Nutrition Science is ever-evolving and recommendations are continuously being improved upon, and right now protein recommendations are under review. Following a plant-based diet can sometimes leave some of us a bit short on our protein needs – and no better place to start improving on this than with breakfast. This recipe for Simple Steel-Cut Oats with Peanut Butter and Banana offers 21g of protein per serve, which is a decent amount for most people.
Nutrition
High-Quality Plant-Based Protein
Current protein recommendations for the general population are 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of ideal body weight per day. For the average woman, this may be around 50-60 grams per day and for men 60-70 grams. There are many factors that are used to determine if a higher protein intake is required- this can include age (muscle synthesis decreases with age), activity level, if you are following a strict plant-based diet, and health status.
If you would like to figure out your exact protein requirements speak to a Registered Dietitian or another healthcare professional. For most people, aiming for at least 15-20g of protein per meal is a good start.
A Great Meal-Prep Breakfast
Due to their long cooking time steel-cut oats make an ideal make-ahead breakfast. Make a big batch of them on a Sunday night and have breakfast ready for the rest of the week. Steel-cut oats will stay good for a week in the fridge. They taste great cold or re-heated; simply double the below recipe and add more milk or milk alternative in the morning to thin it out.
Keep You Full All Morning
Steel-cut oats are the least processed type of oat. The groats, which is the whole grain that includes the germ and fibre-rich bran portion, as well as the endosperm (which is the usual product of milling), are simply hulled, toasted and then chopped into 3-4 little sections.
Their larger surface area takes longer to break down, making them a slow release of energy compared to regular oats which can be broken down more quickly. This is great for curbing pre-lunch hunger, or for those following a diabetic-friendly eating plan.
High In Fibre
Steel-cut oats are higher in fibre compared to traditional rolled oats, with 8g of fibre per 1/2 cup raw serve. Oats contain soluble fibre, which is an important fibre that has been shown to help regular blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
Ingredients for Steel-Cut Oats: Oats, Hemp, Peanut Butter, Hemp Milk, Maple Syrup, Banana
The Health Benefits of Eating Oats
Oats and The Benefits On Cholesterol Levels
Oats are one of the best sources of the fibre β-glucan which are known for their cholesterol-lowering abilities. A recent analysis found that an intake of oat β-glucan at daily doses of at least 3 grams might reduce plasma total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels by 5-10% (1).
Steel-Cut Oats and Blood Sugar Stabilization
While steel-cut oats are a low glycemic index food, rolled oats are also considered a low glycemic index food though to a lesser extent compared to steel-cut oats. Regular rolled oats are oat groats that have been steamed and flattened. The partial cooking process and increase in processing increase the glycemic index compared to steel-cut oats. Instant oats are partially cooked and cut even smaller, making them a medium glycemic index food.
The Benefits of Oats on Gut Health
Oats are a good source of resistant starch, which is well known for its role in gut health. Good gut health has been linked to better immune function, and could possibly play a role in diabetes and obesity prevention. Resistant starch is present in cooked and cooled oats, as well as cooled potato and rice, and hot legumes and barley. A diet high in resistant starch has been found to increase populations of friendly bacteria in the gut (2).
Steel-Cut Oats Are Highest In Protein
Steel-cut oats can help us meet our daily protein needs. A half-cup serving of steel-cut oats contains 10g of protein, where a 1/2 cup serving of traditional oats contains 7g. Protein is important for muscle synthesis, immune function, blood sugar stabilization and overall good health.
Mash The Banana in Bowl
Tips
How Long Do Steel-Cut Oats Take To Cook?
Steel-cut oats take at least 25-30 minutes to cook. At 25 minutes I find they are nice and tender, but if you go the extra 5 minutes this is where the creamy oatmeal begins to form. The longer the cooking time, the thicker your oatmeal will be.
How To Make No-Cook Steel-Cut Oats?
Hate the thought of stirring the pot? Bring one part oats to three parts liquid to the boil, cover the pot with a lid, turn off the heat and leave to sit overnight. Your oats will be ready in the morning, no stirring required.
How To Make Sugar-Free Steel-Cut Oats?
