Help me like a food I can't stand!

January 28, 2020 11:00 AM

I feel like I should start liking oatmeal. Help!

Due to a recent health scare (which turned out, fortunately, to be unfounded), I have decided it's time to start making some small changes to my diet. I need to keep my blood pressure in its usual average-to-good range (it's been creeping up a touch), and in my reading about "foods to help keep blood pressure low", I keep seeing oatmeal (with blueberries, which are also good) listed as a food that would help in this regard.

Problem is, I detest oatmeal.

For me, it's largely a texture thing - eating oatmeal has always felt to me like eating warm wallpaper paste. No matter what's included in it (I've tried cinnamon, I've tried blueberries, strawberries, and other fruits), or no matter how good the oatmeal itself is, it's just....ugh.

How can I get past this? I'm open to recipes, cooking techniques, additions, or really whatever will make oatmeal palatable and less...mushy and paste-like. I know as a food it's objectively good, but it's subjectively disgusting, and I'd like to be able to take advantage of its good properties if I can.

I'll be making other changes too, which I have a handle on, it's just that I can't shake the oatmeal-as-good-idea thing, but I also have no idea how to make myself want to do it.

posted by pdb to Food & Drink (58 answers total)

Aw, gosh, I love oatmeal but if you’ve had the good stuff and don’t like it.... Have you tried whole oat berries? Cooked like rice? All the chemistry, lots of chew, easy with a multi cooker. Second least gluey is steel-cut oat groats, *not* steamed or precooked.
posted by clew at 11:05 AM on January 28, 2020 [5 favorites]

Oats can be used in other ways than just oatmeal porridge. Oat dairy-alternative milk, oats in smoothies, baked in bread...
posted by Balthamos at 11:08 AM on January 28, 2020 [3 favorites]

Steel cut oats were a game-changer to me. The night before, I toast them in the pot with a little butter, then add water and bring to a boil. Then I turn off the heat and let them sit, covered, over night. In the morning, I heat them up again, maybe add a little water or milk to loosen them.

optional mix-ins:
butter
honey
maple syrup
cinnamon (toast with the butter) and raisins
1/2 a cup or so of roasted mashed pumpkin/squash + cinnamon, clove, nutmeg
apples and cinnamon and clove
posted by carrioncomfort at 11:08 AM on January 28, 2020 [8 favorites]

Best answer: An answer and a non-answer (I love oatmeal, fwiw)

1. Have you considered/tried baking it? More crunch less smoosh.

2. Can you eat oats in other ways? I am a huge fan of oat cakes which can be made fairly low sugar. Here's one recipe but you can poke around for others. Alternative: oatmeal cups.

And I think my favorite oatmeal recipe is the Kitchen Detective one which involves toasting steelcut oats in a pan with butter before cooking and then cooking them up with cream. Super rich and fiddly, but also comes out delicious
posted by jessamyn at 11:09 AM on January 28, 2020 [8 favorites]

I hope this is a sufficiently relevant answer: I think the reason that oatmeal (and blueberries!) are often recommended in these cases is because they are high in fiber. getting enough fiber every day is very good for general health. there are lots of alternatives for a healthy high fiber breakfast instead of oatmeal!

like clew says 1) steel cut oats have a much nicer texture, more 'al dente' 2) there are other healthy high-fiber grains you can use to make a sweet or savory meal with fruit/nuts/seeds etc.
posted by supermedusa at 11:09 AM on January 28, 2020 [3 favorites]

For me, I like to cook it in whole milk. Add sugar or some kind of sweetener, cinnamon, bananas, and butter. Maybe not the healthiest way to eat it but I also am not a huge fan and this is how my mom always made it. We always bought the dry not pre-cooked oats.
posted by Sara_NOT_Sarah at 11:09 AM on January 28, 2020 [1 favorite]

You could try other healthy grains, like farro, first. If you like farro, you could experiment using steel-cut oats for oatmeal (less mushy) and savory seasonings like salt and pepper instead of sweet. Sort of ease into oatmeal backwards.
posted by sallybrown at 11:10 AM on January 28, 2020 [3 favorites]

Best answer: Heh, I actually recommended these baked steel cut oats* in another Ask last week, but I think they might work for you, too. Baking them makes them more of a loose (though still moist) oat-cake texture rather than a porridge, and you could let them go a few minutes longer in the oven to solidify it further.

* steel cut oats make a difference! They're much chewier than rolled or instant oats.

