Steel Cut Porridge or Irish Oatmeal

Hello Everyone. Belated Happy New Year to you all.  It's not too late to make New Year's resolution with hearty staple breakfast on  weekday mornings.

 

A good day always starts with the wholegrain breakfast and a steaming bowl of hot porridge is the best. But porridge often gets a bad rap if prepared poorly. Porridge, dressed with fresh fruits, dry fruits, nuts, seeds, yogurt or milk tastes heavenly. I love porridge so much that I wouldn't even mind eating it again for dinner. 

 

Indeed, oats are a good source of whole grains,protein,fiber,vitamins and minerals, high in fiber which helps lower cholesterol levels and stabilize blood sugar.There are different types of oat products available on the market. Steel Cut Oats,Old fashioned oats,Quick oats and Instant oatmeal.

My favorite is Steel cut oats also known as Irish oatmeal because they are least processed, chewy textured and have a nutty taste. The whole oat groat is hulled, sanitized and toasted but still have bran and germ intact. Then oat is cut into coarse pieces with a sharp metal blade. Steel cut oats is also diabetic-friendly, its dense texture takes longer to digest so it doesn't spike in the blood sugar. It takes bit longer time to cook, so using pressure cooker makes cooking time faster.

 

The second best choice is Old fashioned oats or Rolled oats which most people know as oatmeal.They are sliced,steamed,dried and flattened to make the cooking time faster.

Quick oats are extra processed to cook more quickly so bran and nutritional contents are lost.They are pressed slightly thinner than rolled oats.
 
Instant oatmeal is highly processed, loaded with sugar which is not heart healthy at all.

Lets make it.

For porridge~
1 cup steel-cut oats
2 cups water
2-3 quart pressure cooker

For toppings~
Banana
Sliced almonds
Walnuts
Raisins/any dry fruits
Chia seeds
Flax seeds meal
Wheat bran(if not gluten free)
Milk or yogurt
Raw honey/Maple syrup/Agave syrup/Black strap molasses (optional)  

Method~
For faster cooking, I always use a whistle pressure cooker. Bring the water to a boil and add oats. Cover and cook on a highcook till 5 or 6 whistles.   heat. Reduce the heat and cook for 4-5 more minutes. Then turn off the heat and let the pressure release naturally. Carefully remove the lid. Stir well. Serve hot. Makes 3 cups porridge.

Now add milk or yogurt, raisins, banana or choice of any sweet fruits and a handful of chopped nuts. Sprinkle chia seeds, wheat bran, flax seeds meal over porridge. For extra sweetness, I use maple syrup or raw honey. I usually make a big batch to eat regularly, then refrigerate unused portions and reheat in the microwave stirring a little water or milk to loosen it up. Enjoy this protein packed super breakfast everyday.

Note~ Oats are naturally gluten free but they may be contaminated while processioning. Make sure package says"gluten free".  
                           

Thank you for stopping by!!