an ode to oats
Steel cut oats embody all that a breakfast should be: they're hearty and filling, warming, and can transform with the seasons. I add bananas, nuts, cloves, and cinnamon in the winter months, fresh berries and brown sugar in the summertime, and a dollop of almond butter and gogi berries after a workout. If I cook a big pot on Sunday, I'll just heat up a bowl on my morning weekdays and add my toppings.
My grenadine Staub petite french oven is the perfect pot for the job!
The purple flowers blooming on my lipstick plant
In the oat department, steel cut take the longest to cook, but in my opinion they outperform rolled oats in every way: they're digested more slowly, are high fiber,/low sugar, have a lower glycemic index because they're more coarsely chopped, and the taste is nuttier and more textured, which I prefer.
I let the oats simmer in water for a good 30 minutes -- I've tried using soy milk and coconut milk for a sweeter, thicker bowl but I prefer using water then sweetening with brown sugar or maple syrup instead!
Go-to toppings:
- Brown sugar or maple syrup to sweeten it up
- A dollop of almond butter
- Unsweetened coconut flakes
- Fresh berries
- Gogi berries for more chew
- Cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon. Always. These spices create my absolute favorite smell in the morning, to the point that I made myself a clove-scented candle for mornings when I don't have oats on hand...
