There is something very comforting about a bowl of hot, creamy cereal with a bevy of toppings. This recipe for fruit and honey Irish oatmeal is a healthy, easy, and delicious way to start any morning…especially St. Patrick’s Day. Start the day in a healthy way so you can justify the green beer later on.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!
Forget about those packets of powdery, sugary, instant oatmeal that always turned a funky, weird color. You remember those packets growing up. They were awful. Who knew that oatmeal could actually be delicious, with texture, flavor, and without turning some indefinable color.
WHAT IS IRISH OATMEAL?
Irish oatmeal is also called steel-cut oatmeal. It’s heartier and nuttier in flavor than rolled oats and less processed. It also has way more fiber.
Rolled oats are finer in texture and softer than Irish oats. They also cook faster than the thicker Irish oatmeal.
HOW DO I MAKE IRISH OATMEAL?
If you can boil water, you can cook Irish oatmeal.
First, you bring milk and water to a boil.
Stir in the oats, a bit of salt for flavor, sugar, or sweetness, and simmer until tender, which can take up to 30-40 minutes.
Top with your favorite toppings and enjoy. It’s that simple.
TIPS
- Want to cut down on the time it takes to cook the oats? Soak the oats overnight in a pot. Be sure to cover them with at least an inch of water. The next morning, drain the oats and cook but reduce the water to 1 ¾ cups.
- Don’t skip salting the oats before cooking them. You want to infuse the grains with salt to enhance and bring out their nutty flavor.
- The more you stir your oats, the creamier they will be. Irish oats also have a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pan, so stirring will keep them from scorching.
- Leftover oatmeal stores wonderfully in the refrigerator for up to five days and reheat in the refrigerator with a bit of milk to thin it out again.
- You can also freeze the cooked oatmeal in single-serving portions in a tightly sealed freezer-safe container for about six months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the microwave with a bit of milk.
VARIATIONS
- Add a teaspoon of vanilla after cooking the oatmeal.
- Use coconut milk and top with toasted coconut, chopped dried pineapple, and chopped macadamia nuts for a tropical treat.
- Maple syrup, toasted pecans, and cinnamon will bring back the flavors of your childhood and those little packets that are so familiar.
- Bananas, walnuts, cinnamon, and a bit of nutmeg for banana bread in a bowl.
- Chopped apples, cinnamon, apple pie spice, and walnuts will taste like apple pie.
MORE HEALTHY BREAKFAST RECIPES
- Fruit and Nut Granola
- High Fiber Banana Almond Smoothie
- Overnight Banana Nut Oatmeal
- Sweet Green Smoothie
- Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
- Homemade Cherry Vanilla Granola
- Dragon Fruit Smoothie Bowl
FRUIT AND HONEY IRISH OATMEAL
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
Description
Start St. Patrick’s Day off the right way. A warm bowl of fruit and honey Irish oatmeal makes for a hearty, comforting, and healthy breakfast.
Ingredients
2 ½ cups water (more as needed)
1 cup milk
1 cup steel-cut oats
¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 large banana, sliced
8 ripe strawberries, sliced
1 cup blueberries
½ cup honey
Instructions
In a large saucepan over high heat, bring the water and milk to a full boil.
As soon as the water boils, pour in the oats, brown sugar, and salt. Stir well and bring the mixture back to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring every few minutes so the oats don’t stick or boil over.
If the oats begin to stick or look dry and are not as tender as you would like, stir in an ⅛ cup of water. You may need to repeat this step until the oats are as tender as you like them.
Remove the oatmeal from the heat and allow it to rest for a few minutes to thicken a bit more.
Divide the oatmeal into 4 serving bowls.
Arrange the fruit on top of each bowl and drizzle 2 tablespoons of honey over each bowl.
Serve hot.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Simmer
- Cuisine: Irish
Keywords: fruit and honey Irish oatmeal, breakfast, St. Patrick's Day, oatmeal, fruit, honey, healthy breakfast
