Well, it makes excellent brown water!!!
= Human error. We have to figure out the right proportion of grounds to water. We used to use a heaping 1/3 cup grounds for 40 oz of French press and it was perfect. So we used the same with this and it was very weak. Next time we’re going to try 1/2 cup grounds for 6 cups. It’s unfortunate that we’ll have to use MORE coffee each time! But maybe we can also cut back on water (we each usually have a 12 oz mug filled to the brim, so probably 30 ounces between the two of us).
Perfect oatmeal?
After being without our oatmeal ingredients this summer and moving to a new kitchen, I have YET to make a perfect bowl here. I like my oatmeal runny and VERY creamy with embedded chunks of stuff and crunchy toppings.
With all the ingredients I needed in house,this bowl was pretty darn close:
The Mix
- 1/3 cup oats
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1/2 cup water ( <— a bit more water helps keep it from drying out)
- 1/2 tbsp chia seeds
- 1/2 banana
- Pinch salt, splash vanilla, sprinkle cinnamon
- 1/4 cup cottage cheese, stirred in at end (Organic Valley is my fav!!)
- 2 tbsp wheatberries, stirred in at end (pre-cooked from fridge)
- Toppings: Sample Galaxy Granola + TJs Sunflower Butter
Reader Jill sent me this NPR cast with a funny song about "Oat Groats" at the 1:23 mark 🙂
Which led me to be singing Raffi’s Oats And Beans And Barley
Which led me to Baby Beluga!
Larbs and I LOVED Raffi when we were little!
Freya (Brit Chick Runs) says
Grrr it’s times like these when I hate my freakishly slow and old fashioned laptop – apparently it doesn’t do NYC on demand listening…grr!
I think the oats look perfect 🙂
Hillary [Nutrition Nut on the Run] says
Miss Freya Dear,
How on Earth are you the first commentor on soooo many blogs!? : )
Sarah says
I would like to know the answer to this too!!!!
Rachel (Two Healthy Plates) says
Cute songs! I usually use 1 heaping tablespoon for every 6 oz. or so of water – I think that’s pretty standard for coffeemakers! Unless I’m making really strong coffee to make cafe au lait, then I use 1 tbsp for every cup of water.
Hannah says
You’ve worked out the perfect ratio for oats – I have complete faith you’ll soon o the same for coffee 😀
Stacey says
Mmmm oats:) I hope u have a fun day and get ur coffee situation figured out!
Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen) says
I am all about the creamy oats! I use unsweetened applesauce in mine, flax, cinnamon and almond milk. I was sad this morning when it was over. As for coffee, we like it strong! We use a tablespoon per cup when we brew coffee at my in law’s house in a regular pot. We love the Keurig because every cup is perfect. We stopped using a regular pot due to all the waste. I am sure you will get the coffee figured out and I am glad your oats are getting closer. I hope you have a great day Kath!
Julia says
Baby Beluga was my favorite song from elementary school music class. I’m instantly transported to a happy time when I hear that song!
Wei-Wei says
The oats look like perfection! I love your coffee cup – where’d you get it??
Estela @ Weekly Bite says
I have the same coffee maker. I use a 1/8 cup scoop of grounds per cup of coffee. It works perfectly!
Jess says
We usually have NPR on at our place, and that oat groat song cracked me up last night! Love the music stream of consciousness! My sister and I listened to a LOT of Raffi when we were little too. Oh dear…good times.
Enjoy your weekend, and hope you find the perfect coffee formula!
lisasfoods says
I love the cups you used for coffee. Where’d you get them?
Kath says
OpenSky
http://shopopensky.com/katheats/buy/bodum-pavina-double-wall-glass-9-oz-set-of-2/now
Heather says
we had the raffi cassetes growing up, too! love it!
Koko says
Hi,
I have the same coffee maker, it’s so funky. The perfect ratio of coffee to water is 1 less scoop (the one that came with the cofee maker) of coffee to the number of coffee cups on the coffee pot measure. It’s perfect every time, doesn’t matter if it’s 4 cups or 12.
Take care,
Koko
Meg says
The banana is back in action in the oats! Heck yes!
Good luck with your coffee situation, and enjoy your Saturday Kath!!