On preview: Jessamyn just beat me to it!
posted by Pandora Kouti at 11:11 AM on January 28, 2020

You could try overnight oats -- they are typically soaked in yogurt/milk overnight, with some fruit layered/on top, and they're a whole different texture for me. Bonus: probiotics!
posted by DoubleLune at 11:12 AM on January 28, 2020 [6 favorites]

Best answer: Does it have to be oatmeal/porridge? I don't know about blood pressure, but the soluble fibre in oats helps reduce absorption of cholesterol. But it doesn't matter how you consume the oats.

For example, I have a recipe for soft breakfast/lunch bars made with mostly rolled oats - I get as much oats as I would in a bowl of oatmeal in 1 large bar. Here's an example. My recipe is flavoured with cloves and ginger, instead of sugary things - but you could make yours with blueberries.
posted by jb at 11:13 AM on January 28, 2020 [6 favorites]

Best answer: I hated oatmeal, and I decided to make myself like it. I was ultimately successful.
I still think rolled oats are gross. I changed to steel-cut oats - the five-minute kind.
I do not follow their directions. I start with 1 cup of cold water and add 1/4 cup oats. I also had a half teaspoon of cinnamon and a half cup of blueberries. I cook this for probably 20 minutes (while I do yoga). I add almond milk or soy milk when it's done.

(I did a lot of things besides eating oatmeal - like going vegan - but I got my blood pressure to normal using exercise and dietary changes. It can be done. Good luck.)
posted by FencingGal at 11:16 AM on January 28, 2020 [1 favorite]

I prepare it with chuncky apple sauce. Sweet and texture very different from plain porridge.
posted by bluedora at 11:16 AM on January 28, 2020

I hated oatmeal, and could never understand why or how people seemed to love it so much.

That is, until I tried eating like porridge, with savory add-ins. Cooked with chicken broth, maybe with added shredded chicken, and a soft-cooked egg. It's strange to add these things to a breakfast meal, perhaps, but it is the only way I could find palatable. I prefer it less mushy, so I add more milk/broth to steel-cut oats (not rolled.)
posted by Everydayville at 11:17 AM on January 28, 2020 [7 favorites]

I am stuck on why youre trying to shoehorn oatmeal into your tastes rather than find other healthy things you do like? I think most of the benefit comes from the fiber, right? what about a cold fiber cereal?
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 11:17 AM on January 28, 2020 [1 favorite]

Mrs. HeroZero, who has an aversion to the bland oatmeal that was served to her pretty much every day of childhood, swears by uncooked rolled oats with milk and raisins.
posted by HeroZero at 11:17 AM on January 28, 2020 [2 favorites]

Google "oat cheese recipe" for lots of options to make a savory cheesy sauce or spread. I'm a recent convert and I can't get enough of the stuff. I skip the cooking entirely and just throw all ingredients into my blender for about 5 minutes, which heats it up. It's great with tortilla chips or poured over steamed vegetables, or as a spread once it's been chilled.
posted by mezzanayne at 11:23 AM on January 28, 2020

Response by poster: Exceptional_Hubris: It's not so much "shoehorning" as "attempting to broaden my horizons". There's lots of healthy things I like, I just feel like I'm missing an obvious one and I'd like to see if I can incorporate it somehow.

Jessamyn and others: I had not considered baking the oats! That might not be a bad option.

Sounds like at a minimum, trying more steel-cut oat options would be a good start. Bars are definitely something I would try as well...these are all great suggestions and I can't wait to hear more!
posted by pdb at 11:24 AM on January 28, 2020 [1 favorite]

It was the hot milk with me, so I just have normal wholewheat cereal with spoonfuls of steel-cut oats over it, and the standard cold milk, all good, and I credit it with getting and keeping my cholesterol down for 8 years. I also add oatbran powder to soups and sauces, where it becomes invisible.
posted by LyzzyBee at 11:24 AM on January 28, 2020 [2 favorites]

Another option, if you haven't already tried this, might be overnight oats - the texture is a lot more creamy, less gummy.
posted by muddgirl at 11:28 AM on January 28, 2020 [1 favorite]

I hate porridge. I eat oatmeal raw with some milk. (Steelcut may not be safe to eat raw, but pre-steamed are fine)
posted by night_train at 11:32 AM on January 28, 2020 [2 favorites]

I also hated oatmeal passionately due to the texture until recently. I then realized that if you just keep adding liquid, eventually they'll get soft and soup-y instead of being all gummy and gluey. As mentioned above, soaking them overnight (a la overnight oats) helps immensely. Look for any recipes/tips that emphasize "creamy" oatmeal. Once you get the oatmeal to a texture that you can actually eat, that's when the add-ins start becoming fun.

