Back in the day, when I was a kidlet groing up in the South, my breakfast was usually biscuits with brown flour gravy, grits swimming in melted butter, crisp country bacon, and eggs over easy. No one ever talked about cholesterol, and people thought that breakfast was the best way to start the day. I wish it was, it's still one of my favorite food memories. But, I rarely have that type of breakfast now. Instead, I usually eat cereal. One of my resolutions for this new year was to eat more steel cut oatmeal. I prefer it to the more familiar oats that I grew up eating. It has a better texture, I think, and it fills me up better and holds off hunger longer than other types of cereal. And, of course, it's very healthy for you. It's full of soluble fiber, which reduces LDL, the "bad" cholesterol that leads to plaque buildup. This recipe include walnuts, which also reduces LDL, and like oatmeal can increase HDL, the "good" cholesterol.
I found this recipe in Martha Stewart living, which calls for roasting the oatmeal and walnuts. Roasting usually improves the flavor of food, and it gave the oatmeal a nice toasty flavor. This is a lovely way to start the day. But, I wish they would discover startling new evidence that my old fat laden Southern breakfast was actually good for your heart. A girl can dream, can't she?
Roasted Oatmeal With Walnuts And Oatmeal
(Martha Stewart Living)
1 ounce walnut halves, (1/4 cup)
1-1/4 cup steel cut oatmeal
5 cups cups water
5 ounces dried apricots, chopped (1 cup)
a good pinch of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
honey, to drizzle on top of the oatmeal
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread walnuts and oatmeal on two separate baking sheets, and bake until both are brown and toasted--about 10 minutes for the walnuts and 12 minutes for the oats.
Bring water to a boil and add the oatmeal, apricots, cinnamon, and salt. Return to a boil, then turn it down, partially cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until oats are tender and thick, about 20 minutes. Chop the walnuts.
Serve the oatmeal in 4 bowls, sprinkle each serving with the walnuts and drizzle some honey on top.
Note: I found that the leftover oatmeal re-heats fine the next day. It may need a little water added.
I've been meaning to blog about steel-cut oats (a.k.a. pinhead oats, or Scotch oats) ever since we got to Scotland: we've been unable to find the silly things! And they're supposedly Scotch!
Sounds yummy! Looks it, too!
Posted by: DaviMack | January 21, 2008 at 12:38 PM
It sounds delicious and healthy both. I could switch the honey for Agave Nectar too and it would be completely South Beach friendly.
Posted by: Kalyn | January 21, 2008 at 01:01 PM
Ruth - thanks for the great recipe, it looks super tasty. I was recently diagnosed with high cholesterol (at the whopping age of 25), so have been looking for things that will take it down. Thanks again!
Posted by: Georgia | January 21, 2008 at 01:02 PM
mm, that looks so warm and sweet, just the thing to ease me into the day. i love steel cut oats (slop!), roasting is clever i bet itsdelich. and in my favorite berry bowl.... oh sher!
Posted by: aria | January 21, 2008 at 01:58 PM
I always have some kind of oat cereal for breakfast. Usually it's cold, oat flakes or something like that with half a banana, but sometimes it's oatmeal. At this time of year, with the bitter cold weather we're having, I even have oatmeal for dinner every now and then.
Posted by: Lydia | January 21, 2008 at 03:54 PM
I like steel cut oats and all... but I am so with you on the grits, biscuits,and gravy. I have to say that I am not one of those that finds oatmeal to stick to my ribs. It may look like glue but after an hour or so I'm hungry again!
Posted by: Callipygia | January 21, 2008 at 04:03 PM
This is so interesting Sher! I eat oatmeal almost everyday but have never roasted it. I usually cook mine and add pecans, fresh fruit such a strawberries or blueberries, a touch of cinnamon and brown sugar. But toasting sounds like it adds a new dimension!
Posted by: Deb | January 21, 2008 at 04:04 PM
Hi Sher!
Happy 2008! You know I've had roasted/baked oatmeal on the mind quite a bit lately so I was so happy to see your post. It looks delicious! Hope you have many happy breakfasts in 2008!
Posted by: Ivonne | January 21, 2008 at 04:06 PM
I see a few bloggers are on an oat kick. I had oatmeal this morn but I wish I had yours.
Posted by: Peter | January 21, 2008 at 05:04 PM
mm, that looks so warm and sweet, just the thing to ease me into the day. i love steel cut oats (slop!), roasting is clever i bet itsdelich. and in my favorite berry bowl.... oh sher!
Posted by: aria | January 21, 2008 at 06:34 PM
What I love about this recipes is - the only constant you need are the oats - you can use whatever fruit and nuts you like and the possiblities are such you need not get bored.
Posted by: k | January 21, 2008 at 07:06 PM
Oooh, Sher, I love roasted oatmeal! My oatmeal of choice is Bob's Red Mill Scottish Oatmeal and I toast it in a pan on the stovetop with some cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice. I need to eat more oatmeal, so thanks for the reminder.
Posted by: Shannon | January 21, 2008 at 08:39 PM
Oh, I love the idea of dried apricots in the oatmeal. I'm not usually a breakfast eater but I've been trying recently and this looks like a great one.
Posted by: Alisha | January 22, 2008 at 06:49 AM
Looks warm and comforting...something I need right about now.
Posted by: peabody | January 22, 2008 at 03:42 PM
Oatmeal is our mainstay breakfast! I must try it roasted now!
Oh, yes we can always dream Sher just don't hold you breath on that southern breakfast. Ah grits swimming in butter . . .
Posted by: MyKitchenInHalfCups | January 22, 2008 at 09:53 PM
I would have never thought of roasting the oatmeal. I actually have a box of steel cut oatmeal that has sat unopened in my cuppord for ages. I'll have to try this, thanks!
Posted by: Mrs. L | January 22, 2008 at 10:32 PM
Great idea to toast the oatmeal. One of my resolutions was to try to eat breakfast more often, so I'm going to have to give this a try...maybe right now!
Posted by: SusanV | January 23, 2008 at 06:16 AM
Oh yum! I've been doing more oatmeal too. Rolled oats for the granola but steel cut for the hot cereal. Yours looks divine!!
And you're torturing me about the biscuits and gravy. I got up this morning thinking that I was glad I'm too lazy to go make them because if they'd been put in front of my face I would have devoured biscuits/gravy and bacon. Sigh. The good old days before we knew we'd be wearing them on our butss and in our hearts.
Posted by: glenna | January 23, 2008 at 08:46 AM
I will definitely have to try toasting my steel cut oatmeal the next time I have it.
Posted by: Kevin | January 23, 2008 at 07:23 PM
Yum. I love oatmeal, and this looks delicious. I tend to gravitate toward the less-than-healthy options for breakfast as well (pankcakes with syrup and any kind of baked good are my favorites). Why is it that the good stuff is so bad for you?
Posted by: kristi | January 24, 2008 at 06:28 AM
This looks so delicious Sher. Mr CC eats steel cut oats every morning. Sometimes I ask him to cook some for me but I usually just make a whole wheat peanut butter sandwich and run out the door to work. Sigh.
Posted by: Christine | January 25, 2008 at 09:04 AM