soo I have a box of oatbran in the cabinet that needs using up. I cooked it up with cotage cheese and raisins for breakfast this morning. Quite good too, but extremely filling. It was only a quarter cup, cooked with a cup of water.Maybe less water would make it less voluminous?

Also, I've heard of it being used as a topping to cold cereal, yogurt, cottage cheese etc. But when used as a topping, is it supposed to be raw? I mean, can it actualy be eaten raw? If so, I imagine that would make it a bit easier to use up.

Less water would probably dry it out. I use 2 parts water to 1 part oatbran.

You can use it in baked goods, like in a healthy muffin. I've never heard of using it raw but I imagine it wouldn't be digested as easily.

Ah, so that would mean using only half a cup water  to a quarter cup od oatbran....hmm. That would probably make a big difference in volume. I shall try it that way and see what it does.

Original Post by cellophane_star:

Less water would probably dry it out. I use 2 parts water to 1 part oatbran.

Only 2 to 1? I usually have 30g oatbran and 180 ml milk or part milk part water (sorry, I am metric), which is 6 to 1. I just stick it in the microwave for a couple minutes, stirring every minute.

I imagine 6 to 1 would take forever for the water to absorb!

I use 1/3 c oatbran with 2/3 c water, pop it in the microwave for 2 mins and it's done. If I make steel cut oats on the stove, I use the same ratio. The package suggested 3 to 1 but it took forever for the liquid to absorb.

cook it in milk! also be sure you're using whole milk cottage cheese and add in nuts with the raisins. I"ve used it in baked goods and usually mix it up with other hot cereals.

heh Gib, I did put in a nice good handful of almonds in there too. At least a dozen, for sure. I would cook it in milk, but if I get too much dairy, I tend to get a bit sick.. The only thing that doesn't seem to affect me is yogurt. And I didn't really think cottage cheese was going to mesh very well with my soymilk. But I do usually add soy milk or soy creamer to my cereal (whatever kind it may be). I know, calories! Extra calories in the same sized package = good.

I totally understand that, I can't even do cottage cheese ---> :(

But I do always cook my oats with vanilla soymilk and sometime some soy creamer thrown in. Right now it's silk pumpkin spice!

I usually tend to just use it as a hot breakfast cereal, sometimes I do half oatmeal/half oat bran , but it is also great to use for making a healthy muffin or waffles or even added into cookies (oatmeal or choc chip for a little texture!)

I don't cook it as a cereal.  I do sprinkle it on the top of my oatmeal sometimes if I need a little fiber boost.  I do that with flax seed meal too.

You can use it in toppings for casseroles and add it to baked goods too.