HOW TO MAKE OATMEAL FUN AND DELICIOUS - with Rajiv Surendra

With the arrival of cold weather, Rajiv's choice for breakfast usually becomes oatmeal. Oatmeal doesn't have to be a bowl of tasteless mush; Rajiv uses Irish steel-cut oats (his favorite brand is MaCann's) and tops the oatmeal with stewed fruit, toasted nuts and maple syrup. Delicious and nutritious.

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★ TABLE OF CONTENTS ★
• 0:00 | Introduction to the Episode
• 0:04 | Importance of Breakfast
• 0:15 | Common Misconceptions About Oatmeal
• 0:31 | Types of Oats and Texture Preferences
• 1:23 | Benefits of Steel-Cut Oats
• 1:41 | Cooking Steel-Cut Oats Efficiently
• 2:20 | Adding Salt and Cinnamon to Oats
• 2:42 | Boiling and Cooking Process
• 2:56 | Preparing Nut Toppings
• 3:33 | Toasting Nuts in the Oven
• 4:00 | Adding Milk or Cream to Oatmeal
• 4:39 | Cleaning Tip for Oatmeal Pans
• 5:00 | Making Oatmeal More Interesting
• 5:24 | Using Preserves or Homemade Fruit Compote
• 6:02 | Mixed Berry Compote Recipe
• 6:27 | Adding Yogurt as a Topping
• 6:42 | Perfectly Toasting Nuts
• 6:55 | Chopping Toasted Nuts
• 7:14 | Layering Nuts on Oatmeal
• 7:30 | Sprinkling Sea Salt
• 7:49 | Drizzling Maple Syrup
• 7:55 | Adding Final Cream Topping
• 8:07 | Presentation of the Beautiful Oatmeal Bowl
• 8:19 | Encouragement to Try and Experiment with Oatmeal
• 8:30 | Converting Non-Believers to Oatmeal Lovers•

💡 TOPICS IN THIS VIDEO 💡
• Transform Your Breakfast: The Ultimate Guide to Gourmet Oatmeal
• Importance of a healthy breakfast
• Varieties of oatmeal
• The best oats for creamy oatmeal
• Cooking steel-cut oats efficiently
• Preparing large batches of oatmeal
• Overnight soaking technique for oats
• Optimal water-to-oat ratio
• Adding salt for flavor enhancement
• Incorporating cinnamon in oatmeal
• Cooking oats for the perfect texture
• Toasting nuts for enhanced flavor
• Selecting the best nuts for oatmeal
• Using hazelnuts for oatmeal toppings
• Baking nuts at 350°F
• Preparing ahead with pre-cooked oats
• Choosing the right milk for oatmeal
• Heavy cream vs. plant-based milks
• Quick cleaning hacks for oatmeal pans
• Transforming basic oatmeal into gourmet meals
• Homemade fruit compote recipe
• Benefits of using seasonal fruits
• Berry compote preparation
• Preserves vs. compote for oatmeal
• Adding yogurt to oatmeal
• Visual appeal of oatmeal presentation
• Layering flavors for oatmeal
• Nut chopping techniques
• Benefits of homemade cutting boards
• Importance of sea salt in desserts
• Maple syrup as a natural sweetener
• Creamy oatmeal texture tips
• Textural contrast with toppings
• Converting oatmeal skeptics
• Healthy oatmeal topping ideas
• Making oatmeal visually appealing

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🔴 *** ABOUT THIS CHANNEL ***
Welcome to my YouTube Channel! I've been immersed in the creative and domestic arts for all my life and its a real honor to be sharing my interests with you.

🔎 HASHTAGS
#oatmeal
#Rajivsurendra
#breakfast
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[diamondslashranch]

It astounds me how Rajiv has perfected every aspect of his life and takes the time and effort to teach it to us.

[tachiebillano]

Hi Rajiv! I'm from the Philippines. I make my oatmeal as a savory dish rather than the sweet-nutty-fruity style that Westerners do, which I often get tired of. So I make it to look and taste like Chinese congee or Filipino arroz caldo. I cook the oats in broth (or water + 1/3 to 1/4 of a soup bouillon), a bit of minced garlic and a slice of fresh ginger. Boil till cooked and add salt / soy sauce and pepper to taste. While it's still piping hot, I break open a fresh egg and drop it into the oats, stirring to cook it. Then I add a splash of milk and toss in chopped green onion. If I have bits of cooked bacon, sausage, ham, canned tuna or cooked chicken breast strips, or traditional smoked dried fish (a Filipino breakfast favorite), I toss those in as well. Et voila, a satisfying savory oatmeal breakfast.

