Steel-cut oats top the list of healthiest breakfast foods. They’re minimally processed, nutrient rich, and they digest more slowly than rolled oats so you don't feel you need to reach for the sugar or snacks at 10 am.

However, these oats take forever to cook a full 30 minutes, which is a problem especially on rushed weekday mornings. I’d say, “forget it, that takes just too long for breakfast preparation.” However, you can prepare these oats the night before in only two minutes, and just warm the oats up the next morning. They taste great, and I was happy to find a way to get these oats back on my favorite breakfast list. I always feel energized in the morning and find myself craving less throughout the day when I have this as my breakfast. It’s how I start the morning out right!

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 cups water
• 1 cup steel-cut oats

Directions:

1. In a pot with a lid, bring 4 cups of water to a boil, then add 1 cup of oats, stir and bring back to a boil. Put the lid on, remove from heat, and leave on the stove top overnight.
2. In the morning, bring to a simmer for a couple of minutes until warm and tender. Simmer longer for thicker oatmeal.
3. Serve with your favorite toppings. I added a few of my favorites below. Just top with a teaspoon of your favorite no-sugar added jam if you're short on time. You can also add your favorite frozen or dried fruits into the pot while you warm the oats, if everybody can agree on a flavor. Low-fat milk is a great addition too.
Toppings ideas:

Blueberry-Flax-Cinnamon:

1. 2-3 Tablespoons blueberries
2. 1 teaspoon flaxseed
3. 1 teaspoon maple syrup
4. ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Fruit and Nuts:

1. 1 Tablespoon sliced almonds
2. 2 Tablespoons dried cranberries, raisins, apricots or other dried fruits (I used trail mix)

Apple-Cinnamon:

1. ½ chopped apple
2. 1 teaspoon cinnamon
3. 1 teaspoon brown sugar
4. 1 Tablespoon walnuts
5. ...or check out this easy Microwave-baked Apple idea that can be shared between bowls

Additional information: appropriate for Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian and Vegan diets.