We love a good bowl of steel-cut oats at our house! The kids love it, and we love it too! Healthy, wholesome, and super easy to make first thing in the morning or even the night before. I like to pre-cook them to last us for the week ahead! 

<Enter> Our food editor, Erin Girard! Last week, Erin surprised our team with a bowl of delicious steel-cut oats, topped with honey-roasted apples, nuts, and ribbons of coconut. And, oh my word, I’m not lying, each of us agreed that it was the best bowl of steel-cut oats we’ve ever eaten. Was there a secret step? A secret ingredient? Erin insists on the quick first step of toasting the oats before they are cooked and adds a few extra secret steps for the most enjoyable flavor! Find out what she swears by below in the recipe. We hope you love it as much as we did! (I’ve already had her make it for me again —  just delicious!)

Cozy Steel-Cut Oatmeal
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 40–45 minutes
Portions: 6

Ingredients
1 ⅓  cups steel-cut oats
2 Tbsp. coconut oil
4 cups of water
1 vanilla bean
Pinch of sea salt
Pinch of cinnamon
1 Tbsp. of maple syrup

Toppings we love:
Honey roasted apples*
Toasted coconut
Extra cinnamon
Almond or coconut milk
Maple syrup

Preparation
In a medium-sized pot, place the coconut oil and the steel cut oats. Gently toast the oats, stirring occasionally for a couple of minutes until they start to lightly brown and smell fragrant (almost like roasted nuts).

Add the water, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and maple syrup. Bring everything to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook uncovered for another 35–40 minutes, stirring occasionally until most of the water is evaporated and the oats are cooked to an al dente texture.

Once they’re done, I like to put the lid on the oats and let them stand for a while on the counter (off the heat) to absorb any liquid that may be lingering and cool down before packing them up for the week.

I keep these in a covered container for the work week and reheat with a dash of almond or coconut milk until they are warmed through each morning. This only takes a couple minutes on the stove.

Top them with some roasted apples, toasted coconut, a pinch more cinnamon, roasted chopped nuts, and a swirl of maple syrup. The topping possibilities are endless! It is so hearty and warming on a cold winter’s morning. It’s the perfect way to start the day!

*Roasting fruit in the oven is so simple. Set the oven to 350°F and line a small baking dish with parchment paper. Drizzle a couple Tbsp. of honey and maple syrup over some cubed apples. Place them in the oven and roast until tender, which should take about 20 minutes.

Recipe created by MH Food Editor, Erin Girard.