Rib-Stickin' Oatmeal

Comfort food is an every-meal thing for me, so in my view, there's no better way to start out your day than with some delicious, incredibly good-for-you and extremely filling oatmeal.

This recipe in particular is very open to substitutions-- I've included the toppings that are seasonal to me right now and that really spark my tastebuds. But you should experiment: instead of apples you could try peaches, grapes, pears or bananas. Instead of pistachios you could try walnuts, pecans, almonds or macadamia nuts. Instead of dried cherries, try raisins, dried cranberries, prunes or dates. You get the idea. The sky is the limit with this one, and trying lots of new fruits and nuts helps to keep you from getting bored with the same old thing.

I really don't care for instant oatmeal: I find the flavor bland and the texture not very appealing. Plus all of that processing strips away some of the important nutrients found in oatmeal. My favorite type of oatmeal is steel cut, which are chunky and delicious. A lot of people shy away from steel-cut oatmeal because they think it's expensive and time-consuming to cook, but I have found neither of these things to be true. I buy my steel cut oatmeal in bulk, for about .99 cents a pound. The cooking time is a little longer than instant oatmeal, but it's really as time-consuming as some would have you believe. And well worth it for those tasty results!

That being said, of course you can substitute old fashioned or even (gulp) instant oatmeal for the steel-cut in this recipe. Just follow the cooking instructions on the back of the box. All types of oatmeal are incredibly heart-healthy and will lower your bad cholesterol. Plus they all have lots of fiber. So really it's a win-win situation, although I'll always maintain that steel-cut is the best!


Bain taitneamh as do bhéil!

PREP TIME: about 10 minutes
COOKING TIME: about 10-15 minutes
SERVES: 1-2 people

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup steel cut oatmeal
2 cups water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 cup dried tart cherries
1 large apple, cut into bite-sized pieces, divided
1/4 cup roasted unsalted pistachios, chopped finely, divided
2 teaspoons brown sugar, divided
1/2 cup plain or vanilla soy milk, divided
salt, to taste

Place oatmeal, water and spices in a saucepan and bring to a boil. When boil is reached, reduce heat to a simmer. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. About 5 minutes before oatmeal is done, add dried cherries to mixture and stir to incorporate. Oatmeal is done when all liquid is absorbed and mixture is fluffy.

While oatmeal cooks, chop up apple and pistachios. Remove finished oatmeal from stove and spoon into two bowls. Top each bowl with apple pieces, pistachios and 1 teaspoon of brown sugar. Pour 1/4 cup (more if a runnier oatmeal is preferred) soy milk over each bowl and salt to taste.

Serve with a steaming cup of tea and get ready to start your day!