I don't know if you live in Canada, but surprisingly the oatmeal at Tim Horton's was a gamechanger for me. It's like a hot oatmeal soup instead of a paste. The instant oat packs from Quaker Oats or whatever are also a good way to ease-in to healthier and cheaper options, because (due to heavy processing) they're more amenable to making the texture pleasant with additional water/liquid. I feel your pain, I really had to ease myself into liking it.

AND I will say that eating oatmeal in the mornings has legitimately improved my energy levels, hunger levels and digestion issues that were plaguing me for awhile so it's worth it.
posted by thebots at 11:32 AM on January 28, 2020 [1 favorite]

Oh god, oatmeal tastes like mushy boiled cardboard no matter what people do to it, the stuff is just nasty. How about granola instead? Then you're still getting your oats.
posted by windykites at 11:34 AM on January 28, 2020 [4 favorites]

If texture is the issue, would something like muesli work better? You can stick it in the microwave if you want it warm, but it stays crunchier than oatmeal.
posted by darchildre at 11:34 AM on January 28, 2020 [4 favorites]

Best answer: Toast oats with nuts, 15 minutes at 350 F, cool and add dried fruit and sugar if desired. Store in an airtight container. Serve with fresh fruit and milk. I use 2 pounds of oats and make a gallon at a time.
posted by Botanizer at 11:36 AM on January 28, 2020

Best answer: Oatmeal is the literal worst. I hate it. It seems so inoffensive, but, surprise!, it's gross.

Sorry, all that to say, I feel your pain here and also sometimes think that I should learn how to like oatmeal, so I've done some experimenting.

This baked oatmeal was actually was pretty tasty and supports the theory that baking is helpful. I liked it much better re-heated in the toaster oven in small servings so that it had more crisp edges and less mushy middle than it did fresh out of the oven.

This makes about 8 smallish servings (all quantities approximate/to taste):

First make pear compote by chopping 6 pears (I used bosc, no need to peel) up into 1/2 inch chunks, toss them in a pan, add a couple tbs of sugar and the juice of 1 lemon. Heat & simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until the pears are translucent.

Then, in a large bowl, mix 3 cups oats with 1+1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt. If you wanted to add some coconut shreds or nuts to the dry mix, I would endorse that plan.

In a medium bowl, mix the compote with 1 cup coconut milk, 2 cups unsweetened oat/almond/whatever milk, 2 tsp vanilla, 1/3 cup maple syrup, and two more pears chopped into very tiny pieces (or grate them).

Mix wet mix into dry. Grease a 8x13 pyrex with coconut oil, pour in mix (it will be a little liquidy) and bake for 30-35 minutes at 350 until golden brown and more or less solid.
posted by snaw at 11:44 AM on January 28, 2020 [3 favorites]

Best answer: I have the exact same problem and the only way I have ever been able to eat oatmeal is by mixing a ton of nuts in it, usually walnuts or pecans. Breaks up the mushy texture and gives it a good crunch. It also helps to use a little less water than the box calls for.
posted by brook horse at 11:44 AM on January 28, 2020 [3 favorites]

Best answer: Yes! I was going to suggest chopped pecans. It changes the texture a lot. I usually do a handful of pecans, a pinch of salt, and a Tbsp of either brown sugar or maple syrup. I replace all the water with milk (whole is the best but 2% is acceptable). You can even measure out all the dry ingredients in a little mason jar, then dump that into a bowl and use the jar to measure your milk.
posted by fiercecupcake at 11:47 AM on January 28, 2020

I hate wallpaper paste oatmeal too. I've learned to cook it like this: 1/2 c. whole oats (not precooked or quick oats) and 1/2 c. water. Boil until the oats take up the water - it won't take very long. Remove from heat and eat. This makes a chewy, crunchy oatmeal that I actually like.
posted by summerstorm at 11:47 AM on January 28, 2020

BAKE IT! I love for example oatmeal cookies but almost threw up from the texture once when trying to eat oatmeal. I recently discovered baking it. Try the one bowl oatmeal from Sally’s baking addiction, I reduce milk to 1.5 cups and use 2-3 apples instead of berries (the berries turned out soggy when I tried them which doesn’t help with texture issues), and halve the maple syrup. Keeps great in the fridge for a week, or freeze individual slices, throw one in the fridge to defrost for the next AM, then heat in the microwave.

