Apple Pie a la Mode Oatmeal

This is a flavorful and healthy stick-to-your-ribs breakfast! I was in the mood for a warm and cozy bowl o' somethin' this morning instead of my usual frozen smoothie. Brrrrr. It's made with steel-cut oats which are substantially chewy as opposed to rolled oats. Besides the fun texture and nutty flavor, since they are less processed, steel cut oats are slower to digest and are therefore slightly lower in glycemic load than their rolled cousins. They do take a bit longer to cook, too. You can soak them overnight for faster cooking time.

The "à la mode" portion of this dish is in the form of sweet cashew cream. I hope you will try this high-protein, nutrient-dense dish!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup steel-cut oats
• 2 1/2 cups water
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup apple juice, warmed
• 2 red delicious (or other sweet) apples
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• Cinnamon to taste

Directions:

1. Combine oats, water and salt in pot.
2. Bring to a boil and immediately remove from heat and cover.
3. Turn the heat down to the lowest setting. When the heat is low, place the pot back on the burner. If you have a gas stove (lucky you!) you can just turn the flame down without taking the pot off the burner.
4. When the oats have absorbed all the water, add the apple juice and stir gently to combine.
5. Serve topped with diced apples, chopped pecans, cinnamon and cashew cream.

CASHEW CREAM:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 1 cup soy milk (or other non-dairy milk)
• 2 tsp date sugar (or other sweetener)
• 1/4 tsp vanilla

Directions:

• Place all ingredients in high powered blender and blend until smooth.

Serves 2 hungry people. Enjoy!

Healthy Trails,

     Helyn