Trader Joe's Quick Cook Steel Cuts Oats

After reading an article about how steel cut is better than regular rolled oats, I decided that I would give it a shot after I ran out of my usual Quaker Oats.  I had never really investigated all these different oats, so I had no idea.  I guess it's like the difference between white and wheat bread, and white and brown rice.  Whatever, I'm willing to sacrifice a little taste if it means that it's better for my health.

Fast forward to when I was shopping at Trader Joe's last week and I just so happened upon said McCann's Steel Cut Oatmeal.  There were also about ten other kinds of oatmeal for me to choose from.  Then I noticed that Trader Joe's actually had their own brand of quick cook steel cut oatmeal.  It was very slightly less expensive than McCann's, but what I really liked about it was that it wasn't a cereal-box type container, but rather a cylindrical container with a plastic lid.  Sold!

On the container, it says that it cooks in just 8 minutes and it had directions for both cooking on the stove top and in the microwave.  Being too lazy to break out the pot and ladle the first few times I cooked this, I opted for the microwave.  I would put one part oatmeal and three parts boiling water into a really deep bowl and and microwave for the recommended three minutes.  Directions are given to stir and then microwave for another 2-3 minutes.  Unfortunately, though my bowl was deep, the water often times would spill over the sides as the oats expanded the first microwaving session around.  Frustrating and annoying.  Can't leave that microwave!

I'm sure that it's very possible to microwave oatmeal without the mess, but I don't have it down to a science yet, therefore, I now opt for the stove.  Sure beats scrubbing starch off my microwave tray!  I use the same proportions which are one part oatmeal and three parts water and cook for the suggested 8 minutes.  The resulting product are surprising deliciousness!  This oatmeal is really fine, so the texture ends up being pretty darn smooth.

For taste, I've been stirring in a spoon of brown sugar, plus sliced banana and nectarine.  The brown sugar melts so lovely on hot oatmeal!  I'm already thinking of all the things that I could flavor this oatmeal with, including milk, different kinds of sweeteners like honey, condensed milk and granulated sugar, different fruits, different spices... Now I'm excited about breakfast!