Wholesome Breakfast

Fall is here in full force, with the tempature dropping from pleasantly sunny but balmy to 48...to 35... to 29! We had our first snow of the season earlier this week, albeit a small one. On these chilly mornings, a warm hearty breakfast is a must. Steel cut oats started out as something I heard about on Weight Watchers. We went back to them when we started cracking down on our waste, and realized how economical they are while saving packaging. Yesterday I got an organic cotton bag full of organic steel cut oats for 89 cents a pound. Steel cut oats are more nutritious and filling than rolled or quick oats, which have been steamed, thus releasing much of the nutrients. Steel cut oats do take a bit longer to cook, but you can always do them in the slow-cooker and wake up to a warm breakfast. The basic formula is 1/4 c. steel cut oats to 1 c. water. Here's my favorite way to prep them.

Autumn Morning Oats
1 c. Steel Cut Oats
4 c. Water
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tart apple, diced
1/2 c. raisins
cinnamon

Place water and oats in a large saucepan, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 20 minutes, stir in apple and vanilla. After 30 minutes, stir in raisins. When 40 minutes has elapsed, remove from heat. Stir in cinnamon to taste. If desired, serve with milk, yogurt, or maple syrup for topping.

Obviously you can get creative with whatever ingredients you want to add. I will mention that it gets a bit messy and sticky. Some recipes call for butter, which may keep it from sticking to the pan so much. I hope you enjoy experimenting with steel cut oats and experiencing that pleasantly warm and full feeling that gets me through my morning!