Steel Cut Oatmeal with Caramelized Apples

In the winter, especially when it’s raining (or snowing, for that matter, though that’s pretty unlikely in most of southern California) and cold, I can’t think of a better way to start the day than a hot bowl of oatmeal. Ok - maybe staying in bed under the warm covers is a better way, but since we all have to get up sometime, oatmeal is an acceptable substitute.

I regularly make big batches of steel cut oatmeal, eat one bowl full, then pour the rest into a sealable container and store it in the fridge. The oatmeal sets up and it is easy to scoop out individual portions for the rest of the week. On weekends, I tend to have a bit more time on my hands and this is when I usually make the big batches. Occasionally, I’ll make something to go with the oatmeal instead of tossing in the usual scoop of raisins.

For this batch, I made some caramelized apple slices. It’s a quick and dirty way to do it, simply browning the apples slightly in a hot pan with butter, then turning down the heat and letting them cook until soft. At this point, you can toss in some brown sugar (really making a very nice caramel apple sauce) or do what I do and add the apples to the oatmeal with maple syrup. I’ll always do at least two apples and save the leftovers for another breakfast or two, but if you’re sharing your initial batch of oatmeal with some loved ones or hungry friends, you might want to toss in a third apple, just in case.

Apple Cinnamon Steel-Cut Oatmeal

While I’m geeking out about oats, I should mention that quick cooking oats are generally preferred for making oatmeal cookies. I read that rolled oats can be used, but the dough should be refrigerated for 20 minutes to let the oats soften up by absorbing some moisture before baking. I’ve definitely used rolled oats in cookies without doing the refrigeration trick, so feel free to ignore this paragraph entirely if you’ve got a cookie recipe that works for you.

Serves One Hearty Breakfast Portion, Two Petite Portions
2 tsp Non-Hydrogenated Vegan Margarine
1/2 Cup Steel Cut Oats
1 1/2 Cups Hot water
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1 Pinch Salt
1/2 Cooking Apple, diced
1/4 Cup Soy, Oat, or Nut Milk
1-2 tsp Brown Sugar (or regular sugar with a small drizzle of molasses)
1 Tiny Pinch Nutmeg, optional

Heat margarine in a small sauce pot that has a tight fitting lid. Add oats and toast them for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Add cinnamon and salt, stir well. Stir in hot water and bring to a brisk boil. Cover and turn down heat. After 15 minutes, add apple, milk, and sugar and stir. Cook for another 5 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally.

If after 5 minutes you’d prefer your oatmeal to be thicker, cover and turn off heat and let sit for an additional 5-10 minutes. This gives the oats a chance to absorb more liquid without running the risk of burning the oatmeal. Also, the oatmeal at this point is approximately the temperature of magma, so you might as well let it cool down a bit before you dig in.

If you feel like dressing up your oatmeal, drizzle it with a small amount of molasses and a pinch of nutmeg, or sprinkle it with additional brown sugar, or add a fresh apple slice or two to the top.