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Make Ahead Steel Cut Oats
Let's talk about oats, shall we?
Over the last several years, I've been trying to learn more and more about health and nutrition. I find it to all be pretty fascinating. I've being eating a lot of oatmeal lately and it got me to wondering about which oatmeal is the most healthy and why. Clearly, there are several options on the market... steel cut oats (also known as Scottish oats), rolled oats (also known as old fashioned oats), or quick oats (also known as instant or one minute oats). Instant oats are pretty darn appealing because you can be sitting down to a piping hot bowl of oatmeal on a cold morning in just a few minutes, but I know the instant oats are more processed (more pulverized) so it made me wonder if they still have the same health benefits.
I found this great little article (you can see the article HERE) which gives a side by side comparison of these three types of oats. As I suspected, the steel cut oats seem to be the best option because of "glycemic index". Instead of me trying to explain what that means, here is the part of the article which breaks it down:
It looks like they (these three types of oats) are pretty similar, but one thing that sets them apart is how they compare on the glycemic index. The less-processed steel-cut oats have a much lower glycemic load than higher-processed quick oats. Low-GI foods slow down the rate that glucose (sugar) gets introduced into your body, and in contrast, high-GI foods cause a spike in your blood sugar as well as insulin, causing you to crave more sugary foods when your glucose levels drop. The best option then are the steel-cut oats, with rolled oats a great second choice. They'll keep you feeling fuller longer, which will keep your energy levels up and help you lose weight.
Since I have been eating both instant oats this week and steel cut oats this week, I can definitely tell you I noticed the difference. I go for long walks or hikes with the dogs every morning. On the days that I have just the instant oats, I find I am hungry when I get home. But I definitely noticed that the steel cut oats stick with me longer. Far from scientific, but I am sold. Steel cut oats for me, please!
Now, the downside of steel cut oats is that they take a long time to cook. Over the past few months, I've been making steel cut oats in the slow cooker (crock pot) and it cooks perfectly each time. I usually just make up what I can eat within a week so it doesn't spoil in the refrigerator. Just a few weeks ago, I saw an idea where you could cook your oats, portion them out into muffin tins, place the frozen portions (oatmeal popsicles if you will) and freeze the portions in a plastic zip lock bag. Brilliant! I gave it a try except my muffin tins were in the oven. I ended up portioning out my cooled, cooked oats with a plastic container on to a wax paper lined cookie sheet. It was pretty funny looking; it looked as if I was trying to make sand castles out of my oatmeal! Once the oatmeal portions were frozen, I put them in a gallon sized zip lock bag in the freezer. I just pull out one here and there and it makes for a really easy, quick, and healthy breakfast.
Here is another thing I've done to make my morning oatmeal ritual quicker and easier. I made a little Oatmeal Station. See, it's right above my coffee maker in the open cupboard.
In various containers, I have my favorite oatmeal add-ins:
- raisins
- chia seeds
- brown sugar
- chopped nuts
- mini-chocolate chips
- and on the counter there is fresh fruit, too
So good now matter how you top it. Raspberries, pecans, cinnamon, and brown sugar.
I am calling this one Chunky Monkey: banana slices, walnuts, mini-chocolate chips, and brown sugar.
Make Ahead Steel Cut Oats (Small Batch)
1/2 cup steel cut oats
1 cup water
1 cup almond milk (or milk of your preference)
Place all ingredients in a slow cooker and give it a little stir. Set the slow cooker on LOW setting and cook for 1 1/2 hours; stir well. Cook 30 more minutes or until oats are desired tenderness. Remove crock from slow cooker and allow oatmeal to cool (oatmeal will firm up considerably). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil; spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Portion out the oats as desired onto the foil lined baking sheet using a measuring cup (I use a 1/2 cup measuring cup). Place the baking sheet into the freezer (uncovered). When oatmeal becomes solid (after a few hours), remove the oatmeal "popsicles" from the foil using a spatula and place in large plastic bag with zip closure and store in the freezer.
Thaw portion of oatmeal in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat oatmeal in the microwave oven in a microwave safe serving bowl with a splash of milk on 100% power for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.
*****
Make Ahead Steel Cut Oats (BIG BATCH)...
Just requires a longer cooking time in the slow cooker
1 1/2 cups steel cut oats
3 cups water
3 cups almond milk (or milk of your preference)
Place all ingredients in a slow cooker and give it a little stir. Set the slow cooker on LOW setting and cook for 2 hours; stir well. Cook 45 to 60 more minutes or until oats are desired tenderness. Remove crock from slow cooker and allow oatmeal to cool (oatmeal will firm up considerably). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil; spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Portion out the oats as desired onto the foil lined baking sheet using a measuring cup (I use a 1/2 cup measuring cup). Place the baking sheet into the freezer (uncovered). When oatmeal becomes solid (after a few hours), remove the oatmeal "popsicles" from the foil using a spatula and place in large plastic bag with zip closure and store in the freezer.
Thaw portion of oatmeal in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat oatmeal in the microwave oven in a microwave safe serving bowl with a splash of milk on 100% power for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.
Looks like??? This batch gave me and my husband a little chuckle... looks like cow patties. The oatmeal was still kind of warm when I portioned it out but it still worked fine.
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