I hope everyone had an excellent 4th of July. It’s definitely not my favorite holiday, but I had a pleasant camping trip with my parents. Yes, I’m back in the Midwest for a few weeks before starting another school year in Manhattan!
I know many of my readers are from outside the U.S. (hello!), but I hope your July 4th was nice, too. ^_^ If not, I have the perfect recipe to make your week better:
Apples. Pecans. Maple syrup.
And it’s SALTED!
I originally came up with the idea for salted maple and pecan oatmeal, but at the last minute I decided to include apples, and I’m glad that I did. It added an extra sweetness and boost of nutrition.
As I ate this, I realized it was the first time I used my quick-cooking steel-cut oats without a banana. The texture is amazing. I’m used to bananas creating an amazing texture, so I was stunned by the texture of this without the banana. I really cannot tell you how much I love these oats. But still, I will continue to list old-fashioned rolled oats in the recipe, just to keep things simple.
…But for real, if you want a silky, creamy, nutty, magical breakfast, use 1/4 cup of quick-cooking steel-cut oats instead. ^_^
Which do you prefer? Rolled or steel-cut?
What you'll need:
- 1 cup milk of choice, or water
- 1/2 cup regular rolled oats (I use Country Choice Organic)
- 1/2 an apple (or a whole one)
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- handful of pecans
- maple syrup
- coarse salt (like kosher)
How to make it:
- Bring milk (I use 1/2 c almond milk and 1/2 c water) to a boil, add oats, and reduce heat to medium. (If you'd like to add flax or chia seeds, do so now.)
- Dice apple and add to oatmeal immediately. Stir.
- Once more of the liquid has absorbed, add vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt. Stir.
- When you're pleased with the consistency of the oatmeal, transfer to a bowl. Top with pecans (whole, halved, or crumbled are all fine), drizzle with maple syrup, and finish with a heavy pinch (or two!) of coarse salt (the coarser, the better!). Add an extra splash of milk if your oatmeal is a little dry.
17 Responses to Salted Maple, Apple, and Pecan Oatmeal