Kim says
Probably everyone has their own ratio, but I take how many cups water, divide it by 2, and use that many tablespoons. (10c. water = 5T. grounds). Plus you always have to add that half T. at the end, as a kicker. 🙂
Tricia says
Kim- I do that EXACTLY! Even the 1/2 T at the end…great minds think alike:)
jaclyn@todays lady says
I love my oats a little runny too. I always use extra water, its a must! Fluffy, runny oats!
With our coffee maker (same as yours), we would use a tablespoon for each cup of water. I like it this way… It sucks that it takes more coffee than a french press!!
I loved Raffi too 🙂
Chelsea (Chelsea's Chew and Run Fun) says
The kids I used to nanny for loved Raffi as well. It makes me a little sentimental!
Samantha Angela @ Bikini Birthday says
I love that mug! Where did you get it?
Jessica says
I’ll jump in on the coffee ratios 🙂
I have a similar Cuisinart. I use the scoop that came with it – and use 1 scoop of coffee per 5oz. water. So for my typical morning ratio: it comes out to 6 scoops of coffee to 30-32 oz of water. It comes out strong – but that’s how I like it. Having some now as I type this….loving those sbux flavor infusions! Caramel is divine….
Natasha says
Hey Kath, so I’ve been addicted to your blog for the longest time now ;0) you seem like such a sweetheart!!! Keep up the great work…
P.S. I usually use about a tbsp of coffee ground for 6-8 oz of water (so, I put in 4 cups of water into the coffee maker and follow that with 4 heaping Tbsp of coffee)….hope that helps darling
holly @ couchpotatoathlete says
Hmm. I like my oatmeal thicker, not runny! To each their own, I guess!
I love the pic of the cup of brown water with steam 🙂
I wasn’t a Raffi song, but Baby Beluga makes me think of Full House — there is an episode where Jesse and Joey sing it to Michelle
Megan says
Kath,
I have the same coffe maker and love it!! It should have come with a cute little black scoop; one of those equals about a tablespoon, and I use a scoop per cup of water. So for a six-cup pot, I put six scoops of coffee. Strong, but goooood….
Mara @ What's for Dinner? says
I love strong coffee, and all my Starbucks barista training taught me 2 Tbsp. of grounds for every 6 ounces of water.
Tina says
It certainly LOOKS like good coffee. 🙂
Baby Beluga always reminds me of Michelle singing it on Full House. And my daughter has the little book. I’m avoiding her hearing the song because I don’t want her singing it all day and it inevitably getting stuck in mine too. haha
Heather says
AAHH Raffi! My husband & I randomly talk about Raffi & sing Baby Beluga 🙂 Always makes me smile when someone remembers him too!
have a great day!
Fallon says
When I make coffee in the coffee maker it 1 scoop (about a tablespoon) of grounds to 1 cup of water. If I make extra I’ll store in the fridge for an iced coffee or just simply reheat it. That way I’m not wasting extra filters by brewing every day.
Jill says
Very strange…I just posted a video of me singing Baby Beluga to my baby!! Love me some Raffi 🙂
No more french press!!! Blasphemy! 🙂 Hahhah–love the steamy coffee glass..
coco says
I just had my first oatmeal this summer… it was pretty but not with so many flavors and textures like yours!!! 😀
i like your coffee mug… where did u get it?
Anna @ Newlywed, Newly Veg says
Oh man…now that song is going to be stuck in my head for the rest of the day. Thank you. 🙂
Christine says
Kath, have you considered what size grind you are using? You can probably use a finer grind for more extraction than you could get away with in the French Press!
Clare says
I second this comment. Coffee machines use a finer grind than the French Press!
neen@ Broad Bean to Runner Bean says
ohh my that looks like a perfect bowl of oats!!
Michelle @ Chasing Ambulances says
Kath, I am usually not one to notice, but these photos are REALLY good. They all *pop* – and I love the photo of the coffee with the steam. I am inspired to work on my photography.
p.s. I’ve definitely made brown water myself! You’ll find the right ratio that works for you.
Kath says
Thank yoU!
Mandy A says
Cute bowl!! As always 🙂
I don’t see how you couldn’t make a perfect bowl of oatmeal! Yours ALWAYS look so darn good. I am going to start adding the extra water because I’m a pro at drying mine out 🙁 Thanks for the tip!
Nikki T says
Ahhhhhhh!! Raffi! I also LOVED him when I was little! I was trying to discuss Raffi with some people at work a while back and no one knew who he was 😮 The horror!!
