Plum Crunch Steel Cut Oats are easing my transition back to reality. We just returned from a month abroad in France, so at the moment, reality looks a lot like laundry piles, an intimidating collection of unread emails, and the stinky carton of buttermilk I forgot to toss before we left.
If I said I’m loving being back in my routine at home, I would be lying. I knew that eating chocolate chip brioche, raspberry macarons, and just the tiniest of butter caramels for breakfast every morning couldn’t last forever (at least not if my pants have anything to say about it) but part of me can’t help wishing that it could.
In France, I spent four glorious weeks devouring some of the best sweets, meats, breads, and cheeses the world has to offer, whenever and wherever I craved them. Chocolate truffles at 10 a.m.? Why not. Afternoon pastry run? Of course. A giant plate of prosciutto, salami, and buffalo mozzarella? Let’s call it dinner, extra mozzarella, please.
My body and bank account need a return to a healthier routine, but I am by no means willing to give up the sense of indulgence that I adored in France. (Plus, I have two boxes of caramels and chocolates I carried home on the plane to enjoy.) Enter Plum Crunch Steel Cut Oats, a wholesome breakfast that tastes like a treat. Hearty steel cut oats topped with roasted plums and crunchy granola, this dish is sassy, earthy, and fabulously fruity.
Every summer, I lose all sense of quantity judgment and buy a small farm’s worth of peaches, cherries, and plums. Their season is cruelly short, and I see it as my duty to consume 365 days worth in a few weeks. At the moment, I’m working my way through a six-pound bag of the lot. (A hint of recipes to come perhaps?)
Plums are a gorgeous fruit, and I feel they don’t always receive the attention they deserve. Although plums are wonderful fresh, I love the way roasting them with honey and olive oil intensifies their flavor. Plus, the juices that run out as they bake turn into a sticky fruit “butter” that’s ripe for scraping and drizzling over the top of the steel cut oats—or for devouring directly with a spoon.On the same pan I roast the plums, I toast up a freaky-fast batch of healthy homemade granola. My recipe calls for oats, walnuts, coconut, and cinnamon. I like this recipe because it uses only a little honey and healthy fats, and I tweaked it to roast at the same time/temperature as the plums. It’s also addictive. I had to beat Ben away from the pan to have enough left for the picture.If making granola seems like too much work for a bowl of oatmeal (I promise it’s worth it!), feel free to use store bought, or swap your own favorite homemade granola recipe.
Now, if you find oatmeal a bit, um, boring, I dare you a) try this recipe and b) jazz it up! In fact, I along with Bob’s Red Mill—maker of my favorite oatmeal, quick-cooking steel cut oats—double dog dare you. Right now, Bob’s Red Mill is hosting the Spar for the Spurtle, a recipe contest that will award $5,000 to the creator of the most inventive, yummy oatmeal recipe. Visit the Spar for the Spurtle Facebook page to learn more and enter your recipe to win!
To further spread the oatmeal love, I’m teaming up with Bob’s for a Spar for the Spurtle giveaway! One lucky reader will win a package of Bob’s Red Mill Steel Cut Oats and a beautiful hand-turned spurtle.
To enter the giveaway: Leave a comment below telling me your favorite way to enjoy oatmeal…and that’s it!
Although my vacation has come to an end, Plum Crunch Steel Cut Oats are a sweet reminder that arriving home from a food-focused vacation doesn’t mean I’m leaving lovely meals behind. On Sunday, a made a big batch of roasted plums, granola, and steel cut oats, then stored them separately to quickly heat up individual oatmeal bowls before work. Honestly, returning to my desk would have been far more painful without this wonderful, satisfying start to my day. Maybe I will survive my inbox after all.
Print
Plum Crunch Steel Cut Oats
51
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Serving Size: Serves 4
Steel cut oats topped with honey roasted plums and crunchy homemade granola. A healthy, satisfying, and absolutely delectable way to start your day.
Ingredients
For the Plums
4 whole, ripe plums, halved and pitted
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
For the Granola Crunch
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup walnut halves, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup shredded coconut (optional but delicious)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
For the Steel Cut Oats
2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Quick Cooking Steel Cut Oats
Milk, for serving as desired
Extra honey, for serving as desired
Directions
Place rack in the upper third of oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat mat. Place the plums cut-side up to one side of the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and honey, then sprinkle with cinnamon.
Place the old fashioned rolled oats, walnuts, coconut, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Drizzle with honey and olive oil, then toss until evenly moistened. Spread in a single layer on the open side of the baking sheet beside the plums. Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast for 12-15 minutes, until the plums begin to bubble and the granola is lightly golden and fragrant.
Meanwhile, prepare the steel cut oats. In a large saucepan, bring the water and salt to a boil. Add the steel cut oats. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, cooking to the desired thickness and chewiness and stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 2 minutes.
To serve: Spoon 1/4 of the steel cut oats into each bowl. Top with milk (if desired), roasted plums, a sprinkle of granola, and an extra drizzle of honey. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
Store leftover roasted plums and prepared steel cut oats in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to three days. Store granola crunch in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three weeks.
2.5
http://www.thelawstudentswife.com/2014/07/plum-crunch-steel-cut-oats/
© Erin Clarke | The Law Students Wife, LLC
*Giveaway open to U.S. residents over the age of 18 only and will run until Tuesday, July 15th at 11 p.m. CST. One entry per person. Winner will be selected randomly from the comments section and will be contacted at the email address used to leave the winning comment. Winner will have 48 hours to respond, at which point a different winner will be chosen.
I am an ambassador for Bob’s Red Mill and was compensated for my time to create this recipe and post. As always, all opinions are my own.
More addictive crunchy things:
Chocolate Almond Olive Oil Granola
Buttermilk Crunch Muffins
Baked Pistachio Pudding Donuts
Pecan Crusted Chicken with Strawberries and Goat Cheese