Low-Glycemic Overnight No-Cook Steel Cut Oatmeal with Berries

Oatmeal is an old-fashion staple, but it's made a strong comeback over the last few years, and for good reason!

From the soluble fiber to the warm creamy base for fresh fruit to the super low cost, there are many reasons to start the day with oatmeal.

With traditional rolled oats, you can have a fresh bowl of cooked oatmeal in 5 to 10 minutes. Of course, if you want an even quicker bowl, you can start with instant oats.

Although both are nutritious, these options are lightly processed versions of the whole grain we call "oat groats."

This processing is what allows them to be cooked in a shorter time frame. Whole oats groats can take up to 60 minutes on the stovetop.

A great in-between option that doesn't get nearly enough attention is steel-cut oats, which are the groats that have been cut into 2 to 3 pieces. They only take about 20 minutes on the stovetop, and that's without any soaking first.

With less processing, steel-cut oats are a healthier option because 1) the fiber is more intact, and 2) the starch is released slower into the bloodstream.

How starch and sugar impact the bloodstream varies from person to person, and even one individual can be impacted differently depending on their current level of insulin sensitivity.

So it makes sense that many people oatmeal made with rolled oats and sweet fruit, like apples or bananas without any issues.

Conversely, even though it's a whole-food, plant-based breakfast, this same meal may cause a larger blood sugar spike than what's healthy for the body.

If you're interested in making lower glycemic oatmeal, meaning one that releases less glucose into the bloodstream, then using steel-cut oats is a better choice.

Another move you can make to decrease the starch released (using rolled or steel-cut oats) is to enjoy an un-cooked oatmeal.

This completely changes the texture of the oatmeal. Before trying it, I thought I wouldn't be a fan, but it's surprisingly very enjoyable.

With this recipe, I show you how extremely simple it is to prepare steel-cut oats without any cooking at all! All it takes is a few minutes before you turn out the lights, and a couple of minutes before you sit to eat.

Plus, if you're a traveler like I am, convenience like this makes this an excellent breakfast to enjoy while you're on the road!

If you strayed away from steel-cut oats because they take longer to cook than rolled oats, now you have no excuse!

Overnight No-Cook Steel Cut Oatmeal with Berries

By Chef Katie Mae

Makes 1–2 servings | Ready in 8 minutes
Stores indefinitely before adding liquid, 2 days with liquid added

INGREDIENTS

• ¾ cup dry steel-cut OR rolled oats (4 oz)
• 1 tablespoon ground chia OR flax seeds* (.5 oz)
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, or more to taste
• 1¼ cups non-dairy milk or water* (10 oz)
• 1 cup fresh fruit of your choice (6 oz)
• 1–2 tablespoons nuts or seeds of your choice*

DIRECTIONS

1. Add the uncooked oats, chia seeds, and cinnamon to a mason jar, or another container.
2. The night before you want to enjoy these oats for breakfast, pour the non-dairy milk over the oats. Seal with a lid and store in the fridge overnight.
3. When you’re ready for breakfast, pour the oats and non-dairy milk into a bowl. Top with fresh fruit and nuts or seeds of your choosing.

CHEF’S NOTES

If you’re traveling, or batch prepping for the week, step 1 can be done days in advance.

For convenience's sake, you may soak your oats in a container that you can eat right out of instead of having to dirty another dish.

Instead of using store-bought non-dairy milk, I prefer to blend water and almond butter to make homemade almond milk. For this amount, I would use 1¼ cups of water and between ½–1 tablespoon of almond butter.

Looking for a warm cereal bowl? Feel free to warm your overnight oats with the soaking milk on the stovetop for 5 to 10 minutes. Then transfer them to a bowl and add your toppings.

The nuts and seeds in this recipe are optional. If you prefer, you can leave them out to make this a very low-fat breakfast.