You can also make “non mushy” oatmeal on the stove with basically less liquid, that’s next on my list to try so I can’t speak for it.
posted by sillysally at 11:49 AM on January 28, 2020

I dislike mushy/soupy porridge as well and thought I would never like oatmeal. But I have come to like it when made this way: "old fashioned" or rolled oats which are very fast to prepare but can still provide some texture. They key is to make them on the drier side. I add fruit, nuts, a little brown sugar, and then just enough boiling water to cover them in a bowl, then put a plate over to keep the steam in. Wait a little (three minutes is enough - I make a cup of tea) and they are good to go.
posted by exogenous at 11:49 AM on January 28, 2020

Do you put a small pinch of salt in your oatmeal? For me this is important for moving it from "flavorless mush" to "bland mush," which then lets toppings like berries put it over the top into tastiness.
posted by Ignatius J. Reilly at 11:52 AM on January 28, 2020 [1 favorite]

Oh god, oatmeal tastes like mushy boiled cardboard no matter what people do to it, the stuff is just nasty. How about granola instead? Then you're still getting your oats.

Agree absolutely. Can't stand porridgy gunk. Love granola with a little fruit and yogurt. But I haven't really researched it in terms of nutrition.

This article seems to argue that porridge is probably better for you than granola, but that's based on the granola containing too much sugar etc. Which to me just means, don't buy super sweet granola, which is easier said than done in a lot of places.

That said, I have looked into making my own and it looks pretty easy.
posted by philip-random at 11:52 AM on January 28, 2020

Adding: when I tried the baked oatmeal with berries vs apples, I used frozen berries. Might turn out better with fresh but I’m not sure.
posted by sillysally at 11:52 AM on January 28, 2020

Best answer: I ditto the recommendation of granola. Make your own. It's easy and can be inexpensive. I started with Mark Bittman's recipe but have made many changes to that over time. I loved that his recipe doesn't have vegetable oil added. Have it for breakfast three times a week with cold milk and, if I remember to buy one, a sliced banana.
posted by tmdonahue at 11:57 AM on January 28, 2020

Best answer: There's also muesli -- basically raw rolled oats with nuts and fruit. I mix 4 cups of oats with 1.5 cups of whatever nuts/seeds I feel like and 1 cup of whatever dried fruit, and then eat it mixed with yogurt. Or you could buy premade museli -- Bob's Red Mill is fine.
posted by LizardBreath at 12:06 PM on January 28, 2020 [3 favorites]

When I eat oatmeal, I eat it uncooked with yogurt and a bit of sugar or jam, and fruits and nuts if I'm feeling fancy, which makes it muesli I guess?
posted by drlith at 12:28 PM on January 28, 2020 [1 favorite]

I do quick oats (I think?) or the mixed-grain-hot-breakfast cereal from Trader Joe’s, 1/2 the recommended water, 30 seconds in the microwave, then Greek yogurt, a grind of salt, walnuts, and blueberries if I have them.

I 100% prefer chunky/chewable food to sauce, goop, or paste, but the creamy texture from the Greek yogurt is nice. Plus protein!
posted by itesser at 12:31 PM on January 28, 2020

Best answer: Go savory. Season with salt and pepper, toss in some crispy bacon crumbles, chopped green onions, top with over easy egg. Think of it like creamy grits.
posted by ian1977 at 12:31 PM on January 28, 2020 [3 favorites]

Best answer: tastiest way to eat oats is to make them into granola. Granola can be eaten however you like. Most delicious is to eat it like cold cereal. You can also add lots of other "super" foods like flax seed etc. Don't forget salt - can't really omit it in any oat preparation, including but not limited to porridge.

That said, I don't believe for a second that foods that need sugar added to them to be palatable -- and that's oats in basically every form, even bread -- wind up being a net health benefit. For me, anyway.
posted by fingersandtoes at 12:40 PM on January 28, 2020 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Ignatius J. Reilly - it's the mush that causes me the problem, not the flavorless. I can make something flavorful, but the texture is the dealbreaker.

