Steel-Cut Oats for Slowpokes

I am Big Cereal's worst enemy.  Every other city I go, I weave breakfast into the conversation so I can spread the word about steel-cut oats, an actual wholesome and satisfying way to start your day, not just one that claims to be (ooh, take that Big C).  I even offer demos...which, courtesy of open minds, have yet to be passed up (uhh and seriously, who is going to pass up an offer to have breaky made for them!?  not me, ever).  This time I took my talents to South Beach Tampa to continue the journey of bringing real breakfast back.

As a child, I was often referred to as a slowpoke and well, not much has changed since then.  I'm still the last one at the dining table, I still struggle to mold my speed of eating to the impossibly short lunch hour, and I still can't physically chew any faster.  But the difference between now and the 80s is that people actually want to learn how to eat slowly these days.  And that is a skill I can and will gladly impart to anyone who wishes to learn...after all, I have spent the last twenty-nine years refining the art of being a slowpoke :)

I think steel-cut oats, fibrous and hearty as they are, are meant to be chewed carefully, deliberately and mindfully. It feels only natural to savor their nutty flavor at length considering that even cooking them is a process that requires much patience.  

While this seems like a monumental task when compared to making rolled/instant oats, you can rest assured that you're enjoying significantly less processed oatmeal.  Once you get into the rhythm the lengthy prep time (~25 mins.) is actually manageable.

Boy, does this meal trump those painfully lucid memories of eating soggy Raisin Bran at the babysitter's!

Ingredients (serves 2)

1/2 cup steel-cut oats

3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup water

1 ripe banana

2 cardamom pods

fruits and nuts for topping

Procedure

Measure 1/2 cup steel-cut oats, rinse in fine mesh strainer and set aside.  Place 3/4 cup milk, 3/4 cup water and cardamom pods in pot and bring to boil (liquid to oats ratio should always be 3:1).  Add oats to pot and reduce to simmer for up to 25 mins, stirring occasionally.

About halfway through cooking process, add sliced bananas for natural sweetness and toward the end, stir often until ready to serve. Remove cardamom pods before serving.  Top with combo of choice: chopped walnuts/pecans/almonds/berries/pears/apples/raisins...but not Raisin Bran ;-)