Steel-Cut Oatmeal

Steel-cut oatmeal is one of the finer things in life. I could eat this stuff every day. Actually, I usually do. When my alarm goes off, I stumble into the kitchen half dressed, bedraggled, and blind; I mindlessly throw some oatmeal in a pot, set the timer, and drag myself into the shower. By the time I'm out of the shower and dressed (mostly), my oatmeal is ready. It's different from regular oatmeal (and a completely different beast when compared to the nasty instant stuff); it's much chewier (the oats haven't been smashed flat by the rollers), and the flavor is a bit nutty. I love it.

I usually buy my oatmeal in the bulk section. You can buy it in a package from companies like Bob's Red Mill, but it's nearly twice the price. And this is also one thing I always buy organic. I can always taste the difference between the non-organic and organic, and the difference is not a good one. Stick with organic oats. They just taste better.

Steel-Cut Oatmeal
Recipe by Kelly
Picture by Kelly

Makes 2-3 servings

1/2 tablespoon butter*
1 cup oats
2 1/2 cups water
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk (optional)
brown sugar, cinnamon, chopped fruit, and milk, for topping

1. In a small saucepan, melt butter and add the oats. Stir for about 1 minute on medium heat to toast the oats (they should be fragrant).
2. Add the water and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer and cook 15 minutes without stirring.
3. Stir in the salt. Simmer uncovered 5 more minutes or until the water has been absorbed. Remove from heat, spoon into bowls, and add sugar, cinnamon, fruit, and milk.
4. For less chewy oatmeal, stir in 1/4 cup milk and simmer 10 more minutes after step 2.

*Adding butter to your oatmeal makes it delicious. But some days I feel guilty adding butter to something that doesn't actually need butter...so sometimes I omit it and "dry" toast the oats. It's still very tasty. And fat-free.