Let me first start with where all of these came from - Oat Groats. As you go down the list of the common oat cuts, the type of oats are increasingly being processed so as to cut down on the cooking time needed.


Oat Groats are the whole unbroken form of oat kernels that have their hulls removed. Hulls are the tough protective shell outside the seed of the oat plant. They are exposed to low heat to make them shelf-stable. Oat groats are the most packed with nutrition and fibre (though differences not huge) but they take the longest time to prepare and have a chewier touch when cooked.

Steel-Cut Oats

The least refined version of oat groats in this list, Steel-cut oats are oat groats chopped into few smaller pieces rather than rolled.

Taste/Texture: Coarser, Nuttier, Chewier and retains much of its shape when cooked.
Cooking time: It takes about an average of 15-30 minutes to cook. You can soak it beforehand to reduce the cooking time as well.

Rolled/Old-fashioned Oats

Rolled oats, or old-fashioned oats, are flat and disc-shaped. Just as the name suggests, rolled oats are first steamed then pressed and flattened to make it thinner. Many recipes call for rolled oats to be included. You can add it in your baked goods like cookies, bread and granola bars. It is partially cooked to shorten the preparation time.

Taste/Texture: Milder flavour and softer texture.
Cooking time: As they are partially cooked and absorb more liquid than steel-cut oats, preparation time takes around 5 to 10 minutes. They hold they shape relatively well when cooked as well.

Quick Oats/Quick-cooking Oats

Quick oats or quick-cooking oats are rolled oats that are further processed to reduce their cooking time. They are steamed, rolled and pressed to even smaller and thinner pieces compared to rolled oats. Quick oats have only one ingredient - oats. They are unflavoured and a good option if you are in a rush but still wants stove-cooked oats because they are designed to be cooked on the stovetop like regular oats, just in a less amount of time. However, they can also be microwaved, or add hot water and let sit for a few minutes as well.

Taste/Texture: Mild flavour and mushy, smooth/creamy texture
Cooking time: Absorbs liquid well and can be cooked on stovetop within minutes, or microwaved or adding hot water.

Instant Oats

Instant oats are very similar to (sometimes same as) quick oats. They may be chopped and pressed into even finer and thinner pieces than quick oats, sometimes may even be powdery. Quick oats are designed to be quick, but instant oats are made to be even quicker, so much so that they named it instant!
Instant oats are precooked, dehydrated and often comes in individual small packages that have a lot of sugar, salt, additives, preservatives and many other ingredients added. As much as possible, choose plain, unflavoured ones because certainly, flavoured oats is how you make something unhealthy out of healthy.

Taste/Texture: Blander, retain less texture, cooks up creamy/mushy
Cooking time: Microwave within minutes, or adding hot water and stir (you are basically rehydrating and heating them)

Which is healthier? Which type should I buy? 

Oats are generally a good food option which high in nutritional value. Regardless of the type, all of them contain the same parts of the oat groats and do not vary much in their nutritional content. They are fat- and gluten-free, and are packed in nutrients such as proteins, antioxidants, vitamins, fiber and minerals. Oat itself is gluten-free but it depends on how it is handled and processed, check the food label to ensure you get a gluten-free product. All varieties of oats contain a soluble fiber called beta-glucan, which helps to lower cholesterol and 'bad' LDL. Eating them cause a gradual spike in blood sugar and an increased sense of fullness, which helps to stabilise blood sugar and aids in weight loss. However, do note that the smaller the oat flakes, the more likely the higher the glycemic index (GI) when compared among all the oat variants.


The differences come down to the taste, texture, and cooking time.

All types of oats can and are good to prepare your oatmeal the usual way. However, the difference may come in when you want to use these oats in your baking. Because of the chewiness of steel-cut oats, other types like rolled/quick oats do not make a good substitute if you want something thicker/chewier. On the other hand, rolled oats and quick oats can be used to replace one another in recipes, but rolled oats need a longer cooking time with the final dish having more texture and the oat flakes can be more clearly visible as compared to when quick oats are used. But, if you not particular with having something a little finer, quick oats are good to go. Quick oats can also give the baked goods a more uniform texture. Alternatively, if the recipe calls for quick oats and you only have rolled oats on hand, you can pulse the rolled oats in a food processor a few times
While for instant prepackaged oats, as they are significantly thinner and finer, you may want to use in caution in baking goods. They may absorb too much water from the batter, and thus does not lend any structure to the final product. Unless the recipe specifically calls for instant oats, you do not want to substitute other types of oats with instant oats, as you may further introduce other additives that are present in the instant oats into your bakes when used.

