Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Oats

Start this simple and nutritious breakfast once you get up and while it is cooking you can prepare yourself for the day ahead.
Oatmeal is one of the most versatile and filling breakfast options in the plant-based world. You can use oats to make a sweet or savory breakfast bowl that will help you manage your blood glucose, satisfy your cravings, and keep you feeling satiated for hours after you eat.

Which Type of Oats Should I Use to Make Oatmeal?

There are many different kinds of oats available for purchase at the store. You will see quick oats, old-fashioned oats, rolled oats, steel-cut oats, and oat groats.
Oat groats are oats in their whole, non-processed form. These are the most intact version of oatmeal.
Beyond whole groats, all other oats represent different stages of processing. We recommend either whole groats or steel-cut oats when following the Mastering Diabetes Method. Quick oats are the most processed with rolled oats and old-fashioned oats right behind them.

Different Ways to Cook Oatmeal

Stovetop method: You can cook groats and steel-cut oats on the stovetop. Always bring the water to a boil before adding the oats. Use a 1:2 ratio of oats to water as a rule of thumb when cooking.
To reduce the cooking time of oat groats in the morning (un-soaked groats take about 30 minutes to cook on the stovetop) you can bring water to a boil the night before, stir in the oat groats, cook for 1-2 minutes, turn off the heat, cover, and soak until the morning.
After soaking all night, the oat groats will take about 5 minutes to cook. Cook them until the water is completely cooked off and the oats are thick.
Microwave method: Using the same oat to water ratio (1:2), you can cook oats quickly in the microwave. Cook oat groats and steel-cut oats for 5 minutes covered with plastic wrap tightly wrapped around the bowl, and for 5 minutes uncovered.
If you have done the overnight soaking method for the oat groats, you will only need to cook them in the microwave for 3 minutes or until all the water is absorbed into the oats.
Instant Pot method: You may also use a slow cooker or instant pot to cook groats and steel-cut oats. Instant pots have a cooking delay option, so you could set your groats up to soak before they cook if your digestive system needs the oats to be soaked.

Great Toppings to Put on Top of Your Oatmeal

There are limitless options that can go on oatmeal. I have yet to find a food that tastes bad with oats!
We may be convinced there isn’t an ingredient that wouldn’t go well with a bowl of oatmeal - can you think of one?
Sweet toppings, savory topping, or a mixture of both, oats are extremely simple and versatile because they absorb the flavors surrounding them.
For savory options, you can use rice, beans, squash, potatoes, mushrooms, or greens!
Here you can find one of our recipes for savory breakfast oatmeal.
For sweet options, you can use fresh or frozen berries, apples, raisins, dates, date syrup, oranges, bananas, cherries, or any other fruits available near you.
Don’t forget to add your daily tablespoon of ground chia or flax seeds, along with other spices you might enjoy such as turmeric, nutmeg, ginger, or cinnamon.
You can also add plant-based milk of your liking to make the bowl more like cereal as we did below.
Enjoy the fun creations you come up with after you try our recipe!

Photos by: @livemoreraw