Over the winter months here on Maui (yes, it does get cold) I enjoyed eating a piping hot breakfast of steel cut oats. Steel cut oats are the less processed version of the oat kernel. Instead of being rolled by machine they are cut into smaller pieces. They are sometimes called coarse-cut oats, or Irish oats. Scottish oats are a different story, and I haven’t run across any brand that carries a gluten-free version of them.

The brand of the gluten-free steel cut oats I eat is Bob’s Red Mill.

I’m not aware of any other brand carrying gluten-free steel cut oats at all.

Steel cut oats aren’t as mushy as oatmeal, so if you’re one of those people who hates the mushy texture of oatmeal but you want the benefits of a tasty, hot whole grain breakfast then steel cut oats are definitely a good pick. One other benefit of oatmeal for breakfast is that it will keep you fuller longer during the day. If you tend to snack before lunch you probably won’t need to if you have a belly full of hearty oats.

While steel cut oats do take longer to cook, I find that if I put them on first thing in the morning I can go about my business of getting dressed or doing yoga while they cook up on the stovetop. I’ve also heard of doing them in the crockpot if you have a large family. Just put them in with the water overnight in the crockpot on low and wake up to a piping hot breakfast. It’s also a quick and easy way to make up a bunch for the week.

I love to top my oatmeal with fruits and nuts and sometimes a splash of milk(any kind will do). A little sweetener is nice too, but I steer clear of sugar first thing in the morning and go with agave or local honey. I just received a package of goji berries from The Hunter so now they go in too! I put them into the pot with the oatmeal toward the end to let them reconstitute. Flaxseed, dried unsweetened coconut flakes, and sliced almonds round this whole meal out to be quite well balanced and healthful.

The stores carrying them are: Alive & Well, Mana Foods, and Whole Foods Market

If anyone knows of any other stores on Maui carrying this product please e-mail me and I will post it too!

Alive & Well is where I generally buy them as it is most convenient for me, and the price is better than at Whole Foods Market. Prices at Mana are generally quite good, so I bet they’re a good buy there as well.

Pukalani Superette and Napili Market are said to carry the steel cut oats as welll.

If you prefer rolled oats then you will find them at Mana and Alive & Well also. I am not sure, but I think Whole Foods Market has them as well.

And, if you don’t live on Maui look at a health food store near you, or buy directly on the internet from Bob’s Red Mill or from Amazon which has great deals on bulk buys.

P.S. Did you know that Bob’s Red Mill is now and employee owned company?

Note: I was not paid, nor received anything free for doing this review. We spend our own money here on Gluten Free Maui.