My perfect breakfast: a hearty bowl of steel cut oats, cooked in coconut milk with a fruit compote topping, with a big glass of orange juice to wash it down. I cook this for friends and family who swear they don’t like oatmeal, if only to dispel the myth that oatmeal is mushy, grey, and tasteless.
True story: I once had a whole twitter conversation with Chromeo when they tweeted “what are steel cut oats?” Being the massive food nerd and know-it-all that I am, I promptly replied that it was a form of oatmeal where the whole grain is roughly cut with large steel blades, leaving the hull intact. This snowballed into further questions about rolled oats and a variety of other breakfast grains. Steel cut oats are not rolled, hulled, or bleached, and are therefore the most wholesome grain (in my opinion) you can have for breakfast. Bonus: for all you glutards out there (sorry, Celiacs), it’s totally gluten free. Plus, the texture is this perfect toothsome grain that gives a satisfying pop/crunch when you chew it.
I choose to cook my oats in coconut milk for a few reasons. Though I don’t have any lactose sensitivity, I do consume a ton of dairy during the week and giving my body a break on weekends seems like a good idea. I’m also in love with the nutty flavour of coconut milk, and if I could afford it, I’d probably put it on everything. I imagine other milks, like soy or almond, would make for a decent substitute as well.
This breakfast is perfect for the busy weekend warrior or burdened down student. One batch on a Sunday morning yields about 4-5 portions (it’s deceptively filling, you don’t actually need a full bowl to keep you going for hours), which means you can refridgerate or freeze portions. Simply add a bit of water to the bowl, microwave for 1 1/2 minutes, stopping at 45 seconds to stir, and enjoy!
So, without further ado, here is my recipe:
1 cup steel cut oats
1 can coconut milk, plus 1/2 can water (I run hot water and use it to rinse out any remaining coconut milk from the can)
1 tsp vanilla
dash of cinnamon and nutmeg
Bring oats and coconut milk to a boil on the stove, then reduce to a slow simmer. As the oats cook, add vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Total cooking time should be approximately 45 minutes, but check periodically for doneness. You don’t want the oats to be overcooked, just a bit past the el dente stage.
You can make whatever sort of cooked fruit topping you like; I usually go for mixed berry, or peach if they’re in season, or sometimes an apple, raisin, cinnamon combo. Chopped dried fruits, nuts, maple syrup, etc. are also nice in it.
Enjoy!
