My Favorite Oatmeal After a Cold Morning Run with Apples and Cranberries

1. Gray wool – I love it as much as George Costanza loves velvet
2. I love cats. I love every kind of cat
3. Dark Chocolate 70% or higher – I’ve been devouring two 70% Theo bars a week
4. Oatmeal – with an exclusion of instant and quick cooking

I make this oatmeal in one form or another pretty much every morning during the cold winter months.  I use whatever fruit I have on hand and whatever nut I feel like that day.

Recipe of the day:
1/2 cup steel cut oats
1 teaspoon butter (optional)
1 1/2 cups water
healthy pinch of salt

1 apple, peeled and diced
1/2 cup fresh cranberries
1 teaspoon butter
1/4 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Apple pie spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves)
Almond milk

I like to start my steel cut oats the night before.  I use 1/2 cup oats to 1 1/2 cups water with a pinch of salt.

I like to toast my oats first in 1 teaspoon butter.  I love the butter flavor, but you can dry pan roast the oats.

Melt the butter in a small sauce pan.

Add 1/2 cups steet cut oats.

Stir over medium heat until the oats begin to toast.  You will begin to smell the toasting.  I love the smell.

Add 1 1/2 cups hot water.

And a healthy pinch of salt.

Bring to a simmer.  Cover and remove from the heat.  Let stand overnight.

The next morning, remove the lid and the oats will just need to be reheated then they are ready to eat.

I like to add 1/4 cup almond milk.

Let the oats simmer over low heat while making the compote topping, which will make your mouth water.

This is what I’m using this morning.

1 golden delicious apple
1/2 cup fresh cranberries, sorted through to take out the shriveled nasty ones.
1 teaspoon butter
1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice
1/4 cup toasted walnuts, which I just happen to have on hand.

Peel and core the apple.

Dice.

Melt 1 teaspoon butter in a small skillet.

Add the apples and cranberries.

Stir to coat the fruit.

Add apple pie spices.

Add 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup.

Bring to a simmer and cover for about 5 minutes.

After about 5 minutes the juices will start to flow.

Add the walnuts.

Stir to coat the walnuts. Done!

Pour half of the oats in a bowl and top with the hot apple cranberry compote.

I like to drizzle a bit more almond milk over top.

Heaven!

Now where’s my kitty?

Steel Cut Oats with Apples and Cranberries

1/2 cup steel cut oats
1 teaspoon butter (optional)
1 1/2 cups hot water
healthy pinch of salt

1 apple, peeled and diced
1/2 cup fresh cranberries
1 teaspoon butter
1/4 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Apple pie spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves)
1/4 cup Almond milk

The night before serving:
Melt 1 teaspoon butter in a saucepan.  Add oats.  Stir to toast.  Pour in 1 1/2 cups hot water and salt. Bring to a simmer.  Cover with a lid and remove from heat.  Allow to sit overnight.

When ready to serve, Add 1/4 cup almond milk and reheat over low heat.  In a small skillet melt 1 teaspoon butter and add apples, cranberries and maple syrup.  Stir to coat.  Add spices stir to coat the fruit.  Cover and let simmer for about 5 minutes.  Uncover.  Add nuts stir to coat the nuts.  Serve hot with reheated oatmeal.  Serves 2

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