Oatmeal is one of the grains I use regularly for make ahead meal options. If I’m making cookies, I go for the traditional rolled oats, however if I’m having it prepared like a porridge, I always go for the steel cut oats because they have great flavor add the best texture!
Ingredients:
– 1 c steel cut oats
– 4 c skim milk
– 2 oz roughly chopped walnuts
– 1 apple, peeled and cut into medium dice
– 1/4 c brown sugar
– 2 tsp cinnamon
– 1/8tsp kosher salt
– 1 tsp vanilla extract
How I Make It:
– Heat medium saucepan on low heat and toast chopped walnuts until they start to become fragrant.
– Add oats to pan and frequently give the pan a shake so that they toast evenly for 1-2 minutes.
– Add cinnamon and continue to toast for another minute while occasionally giving the pan a shake to mix.
– Pour in the skim milk, increase heat to medium.
– Stir in sugar and continue heating and stirring occasionally until the mixture starts to bubble.
– Add diced apples, salt, and extract and stir well.
– Reduce heat to lowest simmer and cover for 15 minutes.
– Briefly remove lid and stir well (mixture will still have a lot of liquid) and replace lid.
– Turn off burner and allow to stand another 20-30 minutes or until most of the remaining liquid has been absorbed.
Tips:
– Use only skim milk, water, or a mixture of both for this recipe. If you use milk that has fat, it will curdle when you add the fruit to the simmering mixture. I like using skim milk because I like the flavor and added protein.
– It is worth taking the time to toast the dry ingredients as this techniques adds great depth of flavor.
– Sometimes I like to top my serving with a small pat of butter and a tiny drizzle of maple syrup, or a handful of fresh berries.
I love keeping a batch of this in the fridge for a quick heat and eat breakfast option, but it’s also delicious as a not-too-sweet dessert, served hot with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top!
Happy Eating!
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