Cinnamon Oats

I made steel cut oats for the first time recently.  I'm converted. As usual, click here to jump to recipe.

Lately (most of March and February) I've been falling asleep in class.  This is a bit unusual for me!  At first, I attributed it to the strong smell of tobacco smoke, which caused me to breathe more shallowly and thus probably reduced oxygen to my brain.  But then the person with this scent (who was both the classes in which I'd fall asleep) dropped out, and I was still falling asleep!

After some experimentation, I found that my oatmeal breakfast was the problem for two reasons:

• The oats weren't thoroughly cooked; and
• I was eating too much for breakfast.

Now, the reason I add old fashioned oats to instant is for the chewy texture.  And I really don't have the time to cook longer than I described above.  

I can't digest raw oats.  

I dislike the "raw food" perspective, that foods are always inherently "better" or "more nutritious" in their "natural" state, because it's sometimes wrong.  There are some foods that contain nutrients that are very heat-sensitive and are in fact better eaten raw--and there are times when cooking is necessary to make those nutrients bio-available.  (Here's an article from the Scientific American, and here's an experiment that someone put together and documented well; go to Part Two for nutritional info!)

As I started learning about grains and their digestibility, I learned about phytic acid, which can be found in grains and seeds.  It is not digestible to humans, and in fact makes certain minerals (eg: iron, calcium) unavailable for absorption!  It also makes niacin (vitamin B3) insoluble and thus unavailable.  For this reason, it is sometimes called an "antinutrient".  (There are a lot of vehemently anti-grain blogs out there, and there are many reasons one can be anti-grain!  I just choose to focus on its difficulty in digestion here for now.)

Long story short?  I now soak steel cut oats and make a batch for the next few days, which I reheat for breakfast.

There are different ways to soak your grains, but since I'm new to this, I'm using the simplest method I've read about, which is simply soaking in water, without any added acid.

This makes a lovely batch of oats for breakfast and usually lasts 3-4 Charlie-sized breakfasts (which may be smaller than yours!).  Something about simmering steel cut oats smells like cinnamon buns--not just the cinnamon, but the bready smell, too!

Cinnamon Steel Cut Oats

Soak: overnight or 6-8 hours
Active cooking: about 40 min
Makes 3-4 small servings, or 2 big servings


Overnight Soak:

• 1/2 cup steel cut oats
• large container with lid (eg: glass jar)
• enough water to come up twice the oats' height

Breakfast:

• all the soaked oats, thoroughly drained and rinsed
• 2.5 cups water
• 2 heaping Tablespoons, oat bran (if not using, then use only 2 cups water)
• 2 heaping teaspoons, cinnamon (or to taste)
• 1/3 cup raisins (I like green raisins)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• optional: 1-2 teaspoons, brown sugar (I like Demerara style)
• optional: 1 pat, unsalted butter (approx 2 tsp?)
• optional: 1-2 Tablespoons, unsweetened apple sauce, per serving
• optional: toasted walnuts or pecans

Method:

Soak the oats:  Pour the oats into the container.  Pour on enough water to double the height of the oats.  Cover and shake.  Soak overnight at room temp or 6-8 hours.  (You don't need an airtight cover, I just like to pick up the jar and shake the whole thing without it spilling!)

Oatmeal:  Drain and rinse the oats.  Let drain in a colander until needed.  Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a saucepan.  Stir in the cinnamon.  Add raisins (or wait til later, see note).  

Note:  If you add salt to the water now, it will interfere with the thickening of the oatmeal!  If you add the raisins in now, some of them will burst, lending their flavour and sweetness to the whole oatmeal.  If you add them later, they'll stay mostly whole.  I like to add them early.

When the water has come to a boil, stir in the oats.  Reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring often for 5 minutes.

Then, reduce heat to low.  Cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring every 2-5 minutes to prevent bottom from sticking.  If you add the raisins now, you'll get juicy, plump raisins at the end.

After 30 minutes, add the salt.  Taste, and decide if you need more cinnamon, salt, raisins, brown sugar, and/or butter.  I personally like a little butter!  If you add the raisins now, they'll be just as dry and hard as they were before you put them in.

Serve (with apple sauce if you'd like), or let cool and refrigerate for breakfast.

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