Peanut, Honey, and Banana Steel-Cut Oatmeal

We are beginning to settle into a normal routine with Baby Emma. I would be completely lying if I didn't admit that it has been a bit of an adjustment. There have been times where she is screaming her head off to be fed, while Matthew is begging for something as if his very life depended on it, and I have a pot of sauce/soup/some type of food simultaneously boiling over on the stovetop. Moments like that really stress me out.

The biggest issue so far has been finding time to feed myself! Breakfast is especially difficult. By the time I get Matthew situated and make myself a pot of coffee, Baby Emma is begging for food (as if she was not just fed less than 30 minutes ago). By the time I am done feeding her, Matthew needs to get washed up and dressed for the day. By the time that is finished, Emma is whining because her reflux is bothering her. I pick her up and bounce her around for a bit. After that, she is ready to be fed again. (NOTE: during this whole time, our stupid cat is meowing loudly because he loves to whine about nothing in particular from the hours of 8:00-11:00 AM. Then he passes out for a long afternoon nap - probably from the sheer exhaustion of it all!). By the time I get her down for her morning nap, Matthew is asking for a snack (which is ridiculous because his breakfast consisted of enough food to feed a family of four). I give him a snack and finally get to sit down for a glorious cup of coffee - and by this time it is half past ten!

Quick and easy-to-prepare breakfasts are obviously a must. Oatmeal is one of our standbys. It is cheap, healthy, and Matthew will readily eat it most mornings. He gets sick of cereal really quickly, but enjoys the ever-changing oatmeal variations we make each week. I love steel-cut oats because they have a slightly chewy texture and are not at all mushy when compared to their quick or rolled cousins. The only issue with steel-cut oats is that they take a bit of time to prepare, normally requiring at least 20-30 minutes of boiling time to soften. However, if they are soaked in hot water overnight, their cooking time is drastically reduced and they can be prepared in about 10 minutes flat. And I can totally finish these up with one hand while bouncing baby girl on my hip. Matthew enjoys this version we made this morning with peanuts, honey and banana. I enjoyed it a couple hours after he did (once it was stone cold - at least the coffee was hot) and it was still delicious!

Peanut, Honey, and Banana Steel-Cut Oatmeal
adapted from Cook's Illustrated


3 1/2 cups water
1 cup steel-cut oats
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup peanut butter (I used this white chocolate peanut butter - yum!)
2 bananas, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup honey-roasted peanuts, chopped coarse

Bring 3 cups water to boil in large saucepan over high heat. Remove pan from heat; stir in oats and salt. Cover pan and let stand overnight.

Stir remaining ½ cup water, milk, and honey into oats and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until oats are softened but still retain some chew and mixture thickens and resembles warm pudding, about 4-6 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Stir in peanut butter and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in bananas, sprinkle with peanuts, and serve!