Steel Cut Oatmeal

It feels good to be back home from our Floridian vacation and cooking back in my kitchen. I've missed cooking so much and after so much "vacation" eating, it's time to detox from it all and get back on track to eating healthy. Breakfast is one of my favorite meals of the day, and I'm always looking for something light and balanced and healthy to eat. Usually, I have a cup of coffee paired with instant oats and a piece of fruit. Everything sounds good right? But the instant oats sometimes has too much sugar. I've tried the sugarless versions of oatmeal as well, and something about it doesn't taste right. It's always too gummy and it's convenient but not as chewy and flavorful as slow-cooking oats.

I wanted something healthy and delicious and I knew that Alton Brown would have a killer recipe for it. The key to this recipe is time, the oats need to be slow-cooked and the texture is incredibly smooth. This makes at least 5 to 6 servings, so if you want to have steel cut oatmeal all week long - make a batch on Sunday and it will last you until Friday. Your booty will thank you later. Enjoy!

Steel Cut Oatmeal
Adapted from Alton Brown: Good Eats
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup of steel cut oats
3 cups boiling water

½ cup heavy cream

½ lowfat milk (or just use all milk)

1 tablespoon agave nectar

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Sliced almonds for garnishment (optional)

Preparation:

Prepare your hot water, at least 3 cups of boiling water.

In a medium sauce pot, on medium-high heat melt the butter and add the oats. Stir to coat the oats with the butter and cook for 2 minutes. Lower the heat to a slow simmer and add the boiling water, keep uncovered and cook for 25 minutes.

Mix the heavy cream and milk together with the oatmeal. Stir gently to combine the milk and oatmeal and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Stir in the agave nectar and mix well, add more as needed. Spoon into bowls and top with sliced almonds (or your choice of nuts/topping) and garnish with cinnamon.

Review: I can't believe this is what real oatmeal tastes like...it's a big difference from the instant packets and making a batch of "real oatmeal." The taste is very rich and smooth, and you'll never want to go back to instant oats again. The convenience factor is ideal but to eat well - it takes time to prepare your food. If you eat well, then you feel well. You got the weekend to indulge a bit right?