February 2022 Nutrition Blog
A Sweet Valentine’s Day Breakfast
By - Ellen Levine, MS, RDN, EP
Here is a simple and delicious, heart healthy, pink breakfast for you or your sweetheart this Valentine’s Day morning. This one will be sure to please any day you are in the mood for a heartwarming treat. The few ingredients pack a nutrient-dense punch, and it will fill you with fiber and all-natural sweetness.
Have you ever tried steel-cut oats? If not, they take a little while to cook on the stove, but they are well worth the wait. This recipe yields 4 servings, so enjoy 1 today and pack up the other 3 for the next few mornings. When you reheat it add about 2T of boiling water and put in the microwave for 1 minute. Freezing it would also be an option, but you will not want to! All you will need is 1 c dry steel-cut oatmeal (not quick cooking), 4 c of water, 1 6oz container of raspberries (washed), 2t cinnamon, 1t ginger, 1/4c of walnuts, 2/3c combined blueberries and strawberries. In a medium sized pot, bring the water to a boil. Add the steel-cut oatmeal and return to a boil, stir, and decrease heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes and add the raspberries. Stir to combine, they will start to break part and the oatmeal will turn pink. Add the cinnamon and ginger. Let it cook for another 5 minutes. Once cooked the serving is between 3/4c and 1c, spoon this amount into a bowl and top with 1/4c of walnuts and the blueberries and strawberries. Taste it before adding any sweetener. If you need a little something, try 1t of Grade B Maple Syrup or 1t of cacao nibs for a taste of chocolate which will nicely compliment the berries.
This easy recipe offers many benefits. Regular consumption of whole grain oats can help lower LDL cholesterol. Berries provided antioxidants. Walnuts give us omega-3 fatty acids and each of these 3 ingredients contain fiber for regularity. Cinnamon and ginger also help with inflammation, digestion, and blood sugar control. Once you have tried it, make your own spin on it! The steel-cut oats are hearty and very versatile they can be the base of a sweet or even savory meal by using them to replace rice. Enjoy this pretty pink oatmeal on Valentine’s Day or any day!