Ultimately, you will still get similar health benefits from whichever type you choose. Avoid flavoured  instant oats prepackaged as all the other additives make the whole meal unhealthy. Season them yourself at home with healthier choices like honey, fruits and nuts! So, whatever oat type you want is based on your personal preferences, amount of cooking time you have and your lifestyle!


I hope this clarifies the differences and helps you to understand your beloved oats a little better. I am very motivated to include oats into my diet now!

Heroine Make Long and Curl Mascara (Super Waterproof Black)

Ingredients

Promises

3 meals a day, 3 X 7 days = 21 meals a week.

Whipping up meals continuously got us bored with eating the same style of food every day. 

So the key is to have variety and the easiest way is to try different cuisines from various countries. Since it is the weekend and I had the time, I decided to make my own Kimchi from scratch and so we can have some KOREAN food haha

In the first stage, the vegetables are soaked in a brine that is so salty that harmful bacteria will be killed but Lactobacillus will survive and begin stage two.

In the second stage, the Lactobacillus converts sugars in the food into lactic acid, thereby creating an acidic environment that preserves the vegetables safely.

There are probably hundreds and thousands of Kimchi recipe out there and you could be confused on which should you follow. Good news is that there are no hard and fast rules on how it should be made. This means that you can totally come out with your very own version of Kimchi tailored to your tasting. 

Kimchi recipe (김치)

Ingredients needed:

Equipment needed:

Hi there, it's Jovee checking in.

How are you coping with the circuit breaker implementations rolled out last week?

I have been mad busy at work - all the preparation and shift of work online, the do's and don'ts of this circuit breaker and also adjustment to stay home all day every day. So sorry for the late/lack of updates and new posts recently as Joy and I were both very caught up with essentially everything.

I am so used to spending life outside of home, I believe it is the same for all my family members as well. Now that we have to stay at home the whole day, it is really a big change. 

The first few days were especially difficult. I caught myself checking the fridge often and walking around the house aimlessly every now and then, I was bored. It is extremely easy for this stay-home-month to become very unproductive. I had come out with a list of to-dos to effectively use the time I have to learn/upgrade myself as well as to start on the things I've always been wanting to try. Might share more about how I go about my days.

Have been seeing this trend of making Dalgona coffee lately. Dalgona coffee originated from Korea and it is a milk-based drink served with a soft and foamy whipped coffee sitting on top. I wasn't interested in trying it out initially but many people have been giving good reviews on how tasty it is. It is also relatively easy to make. 

 And so here I am...

Make it yourself!

What: Whipped coffee + milk (both cold/hot)

Suitable for: Anyone! Especially if you are a coffee/latte lover.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1

1. Instant coffee powder 

2. Milk 

3. Sugar

*All ingredients are readily available in most leading supermarkets/online*

1. Whisk/Hand mixer

Here's how we made it:

Directions:

*Don't try to act healthy and cut the sugar. It will fail. I repeat: it will fail without sufficient sugar

I used this instant coffee powder (without creamer or sugar) that I got from Vietnam. Non-coffee drinkers can also substitute with milo/matcha/cocoa powder.

*Note: The ratio of sugar: coffee: hot water should be 1:1:1. 

Using a hand mixer, start whisking all the ingredients together. Continue mixing until the mixture turned to foamy and fluffy. The whole process took me about 5 minutes. Do it in a cup instead of mixing bowl, it is easier this way.

If you don't have a mixer, not to worry. Use a whisk and find a cup of similar size to your whisk, rub the whisk in between your palms. It takes about 5 minutes using this method as well. Try it!

This TikTok video from @melliemelanie shows you how to do this!

Your whipped coffee should float on top of your milk. You can use cold milk or even warm milk if you like it hot. Amount of milk is up to your preference.

Trust me, you would like it better after stirring the foam with the milk.

There you go, now you can easily upgrade your daily instant coffee drink. Quick, easy, and only a few ingredients that are cheap and readily available at home/mart.

So... is this worth the hype?

It... tastes like a latte with a sweet-bitter aftertaste. The beaten coffee is both creamy and smooth. 

Would I make this again?

Probably... no... But a dozen others voted otherwise. 

Someone suggested trying this with Nescafe Gold Crema instead of your usual instant coffee powder. 

Try it and let me know your thoughts!