Overnight Steel Cut Oats

I love to start my day with a bowl of steel cut oats. The problem is, it takes 20 minutes to cook them-more time than most of us have to wait for breakfast when we are trying to get lunches made and kids out the door. Oatmeal is such a perfect breakfast. It is full of soluble fiber which can help lower cholesterol and slows digestion, which means you won't get a spike in blood sugar (too much of the up and down of the blood sugar over the years = diabetes). It is a good source of protein and provides many vitamins and nutrients. These include, vitamin e, zinc, selenium, copper, iron, magnesium and manganese.

Here is your tip for the day: start your oats the night before. I measure 1/3 cup each of steel cut oats, almond milk and water (you can use all water if you prefer, but I like the extra calcium from the almond milk). Place them all in a bowl. At this step, you can add 1/2 t vanilla and any dried fruit you choose. Cover the bowl with a plate and set it in the refrigerator overnight.

In the morning, dump the bowl into a pot and heat on medium for 5-7 minutes. At this point, I mash half of a banana with a fork and stir it in while the oats heat up. I also give it a sprinkle of cinnamon.

When the oats are warm, dump them back in the bowl and top with your favorite fruit. Today I had fresh organic mango and strawberries. I also like to add blueberries or peaches. I always top in off with almond butter with roasted flax seeds in it for some added protein and Omega 3's.

This is one breakfast that fills me up and gets me through the morning!

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