Apple Cinnamon Oats

What makes a food your favorite food? Is it the way it tastes or how frequently you eat it?

I love oatmeal.  If I didn’t, I wouldn’t eat it as often as I do.  I think I like the way ice cream tastes better, though.  So if it based on taste, I’ll go with the ice cream (by the way, I just typed basted twice before I could get out based).

If favorite are based on frequency, though, oatmeal is the winner hands down.  Nearly every morning I have it for breakfast.  Just old fashioned oats, cooking for 2 minutes, left to sit for 5 minutes or so, nuked again for 30 seconds and then sprinkled with cinnamon.  Lots of cinnamon.  Borderline cinnamon challenge amounts.  And if I don’t have that for breakfast, you betcha it’ll be my afternoon snack.

And dessert?  Oatmeal + peanut butter.  I adore it.  Too much.

I truly don’t enjoy sweets in the morning so I reduced the amount of sugar going on in this recipe.  I also bulked up the amount of fruit and I liked both changes a lot (although I’ve never tried the original ATK version seen here).

One Year Ago: Cauliflower Soup
Two Years Ago: Flatbread

Steel Cut Oats with Apples and Raisins (2 servings)
2.5 cups water, divided
1/2 cup steel-cut oats
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped
2 T raisins
1 tsp packed brown sugar

Spray a medium saucepan with cooking spray and heat to medium.  Add oats and toast 2-3 minutes until fragrant.  Remove from pan.  Bring 2 cups of water to a boil.  Stir the toasted oats.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently thick, about 20 minutes.

Stir in the salt, cinnamon, apple, and brown sugar.  Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally and adding the additional 1/2 cup of water until the mixture is thick and oats are tender.  This will take about 10 more minutes.  Remove from the heat and let stand 5 minutes before serving.  Top with 1 tablespoon of raisins per bowl.