Sarah K. @ The Pajama Chef says
hilarious songs! yeah for raffi 🙂
Courtney @ Bread & Bokeh says
We also have the same coffee maker and use 1/8 cup of coffee grounds per one cup of water. It seems to work perfectly for us. Good luck!
Erica says
I loved Raffi growing up – on the same album (yes, I had an album) is my favorite song “Bananaphone”
For coffee … we do 1 tablespoon per 6 ounces of water – so for 24 ounces I do a 1/4 cup grounds! We do this because 24 oz = the 4 cup line on our coffee maker, giving two people one nice tall cup of coffee 🙂
Laura says
I loved Raffi growing up as well, and one day during my freshman year of college, the topic of childhood songs came up with my roommate. I thought everyone knew about Raffi, so I was shocked when I learned that she had never heard of him. She thought “Baby Beluga” and “Down by the Bay” were straight-up weird. I suppose if you don’t hear Raffi songs until you’re 18, you take a slightly different view of them 🙂
Mary @ Bites and Bliss says
hahaha I laughed out loud at the “brown water” tid bit. Whoops! 😛 Glad your oats were almost perfect this morning- hope next time’s the charm!
Emily says
Awwww, Raffi!! That brings back childhood memories for me. I also love everything you put in your oats… I have an oatmeal/oat bran addiction.
Reader Jill =) says
I feel like a super star, getting a mention in your blog! You have definitely inspired me to get more creative with my oatmeal- which I admit I only make at home during the winter. During summer I’m more of a Greek yogurt gal.
a says
I hope you didn’t use coarse ground coffee. It’ll yield weaker coffee
Nancy @ The Wife of a Dairyman says
Looks like the perfect bowl of oatmeal to me:) Love the bowl as well.
Megan says
Hi! I recently got the same exact coffeemaker, and I think it comes with a scoop. I do the ratio of one scoop to one cup, maybe a little less water if you want stronger coffee. Also, I am not sure if you regularly go to Trader Joes, but they have some really good coffee (whole beans and ground!).
Wendy @ Seriously Sassy says
Oooh, the picture of the coffee cup with steam rising from it – SO cool!
Kath, I have a question for you if you don’t mind: Got a DSLR (Canon EOS Rebel t2i) on Thursday and am blown away by the GORGEOUS photos it takes. WAY too much fun! But when I post them onto my blog, the pics don’t look NEARLY as beautiful as the originals. Your blog pics look to me like they are every bit as clear and sharp and amazing as the originals. Can you tell me how you get your photos to keep their gorgeousness when you put them on your blog? I would be SO GRATEFUL. I thought you’d be the best person to ask since your blog is the main one that inspired me to bite the bullet and get me a DSLR. 😉
You can email me if it would be easier: [email protected]
Thanks Kath!!!!
Amanda (Two Boos Who Eat) says
LOL! Now I have Raffi’s voice in my head. So funny.’
It took me forever to get used to proportions with coffee grounds/water. I like my coffee on the stronger side. But with all of your french press raves, you’ve got me wanting a french press!
Kathy W. says
One of those small scoops that comes in grocery store coffee cans is actually about 2 tablespoons. (And a cup is often considered 6 oz. for some reason!) Like Estella above, we use 2 tbsp., or 1/8th cup of ground coffee per 8 oz. cup we want to brew. Works perfectly!
Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat says
I loved Raffi too!! I actually had a friend (in playschool I guess?) whose dad was in the entertainment business and I got to go backstage at one of Raffi’s shows…. as a kid I thought it was pretty much the best thing ever! And baby beluga is by far his best song in my opinion! 😉
lynn (The Actors Diet) says
oats are so hit or miss for me – even when i have all the right tools!
Taylor says
I have found that it works well to use 1 tbsp grounds for each cup of coffee I make… Oh and now you have Raffi in my head! One of my faves: I like to eat eat eat apples and bananas!
Teri H says
With the automatic drip you can use a finer (vs. coarse) grind of coffee… then you don’t have to put in more…
Liz @ Tip Top Shape says
That coffee machine looks like mine and I do one tbsp for every 2 cups of coffee. You end up with a mild cup that doesn’t taste watery.
