Those of you who really know me, know that summer is my favorite season. There is just something about the long days and the feel of the warm sun on your face, fresh garden tomatoes, and the lapping of a river current against a boat. Summer is the best!! Unfortunately, September is the month when summer officially ends and fall begins. This always makes me a little sad, not that fall is here, but because winter is on its way.
In an attempt to prolong the feeling of summer just a little longer, I want to give you one of my favorite summer-feel-good recipes: Tropical Steel Cut Oatmeal. You may be thinking that all oatmeal is all the same and that steel cut oats are no different than old fashioned rolled or instant. In the aspect that they all come from the same grain you would be correct. However, they are very different when it comes to the way they are processed which leads to a very different texture when they are cooked.
Steel Cut Oats: The oats are left whole and cut into pieces with a steel mill. Steel cut oats are the least processed of oat varieties and therefore maintain the best texture when cooked. They take a little longer to cook, but they are worth the wait. They’re endlessly customizable, never mushy, and can be made ahead for a healthy breakfast all week.
Old Fashioned Rolled Oats: The oats are steamed and pressed flat to cook quicker than steel cut. If you are in a hurry and need breakfast in a few minutes, rolled oats are a reliable option. They are healthier and will keep you fuller longer than instant oats but their body and texture just doesn’t quite live up to that of steel cut oats.
Instant Oats: These are rolled oats that are cut into small pieces so that they will cook even quicker (in an instant). By the time you heat them, they lose all texture and can be very mushy.
If your only experience with oatmeal has been instant or even 1-minute quick oats, you really need to give this heart healthy grain another shot. Steel cut oats are thick and creamy, pleasantly chewy and nutty, and will leave you feeling satisfied for hours.
The recipe below makes 4 – 5 servings, depending on your serving size, and will keep up to 5 days in the fridge. I keep mine in individual serving microwave safe bowls for a quick grab, heat, and go breakfast. A minute and a half in the microwave is all it takes for a hot breakfast even on a busy morning.
Steel Cut Oats (Base Recipe)
- 4 cups liquid (I use 3 cups water and 1 cup milk)
- 1/2 tsp of salt (this is to keep them from being bland – sometimes I even use 3/4 tsp – customize to taste)
- 1 cup steel cut oats
- 1-1/2 TBS Splenda Brown Sugar Blend (or sweeten to taste with your favorite sweetener)
Place all ingredients (including any add-ins) into a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. I actually use my rice cooker so I don’t have to stir or monitor them at all. It works like a charm and kicks off automatically when they are done.
Tropical Add-Ins
- 1/3 cup frozen mango
- 1/2 tsp coconut oil
- 2 TBS dried cranberries
- 2 TBS coconut flakes
- 2 TBS slivered almonds
If tropical flavors are not your jam, and you’re really into the coming fall season, just substitute the tropical flavors with diced apples, walnuts, cranberries and cinnamon.
As you can see the flavor add-ins are endless. Enjoy!
Boot Camps:
Live @ FLC Gym – $55
- Starts Wed, Sept 7th
- Choose 5:30am or 7:30am for Fit Camp, or 8:30am for BASIC30
- Dates:
5· 7 · 12 · 14 · 19 · 21 · 26 · 28 (7 sessions) - No camp on Labor Day, Mon-5th
On-Demand – $30/month
- Workout anytime the mood strikes by video
- Most workouts only need a medium set of dumbbells. See FAQs for more info
- YouTube Playlist Link is available by the 1st of the month
- Playlist includes 16 videos with at least 4 being brand new with specialized content for On-Demand subscribers
- I take requests to help meet your specific goals – let me know if you have any needs that we can address in next month’s workouts or if you’d like to keep your favorite video/s in the current playlist.
- New Videos dropping this month:
- Chest & Legs (FC45)
- Backside (FC45)
- Arms & ABs (both FC and B30)
- Major Muscles (B30)
- Other videos include some prerecorded favorites from both B30 & FC45 selections
- Even if you only see me on YouTube, I am still your trainer and I am here for you and only an email or text away. My goal is to make training even more accessible and to leave you with no excuses for not exercising.
This Month’s Spotlight OnDemand Video:
Full Access – $75
- Why settle for just Live or @Home when you can have both!! You can workout with me and our FLC crew Live on Mondays and Wednesdays (as many classes as you want) and have access to videos to do On-Demand on any other day of the month. What better way to get in shape and stay in shape!!
A La Carte: $10/per class or 5 classes for $45, 6 for $50, 7 for $55
Package payments must be made in advance, they are non transferable, and are only good for the month of the Boot Camp for which they were purchased. Payment options include: Cash, Check, Card, Cash App, paypal.me/followmefit, Venmo, Google Pay, & Zelle.
Links:
More Camp Info | Camp Registration | Pay Online | followmefit.net
