Making breakfast in the morning isn’t always a priority for a lot of people. Especially if you’re pressed for time between commuting to work and getting the kids out the door. However, eating breakfast is important to get your metabolism working for the day as well as keeping that blood sugar balanced so you don’t crash after lunch.
If you’ve ever cooked with steel cut oats, you’ve likely did so on the stove or slow cooker. But did you know that you can microwave them? Let’s explore this method further and why you should consider steel cut oats as part of your morning routine.
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What are steel cut oats and how are they different from other types of oats?
There are many types of oats on the market. The biggest difference in each type is how they are processed which can affect their cooking times and texture. It’s important to note that every oat starts out as an “oat kernel” which has been processed to remove the tough outer shell to become an “oat groat”. By processing them into the groat form, they become more shelf-stable.
The oat groats are then processed further into three different types.
Steel cut oats: oat groats that have been chopped into smaller pieces by steel blades. This means steel cut oats take longer (around 15-30 minutes on average on the stove) and have a course texture.
Rolled/ Old fashioned oats: oat groats that go through a steaming and flattening process. They are much softer than steel cut but still retain a course structure. They are also a lot quicker when cooking over the stove (about 5-8 minutes). Rolled oats are often the best type when making overnight oats or oatmeal.
Looking to prepare breakfast the night before to make getting out the door even quicker? Overnight oats might be another option for you – they are especially nice during the summer months when you might want a cold breakfast! Be sure to check out my other post on Diabetic-Friendly Overnight Oats Recipes.
Quick oats/quick-cooking oats: partially cooked oat groats through steaming and then rolled even flatter than rolled oats. This shortens cooking time (about 1 minute on the stove) and makes for a softer texture than steel cut and rolled oats.
Nutritional benefits of steel cut oats
Oats in general are known for their high fiber content. You may have seen oat packaging boast their heart health benefits in that it can lower your cholesterol. This is thanks to a specific type of fiber called soluble fiber, more specifically beta glucan. Steel cut oats specifically have slightly more fiber than other types of oats and because the fiber is more intact, may have more heart protective benefits than other types of oats.
Oats can also aid in regular bowel movements. If you find yourself straining on the toilet or only going to the bathroom every other day, consider adding some oats to your morning routine along with a healthy glass of water.
They can also help regulate blood sugar. That’s because oats are considered a resistant starch. This type of starch is much slower to digest, therefore it absorbs into the blood stream at a slower rate.
Need another reason to indulge in steel cut oats? They are also a good protein source – especially if you’re vegan or vegetarian where protein sources are not as easy to come by. In fact 1/4 cup of dry steel cut oats contains 5g of plant protein.
We now know steel cut oats contain a good source of fiber and protein, so let’s get cooking!
Microwaving steel cut oats
While cooking steel cut oats can take a long time on the stove (about 30 minutes or so), there’s a quicker way to enjoy them! In the microwave, you can cook delicious steel cut oats in about 10 minutes or less. Check out some of the recipes below!
10 Minute Microwave Steel Cut Oats
4 Ways to Cook Steel Cut Oats
Microwave Steel Cut Oats
For an even quicker option, check out these Quaker 3-minute steel cut oats.
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Written by Carrie Weitzel, RD