I’m one of those people that wakes up hungry and can’t sit around and wait a 1/2 hour for breakfast to cook, so I want something that’s super easy to whip up, or can be made ahead. Steel cut oats were reserved for those fancy hotel vacations or breakfast out with the family, as I was under the assumption that steel cut oats were a labor intensive and timely breakfast to whip up. I changed that way of thinking though when I cooked up my hotquinoa and oat cereal for the first time. I learned the trick to a quick breakfast of steel cut oats, and that was to bring them to a quick boil and then let them sit out overnight.
Below are two cool facts about oats (this includes rolled oats):
- Oats are naturally naturally gluten-free. They don’t contain gluten in their natural form. They’re typically processed in facilities that also process wheat and other gluten grains, so there’s where the gluten comes into play. The reason why gluten-free oats cost more is because they have to be processed at a certified facility that only processes them alone. Basically the only difference between regular oats and gluten-free oats is the facility where they’re processed. So, If you’re allergic to gluten, look for certified gluten-free oats.
- Oats help restore and calm the nervous system, have beneficial effects on blood sugar, lower cholesterol and regulate weight.
By the way, I just recently triedtoasting the steel cut oats beforehand, and it’s amazing. You can see my recipe for toasted overnight steel cut oats here.
So I’m posting this recipe for those of you that want a quick and nutritious breakfast, but were intimidated by the whole steel cut oat cooking process. This is seriously one of the easiest ways to cook up steel cut oats and I bet this will change your morning breakfast routine. So grab your tablet or laptop and join me in the kitchen as we cook up some steel cut oats.
serves 4
- 4 cups (32 ounces) filtered water – I recommend using filtered water as tap water can have too much alkaine in it thus causing a greenish slime to occur on the oats. The oats are totally safe to eat, but it’s not very appealing.
- 1 cup steel cut oats – I use Bob’s Red Mill gluten free steel cut oats
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- Optional but tasty – 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Toppings
- Fresh fruit such as; strawberries, blueberries, smashed raspberries, blackberries or sautéed cinnamon apples
- Blackberry chia compote – no added sugar – I do this in the fall and winter months where there isn’t fresh fruit as it uses frozen berries
- Spoonful of almond butter, walnut butter or peanut-butter – I am obsessed with this almond butter from Sam’s Adventure Snacks. It’s locally made in SF and has the perfect consistency and the sea salt really amplifies the flavor.
- Maple syrup or honey – I love Manuka honey
- I love this tahini with dates from SoCo, use code THANKS for 20% off
All you need to make these oats are these three simple ingredients!
Note: Oats have a slightly higher fat content than other grains, and can therefore go rancid more quickly, so buy smaller quantities at a time, especially when buying them in bulk. Check the oats aroma to make sure that they are fresh. Fresh oats will have clean, sweet or grassy small, whereas spoiled oats have a sharper, unpleasant odor.
Get out a medium saucepan, soup pan or Dutch oven and pour in the 4 cups water.Turn the heat to high and bring the water to a rapid boil.
When the water comes to a full boil, pour in the steel cut oats and salt.
Give a quick stir and let the oats cook for 1 minute. I always set my timer here.
If your oats start bubbling and rising up, then just give them a quick stir and that should take care of it, but if they still keep rising up, then turn down the heat a bit.
After one minute, turn off the heat, give the oats a quick stir, cover and then let them sit out overnight.Yep, that’s all there is to it. Easy peasy.Goodnight!
Good morning!When you wake up and patter (or stumble) into the kitchen, open the lid and this is what you will see.
FYI: Sometimes tap water can cause a greenish slime to appear on top of the oats. It’s not mold and the oats are still safe to eat, you just need to scrape off the slime.Oats can turn brown-green or even blue-green in color when they are cooked in alkaline conditions. Alkaline conditions are achieved when the water used to cook the oats has a pH balance of 9 to 12, so usefilteredwater when making oats, if you can. If it’s not the water, it may be your pan. Sometimes a new pan can leach metal ions into your food and that could cause the same reaction.
Turn the heat to medium and stir occasionally until the oats are heated through. There will be a bit of water in the mixture still, but the oats will thicken up as they sit. I really like this consistency because they’re not to thick, goopy or dry.
Ladle the oats into a bowl and top with your favorite fixings. Below are the different ways I have been enjoying my oats.
