Do you want to get something out of your breakfast? Go from regular to healthy, delicious, and hearty with this Apple Cherry Steel-Cut Oatmeal. It’s a warm, fall recipe that you can cook in 1 pot.
Many say, me included, that breakfast may be the most important meal of the day. I believe wholeheartedly that it is, and I remember only skipping breakfast a few times. In all honesty, I could easily eat a large breakfast every day. Pancakes, eggs, bacon, bread, fruit, juice, milk, coffee etc., but I don’t. Why not? Too many calories, too time-consuming and too expensive to be totally honest.
When you like chewy grains, you will like steel-cut oats. Steel cut oats are whole grain oat kernels without a husk, that were cut into smaller pieces using a steel blade. They are coarser than rolled oats and chewier, even when they are cooked, you’ll have something to chew on.
How to make Apple Cherry Steel-Cut Oatmeal
- Cook the steel-cut oats in a dry pan, just a few minutes until fragrant. It will enhance the flavor of your breakfast.
- Then add water, or milk if you prefer; it will make your breakfast a little bit heavier. Also add the peeled and chopped apples and salt. I used Granny Smith, because I love tart apples. When you prefer sweeter apples, use those or a mix of tart and sweet.
- Add the dried cherries as well and bring mixture to a simmer. Cook for about 25-30 minutes and stir frequently. You want to avoid that the oats stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Your breakfast is ready when the oats are creamy and have fully absorbed the water and the juices of the apples. The cherries are also soft, as they absorbed the liquid as well.
- Turn off the heat, add the cinnamon and allow the oatmeal to cool just a little bit. Taste is – be careful not to burn your tongue! Depending on your preference, you may want to add something sweet, like brown sugar, honey or maple syrup.
- Divide over 2 bowls, or just one and keep the other one for another day. Sprinkle with chopped roasted hazelnuts, or pecans or pumpkin seeds or your favorite nut.
This recipe creates a dairy-free, vegan (if you’re not using honey), sugar-free (if you’re not adding sugar) and gluten-free (if you’re using gluten-free steel-cut oats) breakfast.
Apple Cherry Steel-Cut Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup steel-cut oats
- 2 cups water
- 2 apples peeled, cored and cubed
- 1/2 cup dried cherries
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 cup hazelnuts roasted and coarsely chopped
- brown sugar, honey, maple syrup optional
Instructions
- Transfer the steel-cut oats to a pan and cook them on low until fragrant. Stir constantly for a few minutes.
- Add water, apples, dried cherries and salt and bring mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for about 25-30 minutes. Stir frequently. Oats have absorbed all the liquid and are creamy. Apples are soft and cherries are full and moist.
- Remove from heat and stir in the cinnamon. Allow the mixture to rest and cool just a little bit. Oats will thicken.
- Depending on the type of apples you used and depending how much of a sweet tooth you are, you may want to add some brown sugar, honey or maple syrup at this point.
- Divide the oatmeal over 2 bowls, sprinkle with the roasted chopped hazelnut and enjoy.
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