Steel-cut oats don’t just sound badass; they are. They’re made by cutting a full oat, or “groat,” in two or three slices with a steel blade, creating a minimally processed product. Rolled oats, on the other hand, are steamed and then flattened to make them easier to cook and digest.
But easier isn’t always better for you. Steel-cut, or Irish, oats are packed with fiber and make your body work harder to convert those starches to sugar, making for a lower glycemic index food, says Dr. Andrew Weil. The result is highly nutritious meal with a rich, nutty texture that makes steel-cut oats the clear choice of champions — and ours as well.
And while we love a good bowl of oatmeal, there’s something deliciously decadent about a great bowl of granola. Steel-cut oats make for an especially crunchy, hearty granola that may just convert you for good.
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Ingredients
2 1/2 cups steel-cut oats
1 1/4 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/4 cup melted coconut oil (plus extra for toasting walnuts)
1 cup walnut halves/pieces
1 cup golden brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup raisins
3/4 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup currants
Directions
- In a mixing bowl, combine oats and almond milk and submerge. Leave to soak 4 hours up to overnight.
- Grease a small pan with coconut oil. Add walnuts and toast them in the oven at 300° F for 15 minutes or until aromatic. Let them cool, then chop and set aside.
- Stir together sugar, melted coconut oil, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, raisins, cranberries and currants with the soaked oats. Then spread the mixture evenly on a sheet pan.
- Bake granola for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 300° F, stirring every 25 minutes to ensure even browning.
- Remove from oven and let the mixture cool. Add the chopped walnuts and store the granola in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Serve with yogurt or your favorite cereal.
PREP TIME: 4 HOURS+. COOK TIME: 2 HOURS. YIELDS 4-5 CUPS.
