Make-Ahead Steel Cut Oatmeal

If you've ever been in a rut with your morning bowl of porridge and rolled oats, then you have to try this! Oh my gosh, how have I not done this before?

Steel cut oats are one of my favourite ways to enjoy oatmeal but I don't make them very often because they take so long to make. In fact they're usually a weekend thing if I get to make them at all. The problem is I'm usually too hungry to wait 30 minutes for breakfast.

That's where this make-ahead steel cut oatmeal comes in. It's been adding some welcomed variety to my steady breakfast routine of oats for the last 2-3 weeks. When Sunday rolls around I like to make a big batch of steel cut oats and divide it into individual servings so I we can enjoy it all week long for quick and easy breakfasts. In the morning I just add a splash of almond milk and reheat it in the microwave. Steel cut oats reheat very well. This saves so much time in the morning! It's also the perfect portable breakfast.

And I just can't get enough.

Make-Ahead Steel Cut Oatmeal

by Jennifer Trennum

Prep Time: 3-5 minutes

Cook Time: 20-25 minutes

Keywords: how-to breakfast gluten-free vegan soy-free almond milk cinnamon steel cut oats maple syrup

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Ingredients (Serves 4 (serving size approx.)

• 2 cups water
• 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
• 1 cup steel-cut oats (uncooked)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• pinch of sea salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Optional Toppings:

1 tbsp ground flaxseed, 

berries, 

sliced banana, 

nut butter, 

dried cranberries, 

toasted pepitas, 

slivered almonds, 

ground cinnamon for dusting (the options are endless!)

Instructions

In a medium-sized pot, bring the water and almond milk to a boil. Add in the steel-cut oats, cinnamon, maple syrup, and a pinch of sea salt; stir and reduce heat to low.

Simmer on low uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, stirring every 5 mins or so, and scraping the bottom of the pan as you go. Cook until the oats are very tender and the oatmeal is as creamy as you like it — longer cooking will make thicker oatmeal.

Once the oats are creamy and tender, remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Serve immediately or allow to cool before storing in air tight containers in the fridge. In the morning, add a splash of almond milk and reheat in the microwave. 

This will keep for about 5 days in the fridge.

Enjoy the rest of the week and have a great weekend. I hope it's an extra delicious one!

Jenn

Apple Pie Steel Cut Oatmeal

I love looking forward to weekend mornings because it often means that we get to enjoy something different for breakfast. A bowl of cold cereal or a smoothie just isn't going to cut it. Enter a good old-fashioned bowl of hot steel-cut oats.

Steel-cut oatmeal is currently one of my favourite's to have on the weekend. I'm smitten with them. They fill the house with a mouth watering aroma, and this recipe in particular is reminiscent of a fresh baked apple pie!

This is a stove top version. In this recipe the oats get simmered with cinnamon and nutmeg. Apples get sauted with the same warming spices and a touch of succanat for that apple pie filling sweetness.

The fixings are what really turns a bland bowl of oats into something fantastic. And although oatmeal is already part of my weekday morning breakfast routine, this bowl with it's warming apple pie spices and cinnamon sugar apples makes for a lovely lazy weekend breakfast or brunch. Not to mention it's comforting on even the coldest of mornings.

I really love this bowl! It's thick, creamy, hot and full of apple pie flavour. I usually add a tablespoon or two of almond butter for healthy fats and extra protein. For these photos I sprinkled a bit of succanat over the oats, which I highly recommend.

Oats are a good source of fiber and will help keep you feeling fuller longer and oh so satisfied; just another thing to love about a great bowl of porridge.

Apple Pie Steel Cut Oatmeal vegan, gluten-free, vegetarian | serves 4

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Ingredients:

• 1 cup steel cut oats
• 3 cups water, plus extra for the apples
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, divided
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg, divided
• 2 tbsp sucanat (or other unrefined sugar)
• 2 apples, cored and chopped

Directions:

1. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil; stir in the oats, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/4 tsp nutmeg. Return to a boil, stir, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally until the water is absorbed and oats are tender.
2. While the oats are cooking, prepare the apples. In a skillet over medium heat add the chopped apples, 1/2 tsp of cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, and 2 tbsp sucanat, and just enough water to cover. Let the apples cook for 8-10 minutes until fork tender. If the pan gets too dry add a splash more water until they are softened and the water has cooked away. Remove from heat.
3. Spoon oats into bowls and divide cinnamon sugar apples between each one. Add any additional toppings if desired. Some of my favourties include: nut butters, granola, berries, maple syrup or honey, flaxseed, sliced bananas, milk, raisins and dried cranberries.

*Notes*

• Keep leftovers in the refrigerator for quick breakfasts. Oats can be made ahead of time. Just reheat with a little added milk or water, stir and serve! Leftover's will keep for up to one week.

Nutritional Information: (does not include additional toppings)

Serving Size: 1 cup cooked oats + about 1/2 cup apples Calories: 144 Fat: 1g Saturated Fat: 0g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 9mg Carbohydrates: 31g Sugar: 14g Fiber: 5g Protein: 3g