My First Experience with Steel Cut Oats

I like oatmeal, but everything I have read lately says that the typical quaker oats we all know isn't all that healthy. It's been processed and stripped of most of its nutrients.
Steel-cut oats may have a lower glycemic index than instant oatmeal (42 vs. 66), causing a lesser spike in insulin levels when consumed. Oh...and they are cheap!



According to wikepedia: Steel-cut oats are whole grain groats (the inner portion of the oat kernel) which have been cut into only two or three pieces by steel rather than being rolled. They are golden in color and resemble small rice pieces.
Steel-cut oats are also known as coarse-cut oats, pinhead oats, or Irish oats. This form of oats takes longer to prepare than instant or rolled oats due to its minimal processing, typically 15–30 minutes to simmer (much less if pre-soaked). The flavor of the cooked oats is described as being nuttier than other types of oats, and they are also chewier.

Here's the breakdown per serving:
Calories 170 Calories from Fat 25 Total Fat 3 g 5% Saturated Fat 0.5 g 3%
Sodium 0 mg 0% Total Carbohydrate 29 g 10% Dietary Fiber 5 g 20% Protein 6g
Calcium 2% Iron 10%

I tried the stovetop version first. I added 1 cup of oats to 3 cups of water. I set it on medium and went to work chopping an organic Gala apple into tiny chunks. I tossed that in as the oats came to a boil. Once at a boil I turned it to low and just let it go.
A quick stir every few minutes and thats it. It took 30 minutes to cook, but wasn't a lot of work. I added a dash of cinnamon before serving. I was surprised how filling this meal was. I couldn't finish the bowl I served myself. There is a ton left in the pot and I plan to freeze it in individual containers to heat up on work mornings. The apples were a nice addition-gave it some sweetness. The oatmeal itself was a bit chewy, tasted a little nutty. Overall I liked it.


I came across a crock pot recipe for this also, maybe I'll give that a try next time. You can turn it on before bed and have a nice hot breakfast waiting for you when you wake up.

ETA: I tried the crock pot recipe last night and it was pretty good. I used 4 cups of water and 1 cup of oats, dash of salt, and cut up some apple chunks. I set it on low overnight and 7 hours later it was perfect. I sprayed the crock pot first with olive oil spray so cleanup was easy.