Steel-Cut Oats

I grew up believing I hated oatmeal. It turns out I just don't like it with milk, and my mom always used to put a lot of milk in it when she served it. Everyone has different tastes.

I also realized that the packets of pre-flavored oatmeal contained mostly sugar, with little to improve on the nutritional value of the oats. It is much healthier to make unflavored oatmeal and add pieces of chopped fruit, raisins, nuts, and just enough sugar for one's taste. I can't imagine anyone adding more sugar than the manufacturers do.

Oatmeal comes in several varieties. Quick oats are rolled very thin and par-cooked before selling, so you can just pour boiling water over them and wait about a minute. Rolled oats are pressed flat so they cook faster, but you actually have to cook them a few minutes. Two minutes in the microwave is probably the easiest way to do it. Steel-cut oats are whole oat grains that have been cut in two or three pieces, but they're still pretty much a solid, whole grain. They take the longest to cook.

I based this on Alton Brown's steel-cut oatmeal recipe. I liked his idea of toasting the grains in butter, kind of like pilaf. Add milk after cooking if you want, but I found them creamy enough without any. I did add a little the next day when I reheated the leftovers. Again, it's all about what you like.

1 C steel-cut oats

1 Tb butter

3 C Water

dash of salt

one apple, cut into bite-sized chunks

brown sugar or maple syrup to taste

1. Start boiling 3 C of water. Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in oats and sauté until slightly browned, about 2 minutes.

2. Stir in boiling water and add salt. Stir in apple. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Cook 35-45 minutes, until water is mostly absorbed, but oats are still creamy.

3. Serve with brown sugar, raisins, and milk if desired.

Difficulty rating  π