Hillary [Nutrition Nut on the Run] says
I have never tried cottage cheese in my oats. I think I’m up for it…
Have you ever tried adding an egg white? If so, what’s your take?
Kath says
I have and didn’t really love it.
Amber K says
I LOVED Raffi when I was a kid! But I try to talk about it to people now and they have no idea what I’m talking about!
kate says
At least the oats were perfect!
Mama Pea says
You know what else Raffi sings? BANANA PHONE!
(you remember our love affair with that song, right? And the banana costume? Little Peas &TY spoiler for you: be looking for that come Halloween…)
Kristine says
The highlight of my little girl-hood was going to see Raffi live! Nerd alert indeed. 🙂 So funny! Baby Beluga was my sister’s favorite. I’m a Christmas fanatic so I’m partial to “Up On the Housetop”.
Kristen @ Kristen, Sweetly says
Hi, Kath!
Are you grinding your own coffee beans? I know there’s a big difference in coarseness between coffee used for french presses and coffee used for drip brewers. You might just need to grind it finer. If you do it at the grocery store, there are usually little tick marks for “drip,” “espresso,” etc…
Simply Life says
I love that bowl the oats are in!
Veggielady4life says
I have noticed that using the French Press requires less coffee, and I like that it’s easier to clean. Your new machine looks great, though, and I’m sure you will figure out the right ratio of grounds to water soon. Also, thanks for the reference to your Charlottesville category for restaurants. Got another question for you… my husband is curious about a gym. Any in the area have 1-month memberships that you know of? If not… no worries… 🙂 Thanks!!
Kath says
I have no idea, but try ACAC
Kath says
RE coarse grounds: We never used them in our French press. I am always one to take shortcuts, and that would limit the types of coffee we could use. So I always ground them fine so it would be extra strong.
HOWEVER, the coffee that Matt used today was one we got in whole bean form and he ground in our grinder and he ground it WAY TO COARSE! He was impatient. when I went to remove the grinds from the filter today, I noticed they were too chunky. So that was the problem!
Laura @ Blogging Over Thyme says
I’ve gotten Davis Creek products at the farmer’s market near me, their great! I think I had a dairy product, fresh yogurt with blueberries. It was delicious!
I definitely think that’s a steal for grass-fed beef. Yumm, hamburgers on the menu?
Cati @ crave and create says
LOL, yeah, Raffi put out some good stuff! I was a major fan as a kid – thanks for reminding me! 🙂
Liz says
Raffi is a Canadian – yeah for Raffi! Loved him as a kid as well and my wee girls are also fans. I saw him in concert once which was extra special 🙂
Annie@stronghealthyfit says
I loved Raffi too!
caronae says
I looooooove Baby Beluga! My sister and I were such big Raffi fans — we had a video and we even saw him live in concert! Lol, such nerds. I loved the “apples and bananas” song the best. 🙂 Happy Saturday!
jamie @ jamelafamela says
omg that is the coolest picture of the steam from the coffee!
Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin says
Haha I used to love Raffi too! He came to my school back when I was really young! 😀
Stacey@http://stacey-healthylife.blogspot.com/ says
The coffee ratio typically should be 2 Tablespoons for 8 ounces of water. Give that a try.
Natalie says
Raffi reminds me of car trips as a kid! We have that coffee maker and use one heaping tbsp for every cup line on the carafe. Grinding it at the finest of the drip settings when using the “self-grind” machine makes for really delicious coffee.
Lauren at KeepItSweet says
that does look like perfect oatmeal!
Michelle says
those oatmeal bowls are so cute! haha i remember the first time i made coffee… i made too much and it was SO bitter it was almost undrinkable!
Anne@ Food Loving Polar Bear says
I don’t drink coffee much (maybe once a month max) so I always have trouble with measurement when I make coffee for others 😀
Katie (Sweet Tater) says
that steamy photo is AMAZING
Melissa @ HerGreenLife says
My husband also loves Baby Beluga. I have it on a mix CD with other non-kid songs, and it always throws me when it comes to this one, then puts a smile on my face when I realize what’s going on 🙂
Jac says
what happened to ze french press?
bliss says
The size of your grounds also matters; for French press, usually a larger ground size is used than one would prefer for automatic coffee makers – also, smaller grounds will give you stronger coffee. I don’t know if someone already made a comment to this effect, but it might help you save a bit on coffee!