As the temperature continues to drop, I have been wanting warm, cozy breakfasts! I also need to fuel my body with nutritious foods while breast-feeding my sweet baby girl. These apple cinnamon steel cut oats fit the bill perfectly! I especially love the hearty texture of steel cut oats, and I wanted to make a fall inspired version with lots of apples and spice.
Our toddler Mitchell absolutely loves oatmeal, too. Sometimes he even wants it at dinner time. The nice thing is he enjoys it without any added sugars. The only sugar is that coming from those naturally occurring in fruit. This makes my registered dietitian self so insanely happy! Seeing your young child enjoy healthy food and seek it out is a rewarding feeling as a parent. It is my hope that he will grow up to have a healthy relationship with food his entire life. To me, that means having the freedom to eat a wide variety of foods, including the not-so-healthy stuff from time to time.
About these Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oats
For the steel cut oats, I like to use a quick cook variety since they cook in a fraction of the time compared to regular steel cut oats without sacrificing on texture. The quick cook steel cut oats from Trader Joe’s are really great. I usually cook them for about 10 minutes.
For some sweetness, I added apple juice in addition to the water. You could also use apple cider or only use water. The apple chunks also add some nice flavor and texture. For the spices, I kept it pretty simple with cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice, but you could adjust those based on your preferences. You could also sub apple pie spice if you wanted.
This recipe is not overly sweet, which is how I like my oats. If you are a fan of sweeter oatmeal, you could always add some brown sugar or a drizzle of maple syrup. I also like to top mine with golden raisins and chopped walnuts for a little extra texture and flavor. Breastfeeding moms really do need extra calories, especially from nutritious foods.
Nonetheless, this makes a very hearty and delicious breakfast on a cool fall morning. Mitchell devoured his bowl, and I am excited to have leftovers to eat later this week. With a little bit of planning and prep, healthy eating can be very simple, affordable, and enjoyable!
Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oats
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup apple juice or cider
- 1 cup quick cook steel cut oats
- 2 cups peeled and chopped apple chunks
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- Pinch salt
Topping Ideas
- Milk of choice
- Golden raisins
- Chopped walnuts or pecans
- Extra cinnamon
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring the water and apple juice to a boil. Stir in the oats, apple chunks, butter, spices, and salt. Cook over medium heat for approximately 10 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and apples are tender, stirring often.
- Serve immediately and top with your favorite toppings. Leftovers rewarm nicely!
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This is the perfect fall breakfast!
Yum! It was so cozy to eat on the cold mornings this past week!