Archives • A Sweet Pea Chef

Sweet, luxurious, warm, and incredibly easy to make! This Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal recipe will make you fall in love with breakfast again. So I'm just gonna come out and say I'm a big fan of oatmeal and all things in the "hot breakfast" category in the morning. Oh! And strawberries and cream. Because, duh. Yes, I love my protein shakes when I'm on the run during busy weekday mornings but, there's something undeniably unique and fulfilling about having a hot breakfast with your family, ya know? Hot breakfasts are one of my most treasured memories from my childhood. On Sunday mornings, I could count on my mom to make us some oatmeal, cream of wheat, pancakes, or eggs. And I looked forward to it every week. Plus, the strawberries in California were so amazing. Mmm. These strawberries and cream steel cut oats are something special, y'all. They combine all of my favorite things. And today, you're going to learn how to make it! Is Strawberries And Cream Oatmeal Good For You? A BIG YES. You’re getting an outstanding balance of nutrients from the oats (they contain more healthy carbs, fiber, protein, and fat than other grains). Oats have lots of vitamins and minerals like: IronZincVitamins B1 and B5 They help with regulating blood sugar, gut health, healthy skin, and a faster metabolism. From the strawberries, you’re getting: Vitamin CFiberFolateA rich dose of antioxidants Strawberries help boost your immunity, brain health, heart health and regulate your blood sugar levels. Also, didn’t we all fight for this flavor in our childhood? Is Oatmeal Good For Weight Loss? Yes, oatmeal is excellent for weight loss. Steel-cut or rolled oats are the best types of oatmeal to add to your weight loss regimen. I tend towards steel-cut oats because they are heartier, chewier, and nuttier than the others. As mentioned before, look at the nutritional labels and avoid the prepackaged stuff! Oatmeal is also good for weight loss because it's filling and nutrient-dense. It's a complex carb known to boost your metabolism. AND it helps with preserving muscle mass. This recipe is only 385 calories per serving and is filling. You're getting a good dose of nutrients and satisfaction in a low-calorie meal. What Type Of Oats Are We Using? We're using steel-cut oats, which are similar to rolled oats but are less processed. So they are a bit chewier (read: awesome, yummy texture!). Think of steel cut oats as oatmeal before it gets rolled, and then – poof – that's steel cut oats. They're slightly lower in calories and glycemic index than rolled oats but are otherwise nutritionally equal. You're getting quality protein and fiber along with your tasty, hot breakfast. Learn more about the different types in this post: What's The Healthiest Type of Oatmeal? What Is In This Strawberries And Cream Oatmeal? This recipe is so easy, a real treat, and only has seven ingredients! Here’s what we’re working with: Almond Milk: I use almond milk in a LOT of my recipes. It’s delicious, rich in Vitamin E (good for brain health), and has protein, calcium, and Vitamin D. Coconut Milk (full-fat, canned): I use it to thicken some of my ice cream and dessert recipes. It has antioxidants and can help with heart health, better immunity, and reduced inflammation.Steel-Cut Oats: Love the texture of these oats! I use them a lot for hot breakfast meals. They’re an outstanding balance of macros, filling, packed with protein, fiber, Vitamin B Complex, and iron.Fresh Strawberries: I mean, who doesn’t love fresh, juicy strawberries on their breakfast? They provide antioxidants, fiber, folate, are low in sugar and calories. This dish wouldn’t be the same without them.Maple Syrup: Besides being amazingly delicious and all-natural, pure maple syrup contains antioxidants (24 to be exact!) and loads of nutrients. Perfect clean sweetener for this healthy hot breakfast.Greek Yogurt (plain): I am a fan. A huge fan. I have at least 35 recipes that use Greek Yogurt. Vanilla Extract: This is always a good idea. On anything sweet. Always. Its compounds also contain antioxidants, so yay for more health points! How To Make It? To make strawberries and cream oatmeal, simply: Combine the almond and coconut milk in a large, deep pot and heat. Make sure it doesn’t come to a boil and occasionally stir to prevent a film or burning. Remove it from the heat and add in the strawberries, vanilla extract. Let it sit a bit so that it thickens.You will need to heat the syrup together with the remaining cup of strawberries for a few minutes. As for the yogurt, combine it with the remaining vanilla extract and mix in a bowl. To serve, place a good dollop of the decadent cream over the strawberries and oats. Drizzle with the warm strawberry maple syrup. Yummm. Come on…I can taste this already as I type. Do yourself a favor a treat yourself to this breakfast treat. It’s so worth it. ;) Is It Ok To Eat Oatmeal Every Morning? YES -- oatmeal is an excellent balance of healthy macros, and it fills you up nicely! Here are some of its nutritional benefits and why you can enjoy this daily: It’s an easy way to boost your nutrient intake: oatmeal contains healthy fiber, carbs, protein, and fat. Along with the vitamins and minerals we mentioned earlier. It will help regulate your blood sugar: If you live with diabetes or a metabolic condition, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases recommends eating whole grains (like oatmeal).They speed up your metabolism: It helps keep you full, is linked to fat burn and maintaining muscle mass.| It will make your gut happy: Oatmeal feeds your good gut flora. Happy good bacteria means a happy belly! How To Store? I LOVE meal prepping with steel-cut oats because they get even softer the longer they sit. You can store them in separate mason jars/containers or as one big batch. They should last in the fridge for up to 5 days. It's wise to store your strawberries and vanilla greek yogurt cream separately, so it keeps everything fresh until you reheat the oats. When you’re ready to eat the oats again, reheat on the stove or microwave and add a bit of liquid to reduce thickness. (They tend to thicken after being chilled.) Try this recipe and let me know how you find it in the comments! More Healthy Oat Recipes Have fun and switch up your daily dose of oats with these beauties: Banana Oat Blender PancakesApple Cinnamon Oat Bran PancakesBlackberry Cobbler Easy Overnight OatsHealthy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies | Divinely Soft & Chewy6 Tasty Oatmeal Recipes For Better Digestion & Health This post contains affiliate links for products I use regularly and highly recommend. Strawberries And Cream Steel Cut Oats These Strawberries And Cream Steel Cut Oats are a delicious and healthy new way to enjoy oatmeal! 3 cups almond milk1 cup full fat coconut milk (canned)1 1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill Steel Cut Oats2 cups fresh strawberries (divided)1 cup pure maple syrup1/3 cup plain greek yogurt2 tsp vanilla extract (divided) Combine almond milk with coconut milk in a large, deep pot and bring to an almost boil. (Stir this mixture occasionally to keep the milk from forming a film or burning.)Add the steel cut oats and cook, stirring frequently, for 20-25 minutes, until the steel cut oats have pretty much absorbed all the liquid.Remove from the heat, add 1 cup sliced strawberries and 1 tsp. vanilla extract, and let sit for 2 minutes. While it sits, it will thicken even more.For the tasty syrup, heat pure maple syrup and remaining 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced, over medium-high heat until heated through, about 3-5 minutes.Combine the plain greek yogurt with remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a small mixing bowl.To serves, place a dollop of the tasty yogurt cream over the strawberries and cream oats and drizzle with the warm strawberry maple syrup. Breakfast, Healthy, OatmealEasycream of oats, strawberries and cream oatmeal, strawberry cream oatmeal