I also love the idea of making granola and might give that a shot too.
posted by pdb at 12:41 PM on January 28, 2020

You could make oatmeal pancakes, muffins, or cookies. I've always wanted to make a parkin as it sounds nice. For all of these you would want to take note of the amount of sugar you use if you're eating it for health reasons.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 12:46 PM on January 28, 2020 [1 favorite]

So um I was wrong about every oatmeal preparation requiring sugar. There is one that doesn't, which I just remembered. Haggis! Now I know what you're thinking: "my local grocery store doesn't sell lamb lungs!" But I found this simplified recipe and honestly it sounds pretty legit to me, and no lamb lungs required. (You may also be thinking, "what the @$%$% are pinhead oats?" - I looked it up and apparently it's steel cut oats.) [edit: notwithstanding what the Internet says, there's no way regular steel cut oats would work in this preparation. Just use rolled oats, maybe ground up a bit in the food processor.]
posted by fingersandtoes at 1:00 PM on January 28, 2020

Hot oatmeal is a horror. It makes me feel queasy just thinking about it. But overnight oatmeal straight from the fridge is like ice cream! Omg overnight oatmeal is seriously like eating a milkshake. Its a completely different feel in every way from gross hot lumpy oatmeal.

I usually do the recipe on the general mills bin of banana and peanut butter, but there are recipes where you make it taste like apple pie, or carrot cake, or a ton of other delicious things. Seriously i have never been able to stomach even a spoonful of hot oatmeal, but I throw down cold overnight oatmeal like crazy. So good.
posted by silverstatue at 1:20 PM on January 28, 2020 [3 favorites]

Oatmeal needs salt. I can manage it (just) without a touch of sugar, but no salt makes it taste of The Void.

Cream and butter are nice, but for blood pressure those should be a sometimes food option. Haggis is at best a seldom if ever food: suet can fuck your circulation right up. Making it with rolled oats would be a gluey mess.

Different brands of steel-cut oatmeal have different tastes. Bob's Red Mill is okay but milled far too fine. McCann's Irish is okay, if bland. Best of all is pinhead oatmeal from the NE of Scotland.

Unsweetened, unflavoured oat milk is also good. Oats are still a starch, though, so you'll need your protein as well.

(Buckwheat porridge can also be good. It's vile if overcooked, though: horrible sticky soapy slime. Start with roughly half the size of serving you'd think would be enough: it's immensely filling.)
posted by scruss at 1:23 PM on January 28, 2020

If you like toast, there are also oatmeal-heavy breads out there. Or, here's one with a little less oatmeal and a more rustic texture.

I have not actually tried this, but there are also people who say that putting up to a 1/2 cup of raw oatmeal in your smoothie is a good idea. I feel like I'd rather have some granola on top. But, perhaps it's something else to try?
posted by snaw at 1:28 PM on January 28, 2020

I have found my people. Even the smell of oatmeal/porridge makes me gag.

In our house we eat uncooked oatmeal every day for breakfast. Pour 'old fashioned' oats into a bowl, add a handful of raisins and chopped nuts, pour on milk. Eat. Yum.

Keeps me feeling full until lunch time like nothing else and its very quick to prepare. The raisins and nuts really help break up the texture. Its basically museli, as described above, without all the added sugar that comes in packaged museli.
posted by EllaEm at 1:55 PM on January 28, 2020 [5 favorites]

Make oatmeal (any kind - old fashioned, steel cut, whatever) with a little less liquid than is called for, then put in the fridge to cool. It will solidify enough that you can cut it into slices and fry them - butter is delicious, but olive oil, any oil, or a little bit if nonstick spray works too. The texture contrast of the crispy outside and soft inside is really nice. I see polenta cooked with this technique frequently but oatmeal works just as well!

I also nth muesli-style oats (uncooked, soak in milk or water for a few minutes or overnight, add dried fruit and/or nuts) as something to try - the texture is very different than cooked oatmeal!
posted by insectosaurus at 3:33 PM on January 28, 2020 [2 favorites]

I mash a banana and mix in raw oats (the rolled kind). It has a nice chewy texture and is very filling. Some people add cinnamon or sugar but I like it as is. You let it sit for a few minutes so that the banana softens the oats a bit otherwise it's a bit grainy to eat. I also like to find the right balance between too much vs too little oats and I find that process in itself very enjoyable.
posted by vivzan at 3:42 PM on January 28, 2020 [1 favorite]

I recently asked a question about oatmeal muffins. I always sub applesauce for the oil. I can give you some links with notes on changes I've made if you like. I also always use whole wheat flour.

Some recipes say to soak the oats in the liquid. I did that at the beginning and they lost all their texture. Now I soak about 1/4 of them and put the other 3/4 in at the end.
posted by kathrynm at 5:23 PM on January 28, 2020

I like oatmeal, though I understand your specific objection. I prefer it thin, so I add extra water when I make it. But also try adding less water, maybe you'd like it quite thick.
I sprinkle on brown sugar as I eat it; I don't like the sugar mixed in.
Add a small pinch of salt when cooking it.
A friend eats it with butter, salt, pepper.
Try pretty small amounts; a big bowl is too much of a food you're trying to like.

