What Are Oat Groats?

Oats have been cultivated and used for thousands of years in various ways. They are popular because of their high nutrition and versatility. They are a good source of fiber, protein and many valuable nutrients. Oat Groats are whole grain oats that have been minimally processed. Specifically, the oat berry is hulled to remove the inedible outer husk. What remains is the whole grain oat containing most of the original nutrients. Oat groats can be cooked, cracked, rolled or ground into oat flour.

Oat Groats can be cracked, meaning coarsely ground, and cooked into a hearty breakfast. The berry itself is not very flavorful so it can also be cooked and added to soups, stews, salads and more. The oats flavor can be enhanced by spices, seasonings, or combinations of other ingredients. When rolled, they are most commonly found in two categories: Regular Rolled Oats and Quick Oats. Regular rolled oats are often called “old fashioned oats.” Regular oats cook in about five to ten minutes. Quick oats, which are cut into smaller pieces, cook faster - taking about one or two minutes to cook. Regular rolled and quick oats can usually be interchanged in recipes. Both are excellent in cookies, cobbler, breakfast cereals and more.

Oat Groats can also be ground into oat flour. Oat flour is usually combined with wheat flour when baking breads, cakes, muffins and desserts because of its lack of gluten. Some people with wheat allergies are able to use oat flour. Adding oat flour to your baked goods will give you a richer, nuttier flavor as well as a denser texture. Here is a recipe using Oat Flour (ground Oat Groats): Oat Flour Pancakes 2 C Oat Flour 2 Eggs 2 C Milk ½ C Oil 3 t Baking Powder ½ t salt Mix dry ingredients together lightly. Then add milk, oil and eggs. Mix thoroughly. Cook on a buttered warm griddle. Enjoy! Here is an easy No Bake Oatmeal Cookie Recipe using rolled oats: 1 1/2 cups rolled oats 1/3 cup peanut butter 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 3 tablespoons nonfat milk 1/3 teaspoon vanilla extract Mix all the ingredients together and roll into individual balls. Throw them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and enjoy!