Steel Cut Oats

Yum! Easy! It is recommended in the Zone to try Steel Cut Oats. (Irish Oats) Part of the Zone philosophy is to avoid foods that spike your insulin levels-so foods that are low glycemic. Spikes in my insulin could be a cause of the mood changes as well as energy levels. Whenever I do cheat and eat a cookie or something I think...Oh this is going to go straight to my blood stream!
Steel cut oats have a lower glycemic level compared to instant oatmeal. It has a nutty flavor and chewier texture. It does take longer to cook-but I found a great recipe in which you can cook it overnight. http://www.thebittenword.com/thebittenword/2009/01/overnight-oatmeal-quick-cook-steelcut-oats-in-10-minutes.html This makes a bigger batch-you can put it in the fridge and have it for breakfast for several more days. You could also put it in a crockpot and cook it on LOW all night. See recipe below.

Charlie LOVED it! For him I added some milk, cinnamon and some brown sugar. For me I added Stevia-and I would not recommend it. Stevia is a natural sweetener and is 100 to 300 times sweeter than sugar. It is ideal for a low-carb diet like the Zone. It doesn't affect insulin levels like regular sugar does. I put 3 drops into my oats. I couldn't really taste anything else. It was a somewhat bitter taste-so next time I will try without. Here is a picture of my breakfast.

I have to try this recipe next.

Blueberry Maple Nut Oatmeal (4-4 block meals)

1 cup plus 2 tbls. Steel-cut oats
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
4 1/4 cups of cold water
4 one ounce scoops vanilla egg white protein or whey protein (about 1 cup)
2 tsp. pure maple extract (or I will just add some real maple syrup)
2 cups blueberries
48 pecan halves, lightly toasted and crumbled

1. Before going to bed, combine the oats, spice, and water in a 3 1/2-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours.

2. In the morning, turn off heat. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes; the steam will condense and lift the stuck cereal off the bottom of the cooker for ease of clean-up.

3. Add protein powder and maple syrup. Stir to dissolve all lumps. Stir in warm water a tablespoon at a time if too stiff. Divide among 4 serving bowls. Top with berries and nuts.