There are other healthy foods if you don't get used to oatmeal. I recently learned that I converted a friend to the power of Roasted Brussells Sprouts, and I feel pretty chuffed.
posted by theora55 at 5:32 PM on January 28, 2020

I also had an issue with oatmeal until I started putting chia seeds in it. Basically, I cook the oatmeal the same as most other people, in some milk (nut milk in my case) with chopped nuts and dried fruits and cinnamon. But when I start to cook, I also soak a tablespoon or two of chia seeds in a bit of water and let them sit until the oatmeal is done, then just add them in along with any remaining water that's left (not too much). This, for me, makes all the difference in terms of texture as the oatmeal becomes somewhat pudding-like. If you make more than you need for one meal, you can eat it for the next couple of days straight from the fridge because as pudding, it tastes great cold!
posted by piamater at 5:32 PM on January 28, 2020

I make plain instant oatmeal using slightly less liquid than is called for, and microwave them until the oats get lumpy and chewy. I don't like my oats to be soupy in the slightest. You have to stop the microwave and stir them a couple of times to get the right texture. You want it to bubble up like it's going to overflow, stop and stir, check the texture and if it's not quite right add another 30 seconds.

I use almond milk for the liquid, and before cooking I stir in butter-flavored sprinkles, salt, sweetener to taste, a dash of cinnamon, and some chopped pecans or walnuts.

After cooking I like to add a little cold milk on top.

My other suggestion would be to make oatmeal cookies. I rarely bake so I don't have a recipe but I'm sure there are some relatively healthy ones out there.

My other other suggestion is to just eat cold oat cereals. Cheerios, for example. My grandma used to eat oat flakes cereal (similar to corn flakes, but oats) every day, and she lived to be 95.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 8:55 PM on January 28, 2020 [1 favorite]

You've had some very good suggestions above but I have a couple that have not been mentioned. There's goetta, I've never had the commercial product (I guess it is pretty regional to the Cincinnati area?) but I've made it at home with steel cut oats. I think I got the recipe from one of Mark Bittman's books.

When we had a kid my partner was given these homemade peanut butter chocolate oatmeal bars (ostensibly for producing more lactation). Looking quickly these look the most like them but the ones we had were not that sweet.
posted by Ashwagandha at 7:14 AM on January 29, 2020

I eat cold oats, which is like overnight oats for people with no foresight. Just let old fashioned oats soak for a minute in a bowl with milk, add raisins or maple syrup for a little sweetness.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 8:34 AM on January 29, 2020

Oats have been added to meatloaf as a meal stretcher.

Barley has a similar compound in it to oats which make it healthy

I read from Christopher Kimball a technique about adding a 1/4 cup of rolled oats to a tomato soup/bisque served to thicken it without the extra fat.
posted by ayc200 at 9:26 AM on January 29, 2020

Oatcakes. Whisk an egg in a bowl. Add rolled oats until it's basically a bowl of egg-coated oats, maybe 1/2 cup or so. Heat a pan, melt some butter in it. Dump the eggy oats in the pan and smoosh with a spatula to make a pancake-shaped thing, 1/2 inch or so thick. Sprinkle a little salt on it. Wait til it starts to set up and the underside is brown and crispy, then flip and brown the second side. You can put anything, sweet or savory, on it. Good with maple syrup, pb, cream cheese. Very satisfying and not at all oatmeal-y.
posted by donnagirl at 11:57 AM on January 29, 2020 [4 favorites]

Sorry for the self-link: My wife (turtlegirl) feels the same way you do and so she makes this.
posted by terrapin at 5:29 PM on January 30, 2020

I'm also a texture hater and it took me years to like oatmeal. People above have suggested nuts but I have come to prefer seeds.

My current favourite is oatmeal using rolled oats and extra milk, a tiny bit of sugar, frozen raspberries added half way through cooking then topping with a good handful of sunflower seeds and some chia seeds. I have also used pumpkin seeds and flaked almonds. The crunch absolutely changes everything.

Another option is Staffordshire pancakes, which are like yeasted oatmeal pancakes and very delicious. They freeze well and go well with savoury or sweet spreads.
posted by kadia_a at 3:04 PM on January 31, 2020