Steel cut oats with strawberries, raspberries, peanut butter, 1 teaspoon virgin coconut oil and unsweetened shredded coconut. The coconut oil and coconut gave my oats a pop of coconutty flavor!Coconut oil is a great healthy fat to incorporate into your diet! Try adding 1 tablespoon to your morning cup of coffee or tea as well. Coconut oil boosts your metabolism, helps the thyroid function at a higher level, (so it’s great for women with thyroid issues) helps maintain healthy skin and hair, and promotes brain health! All good stuff!
Like PB&J sandwiches? Then you will LOVE this combination. Steel cut oats topped with peanut butter, blackberry jam mixed with chia seed, (great way to disguise the texture of chia) and a touch of coconut oil. Mix it all together and you will have the best warm PB&J!
You can still have blueberries or really any kind of berry in the winter! All you need to do is add some frozen berries to your oats while re-heating them, or top them on yourbowl of hot oats. In the winter I love topping my oats with raw pumpkin seeds, (great source of calcium) frozen blueberries, nut butter, and hidden at the bottom is 2 tablespoons of chia seed!
Store the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge. Leftover oats will last 2-3 days.
Got leftovers? To re-heat the leftovers, just put the oats in a sauce pan along with a bit of almond, hemp or coconut milk, over medium-low heat. The oats will thicken as they sit in the fridge, so you’ll definitely want to add a bit of water or milk to thin them up as they’re cooking. I always add a bit of almond milk to my leftover oats.
Try topping your oats with my blackberry chia compote.It’s the perfect topping to use when fresh berries are out of season.
If you like hot cereals then you have to try these below cereals. They’re all super quick and easy to whip up.
Try my overnight buckwheat porridge.
Try my overnight hot quinoa and steel cut oats. It’s a 3 ingredient blend of quinoa, oats and a touch of sea salt and can be made the night before in under 6 minutes! Simple and nutritious!
Toasted overnight steel cut oats. Toasting the oats in butter or coconut oil adds a new depth of flavor and richness, as well as a chewier and nuttier taste and texture. Double YUM!
Hot quinoa and oat cereal with goji berries. This is another overnight cereal that’s packed with the heartiness of steel cut oats and the protein of quinoa.
5 minute hot quinoa cereal. Yes, this literally takes 5 minutes from start to finish! So easy and so tasty!
Pressed for time and have some leftover quinoa? Then try my 5 minute warm quinoa cereal. It takes just 5 minutes to heat up and is perfect for those busy and cool mornings.
This GF overnight oats with hemp and chia is a great vegan, dairy-free breakfast that is chock-full of protein, fiber and heathy fats, basically a power packed, fuel filled breakfast that literally takes 3 minutes to make.
Want a grab-and-go overnight breakfast? Then you have to try myovernight refrigerator steel cut oats with chia and strawberries. It takes just 5 minutes to make and is ready to grab-and-go in the mornign. Perfect for taking to work on on the go. This version tastes like strawberry shortcake! So good!
I’ve also made these refrigerator oats using coconut yoghurt from Noosa! AMAZING! I posted the recipe on the same post as my overnight refrigerator steel cut oats with chia and strawberries.
Another one of my favorite g0-to breakfasts are these almond flour pancakes. They’re packed with protein and healthy fats to keep you going all morning long! They’re also kid approved, grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free and paleo!
Love oats? Then you will love these oatmeal pancakes. The batter is assembled the night ahead, so all you do in the morning is add in the dry ingredients. Super easy and totally kid approved and loved!
If you’re looking for a grain-free, gluten-free, vegan and paleo warm porridge then you have to try mygrain-free, paleo, vegan breakfast porridge. It’s loaded with healthy Omega 3 and Omega 6 fats, contains tons of fiber, antioxidants, magensisum, and minerals. It takes only 10 minutes to make from start to finish, and the best part is that it’s low in carbs, and a warm, tasty and satisfying way to start the day. It will also give you the necessary fuel to get you through your morning.
I just have to say that I LOVE breakfast!
INTERESTINGFACT: Did you know that oats are naturally gluten-free? They don’t contain gluten in their natural form. They are typically processed in facilitiesthat also process wheatand other gluten grains. So that’s why you pay more for gluten-free oats, because they have to beprocessed at a certifiedfacility that only processes them alone.If you’reallergic to gluten, look forcertified gluten-free oats.
