Steel Cut Oats with Almond Butter and Blueberries

As I've said before, breakfast is a very important meal of the day because it sets the pace of your metabolism for the rest of the day. So why not put something in your body that will keep you full for awhile and get your metabolism kick-started, in a healthy and delicious way of course! I have posted about Steel Cut Oats before, but now I'm introducing my new friend....almond butter.

Ingredients:

• 3-4 cups water*

• 1 cup Steel Cut Oats (I used ones from Trader Joe's)*

• A handful of blueberries (or any other fruit you'd like)

• 1-2 tbsp almond butter

(*This is more than one serving, but Steel Cut Oats are great because you can save and store them in the fridge for future breakfasts or snacks.)

Step 1: Bring your water to a boil and slowly stir in 1 cup of your oats.

Step 2: When oats begin to thicken (about 5 minutes), reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes or to your desired consistency), while stirring occasionally. Make sure you watch your oats because it may foam up and spill out of the pan.

Step 3: Oats should be cooked until tender--the longer you cook them, the thicker they get.

Step 4: You can serve your oats immediately or refrigerate for about 1 week. If you choose to store them, the oats will thicken so you should stir in a little milk or water to loosen them up. 

(If you are storing for later, you only need to put in the microwave for about 2-3 minutes.)

Step 5: Take a few scoops into a bowl, add in your almond butter and your fruit. If you feel you want a little more sweetness to your breakfast opt for a drizzle of honey or cinnamon sugar on top.

You can add any kind of fruit or nuts you want to this delicious and fast breakfast, I just had some blueberries in the freezer. This breakfast runs for about 300 calories, which is nothing in the scheme of the rest of your day and will keep you full until your next meal. Almond butter is made by simply crushing and smoothing almonds into a paste. As I'm sure most of you know, almonds are a highly nutritious food containing vitamin E, potassium, magnesium, iron, calcium and phosphorus. They are also a good source of fiber as well as protein. To let you in on a little secret, not all nut butters are treated equally; some are made using excessive heat in the preparation process, which extracts nutrients. You want to look for the nut butters that have been made using a cold-press process because this preserves the healthy and necessary nutrients your body needs.

ENJOY!!