Breakfast Bowl – New! Kind of Like a Banana Split

Food bowls are all the rage. Why not reimagine a breakfast bowl. Oats are core and maybe you have yet to try the steel cut variety. They offer a chewy texture and are easy to prepare. They hang well in the fridge for second and thirds later in the week.

I love to do this latest bowl craze and layer on cold fruit, yogurt, seeds and nuts atop hot oatmeal. It’s way past your grandma’s hot oatmeal.

INGREDIENTS: This will make four cups of finished oatmeal.

• steel cut oats – 1 cup
• water – 3 cups
• salt – 1/2 tsp.
• cinnamon – 1 tsp. [or cardamom, or other cookie spices]
• raisins – 1/4 cup [or other dried fruit]

INSTRUCTIONS: Stove top and a Quick Pressure Cooker method

1. Stove top: Bring water to a simmer and add the oats, salt, raisins and cinnamon. Bring to the boil and cover and reduce heat to very low.
2. Simmer for 40 minutes until oats have softened, but still have a chew.
3. Pressure Cooker: Combine oats, just 2-1/2 cups of water, and salt. Bring to pressure and cook 5 minutes. Then take off burner and let slow release for 5 minutes. Then add in remaining ingredients and stir.

GARNISH: Consider some or all

• Serve oatmeal hot with a little milk or cream
• Add diced fruit, like bananas
• Top with a dollop of yogurt or creme fraiche
• Top with another type of diced in-season fruit
• Top with chopped, toasted nuts or seeds
• Consider flax or chia seeds

[Featured photo above is garnished with bananas, yogurt, strawberries and walnuts]

Recipe adapted by B Hettig