[SomewhereInTennessee]

We all need a Rajiv in our lives. Your practices of mindfulness and gratitude in your life and daily routines makes me pause and be grateful and mindful of my own. You are such a beautiful light, Rajiv. Truly.

[OsmanthusFlower]

Hi Rajiv, thanks for profiling steel-cut oats, the least processed and yummiest! As a senior living alone, I make the recipe for 4 and keep it in the fridge. As the water is heating up I throw in a handful of raisins, a handful of slivered almonds and an apple chopped into small pieces, as well as cinnamon and some brown sugar. When done I add warm 1% milk, half a sliced banana and half a pear also chopped into small pieces. Not as fancy as yours but delicious, healthy, warms me up and keeps me going till lunch! Greetings from a loyal granny viewer in chilly Montreal😘

[giorgianacraus]

Im sooo excited you are posting more often, i love everything you post dont stop keep spoiling us ❤

[phronsiekeys]

I never met a bowl of real oatmeal I didn't like. My personal fave is cream, a TON of cinnamon and maple syrup. Oh, and in season, raspberries!

[tiffanypastore]

Hi Rajiv 👋 from Maine. I eat oatmeal everyday and cook it on the stove with fresh fruit. I am going to try your compote. Thank you kindly for all that you do! You keep traditional life best practices alive in a world where we have seem to lost them. ❤

[sandramigacz]

No one else can make a bowl of oatmeal look like a work of art!

[Terry_Fx]

I don’t make oatmeal anymore but when I did, I would cook it over-night in a small crock pot with vanilla extract, farm fresh honey, raisins, almonds, cranberries or some form of the variety of items – basically anything you might like. Once done I would part it out in containers for the entire week. I would use almond milk to make it wet before microwaving.

[jgirldo]

My mom made oats the same way, just without the nuts. She even spooned in her homemade preserves, and soaked the pan in cold water too! Her oats were heavenly! Rajiv your video evokes such great memories of my childhood. Thanks for the comfort food ❤

[mnprlgrl]

I LOVE your chalk-written intros. The visual and the sounds of the chalk against the board, and the D'Nealian script bring back comforting memories of childhood in the classroom. Please, never stop.

[katcatinaz]

Rajiv! You need a spurtle! The spurtle is a turned wooden cooking utensil designed as the ideal tool for stirring your favorite porridge or oatmeal. Where a spoon will naturally lead to clumping while stirring, the small surface area of a spurtle will keep your breakfast lump-free!

[Fayelin]

That looks delicious. Adding some spices like vanilla, cardamom or star anise along with the cinnamon makes it so good 😊

[kevinsaroz]

after Thanksgiving we use up the homemade cranberry sauce on oatmeal, so delicious!

[Englishroserebecca]

I love your kitchen so much and when I saw the inside of your pantry I had to rewind and take photo of the inside of it. 😂 tomorrow I’m going out to buy lots of glass storage jars. I want my pantry cupboard to look like yours The oatmeal which I call porridge 😂 looks amazing. You are a star Rajiv. ❤

[johnburns]

Such Penmanship, Lovely.
It's been a while😮😅

[adelamoon]

I recently bought steel-cut oats accidentally and I love them. Much better then the 'tasteless mush' I used to eat. I also like butter in my oats.

[Mindyhartwick]

I eat oatmeal almost every day for breakfast. My favorite way to have it is with some maple syrup for sweetness, a tablespoon of peanut butter mixed in, sliced banana on top and then a sprinkle of cinnamon. Yum.

[joysilas]

A pat of butter on top would add some extra flavor 👌🏿

[avivat]

I love oatmeal too! My mother used to make a ritual of preparing it for us.. She would add a little dimple in the middle of the bowl each time she added an ingredient and stirred it into the mix. doing that in for butter, brown sugar and milk. I added the name "Bear Porridge" for my children and when my daughter visited a friend in Scotland I was informed that cooking oatmeal in cream instead of water was the only way to have it. It's good for the heart in more ways than one.