Oatmeal isn’t just for cold winter mornings. Who says you can’t enjoy a bowl of piping hot oats in the warmer months? Just give it the summer treatment with adding some seasonal fruit, like I did here with bing cherries, blueberries and raspberries.
And I even took it a fancy step further and pre-roasted the fruit.
For this recipe I love using the steel-cut oats, aka Irish oats.
What’s the difference between steel-cut and “regular” old-fashioned oats? The steel-cut oats are the least processed, and they have a firmer (and in my opinion) more interesting texture.
Steel-cut oats are oat groats cut into pieces. Whereas the old-fashioned oats are oat groats that are steamed and rolled during processing to allow a faster cooking time.
Traditionally, steel-cut oats take about 25-30 minutes to cook on the stove. But, let’s be realistic, who has time for that unless it’s a lazy Sunday morning?
That’s where the quick cooking steel-cut oats come in handy! They’re done in under 10 minutes, usually about 5-7 to be exact.
Which oats are best to use?
According to my research, the nutritional value is close with each of the three types of oats. All are high in fiber, heart healthy, and packed with vitamins and minerals.
So it comes down to taste…
If you prefer a chewier bite to your oats, go with steel cut. If you like more of a porridge style oatmeal, go with the old-fashioned rolled oats. Or the quick oats (the even quicker cooking version of old-fashioned rolled). Just PLEASE skip those instant sugary packets you buy in boxes.
What summer fruit is good in this recipe?
- berries
- cherries
- apricots
- peaches
- nectarines
- grapes
- figs
- kiwi
In winter go with apples, pears or fresh sliced oranges on top. And year round bananas are always great, and you can find frozen versions of things like berries and peaches when out of season.
Tip: cook mashed banana into oats for natural sweetness
You can even get tropical with pineapple, papaya or mango, which are all high in vitamin C.
The roasting of the fruit step is optional. I just happen to love roasted berries, grapes and cherries. Take the quick route and add fresh fruit on top of your oats. Or, better yet, stir it into the oats while cooking (you just may end up with a red bowl of oats!).
Berries & cherries ready to roast
I like to add extra seeds and nuts to my oats for extra plant protein and healthy fats. My go-to seeds for oats are flax, chia and pumpkin. For nuts in oats, walnuts or pecans are a fave. But really, whatever you love would go here.
Seeds that are great to add to oats are:
- chia
- flax
- hemp
- pumpkin
- sesame
- sunflower
Sesame, chia and hemp seeds have a ton of protein
Nuts that are great to add to oats are:
- almonds
- cashews
- pecans
- walnuts
- pistachios
- macadamia
Are you an oatmeal fan? Think you’ll make this recipe? If you do, please leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram.
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| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time | 10-15 minutes |
| Servings |
serving
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- 1/2 cup fresh summer fruit such as whole raspberries and blueberries, and quartered/pitted cherries
- 1 cup liquid filtered water or unsweet almond milk
- 1 generous pinch fine sea salt
- 1/3 cup quick cooking steel-cut oats
- 1/4 tsp ceylon cinnamon
- 1 tbsp dried fruit such as golden raisins
- 1 tbsp roasted pumpkin seeds
- 1 tbsp crushed roasted walnuts optional
- 1 tbsp toasted coconut flakes
- 1/2 tsp chia seed
- 1/4 cup liquid filtered water or unsweet almond milk *if needed
Ingredients
|
|
- heat oven to 400°, line a sheet pan with parchment paper
- make sure fruit is washed and well-dried, leave berries whole, pit and quarter cherries; roast fruit until tender, about 10-15 minutes
- meanwhile, bring one cup of water or unsweet almond milk to a low boil with a generous pinch of salt; add oats and cinnamon, then lower heat and simmer uncovered until tender, about 5-7 minutes, stirring often; add extra liquid at the end of cooking if desired
- to serve oats, stir in roasted fruit, then add desired toppings listed such as seeds, nuts, etc.
Recipe servings can easily be toggled to increase to desired number of servings.
Original recipe created by Jerran Boyer
www.healthnutchefs.com