RAVE

If you had to pick out the single “healthiest” item you can buy at Trader Joe’s, what would you pick? Here’s the one I might pick. Trader Joe’s STEEL CUT ORGANIC OATS. “Ingredients: Organic Steel Cut Oats”

That’s it. Simple. Classic. Whole grains. Super food. Minimally processed; even less so than rolled oats. Steel cut oatmeal is my favorite kind of oatmeal as oatmeal made from Steel Cut Oats cook up to a distinctively chewy texture with nutty whole grain, hearty flavor.

Yes, it takes a little more time to cook than rolled oats but its not that much, and it’s worth that extra 10-15 minutes for a better tasting and better texture oatmeal.

Steel cut oats are a very natural food product with minimal processing. Steel cut oats are just whole oats (groats) that are dried then CUT with very sharp steel blades into smaller pieces. So “STEEL CUT”. Cutting the whole groat into 4 or 5 pieces makes it cook a little faster (25-30 mins).

In contrast rolled oats, the groats are first partially cooked, then pressed between steel rollers (“rolled”) to flatten them and then cut. Rolled oats cook quicker (in about 15 mins) and so called “quick oats” are rolled even thinner and cut even more into very tiny pieces. Those cook the fastest. All these steps affect the texture. Personally I don’t bother with quick oats except sometimes for doing “overnight oats”. But rolled oats are good for things too. For example making oatmeal cookies. Or overnight oats as well.

Steel cut oats are my favorite oatmeal as they have a lovely chewy texture and nutty flavor (which you can increase even more with some toasting them before cooking in your pot before you cook them).

Steel Cut Oats take a bit longer to cook than rolled oats but I think the effort is worth it, as they taste better and have better texture. Steel cut oats take about 30 minutes. I generally make a batch the night before so they are all ready to eat in the morning. I usually will make a big enough batch to last us about 3 or 4 days. I do like rolled oats however steel cut oats have better texture (chewy) and taste (nutty). If I forget, I put them up and jump in the shower.

You can even double the recipe (8 c water / 2 c oats) and even freeze some.

How to Cook STEEL CUT OATS:

The basic ratio is 1:4 – 1 cup oats to 4 cups water. Use a pot big enough so that there is a few inches at the top to avoid boil overs. You want a nice big heavy pot with a thick bottom to avoid burning.

Boil 4 cups of water. Then stir in 1 cup of oats. I suggest adding a pinch of salt (optional but it tastes better)

They start to thicken after about 5 minutes. They need 30 minutes total. When the oats start to boil, lower the heat till they are just simmering. I then cover the pot loosely (watch it, as oats can easily boil over and make a mess of your stove). Or just leave it uncovered, adding a little water if it looks too thick. If you cook it and find it’s too thick or the bottom is burning, just add a little more water. As it cools, it will thicken.

STIRRING: Every 5-8 minutes or so you should stir the oats occasionally to make sure the bottom doesn’t stick or burn. If you feel oats stuck on the bottom, just scrape the bottom to loosen them with the (wooden) spoon.

Let them cook slowly for about 25-30 minutes total.

TIP: Use a big deep pot as they do have a tendency to boil over. A wooden spoon or chopstick placed on top carefully can help prevent boil overs. When you bring them to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer.

ADDITIONS: The list of stuff you can add is almost endless. We like to add a good sprinkle of ground cinnamon or a cinnamon stick into the oats as they are cooking. Apples: To a batch (of 1 cup oats) I will dice up a whole apple and throw that in too and let it cook in the oats. I leave the peel on. My wife removes the peel (peel has flavor and texture, your call) Dried fruits: Add, Raisins. Dried cranberries. Most any dried fruit. I add those at the very end after I turn them off, so they don’t over cook.

To Serve: again, optional additions are endless – A little butter or cream, brown sugar, raisins, bananas, frozen blueberries or other fruit. Whatever strikes your fancy.You can change them up easily so you can make it different every time. Sure some of that stuff makes them a bit less healthy but I feel I balance it all out. If you are a purist, just eat them plain (boring) If you are a purist, you could eat plain.

https://cookieandkate.com/perfect-steel-cut-oats-recipe/

By the way, as the author mentions here, if you order them at a restaurant or diner, especially in New York, the price for a bowl of steel cut oats can be outrageous! ($11-13? No thanks, we will make them ourselves for 50 cents!)

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/steel-cut-oats-benefits

OK – what else is on your Healthy item list from Trader Joe’s? Here’s a few off the top of my head… CHIA SEEDS, KEFIR, HIGH FIBER CEREAL, WHOLE GRAIN SEED EURO BREAD, ROLLED OATS….

Trader Joe’s Organic Oatmeal $4.49 (30 oz tub) CERTIFIED ORGANIC

“Serving Suggestions: serve with milk, cream or butter. Add honey, agave or maple syrup, brown sugar, dried cranberries, raisins….”

PS – I still buy Rolled Oats too as they are good for making Overnight Oats, Oatmeal Cookies, and other things… So I have both kinds of oats in the cupboard usually.