I love adding mashed banana to my steel-cut oats in place of sugar, honey or maple syrup. If you choose to omit the mashed banana, you may need 1/2 tsp of unpasteurized honey or real maple syrup per serving, both of which have a lower glycemic index then regular sugar or cane sugar.
What Makes These Steel-Cut Oats High In Protein?
One of my favourite ways to get a good amount of protein at breakfast is by adding hemp hearts. A serving of 2 tablespoons of hemp hearts contains 6 grams of protein, which is as much as an egg. Homemade hemp milk is much higher in protein than the store-bought variety, see my simple recipe for Homemade Hemp Milk here). Peanut butter at a 1 tablespoon serving provides an additional 4 grams of protein.
Once the steel-cut oats are cooked, add the mashed banana and peanut butter.
Notes
Making It Gluten-Free
Steel-cut oats are naturally gluten-free, though those with celiac disease will need to make sure they purchase certified gluten-free oats, as oats can become contaminated during their processing.
Making It Vegan
This recipe is naturally vegan, just make sure to use maple syrup (not honey).
How To Increase The Protein
To add more plant-based protein to this meal, sprinkle on some sliced almonds or chopped walnuts. Option to also stir in 1 scoop of plant-based protein powder into the already cooked steel-cut oats for a further protein boost.
What Other Milk Alternatives Can I Use?
This recipe uses homemade Hemp Milk which contains 10 grams of protein per cup. Don’t have time to make homemade high-protein Hemp Milk? Try using Organic Soy or Peamilk which both contain 8 grams of protein per serving.
High Protein Steel-Cut Oats with Peanut Butter Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup hemp milk homemade (+more for serving)
- 1/2 cup steel-cut oats dry
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 banana* (+ 1 for serving)
- 2 tbsp peanut butter natural
- 1 tbsp maple syrup real (optional)
- 4 tbsp hemp hearts
Instructions
- Heat a saucepan with water, hemp milk, salt and oats in a heavy-bottom saucepan over medium-high heat until bubbles form. Turn down the heat to medium-low and let the oats simmer with the lid half-on for 25-30 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, mash the banana and add it to the oats. Continue to cook on a reduced heat, making sure to stir often. I find that for the first 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes is sufficient. Increasing stirring frequency the longer the oats are cooking.
- You know the oats are finished when they are nice and creamy. Remove them from the heat and add the peanut butter, maple syrup and hemp hearts. Give it a good stir to ensure everything is well blended.
- This dish is great as leftovers for the following morning. Simply store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. In the morning add a splash of milk or milk alternative and eat cold or reheated.
- Option to serve the oatmeal with an additional sliced banana, divided over the two serves. I also like drizzling some peanut butter on top and add a splash of hemp milk.
View Comments (23)
Yum! I've got all these ingredients PLUS frozen banana. Can't wait to give this a try for breakfast tomorrow! Thanks for sharing, Rachel!
Hey Camille! I hope it turned out for you! I have been eating it all week :) I love it just as much cold!
Love this healthy hearty breakfast option. I've never tried oats with banana cooked into them. Looking forward to trying this.
Hey Matt! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Yum! Love steel cut oat for breakfast, I usually do a similar recipe minus the peanut butter-- I think I'm going to add that next time! Thank you :)
Thanks Amanda! I hope you love it with peanut butter as much as I did. And I am sure any nut butter would be just as good!
Oh yum! This is my kind of breakfast, looks so good... and filling and have all the things I love. Also, l love the bowl and mug:)
Thanks Elsa! I can't take credit for the bowl and mug, they were made by a friend. Special West Coast pottery made by a surfer himself!
Oooah, I love this combo. I'm addicted to honey and PB and bananas <3
It's nice to see medical professionals in blogging :) I'm a medical student myself
Hey Natalie! Yes but it is hard to find the time as I am sure you are aware! But I love it and it helps keep me informed. PB + banana + honey is the ultimate combo... goes good on anything really :)
Had never tried this for breakfast, but you made me so curious...! :)
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I am confident that you will love them if you give them a try :)
Can you make this without the milk?
Hi Bella, you could definitely use water! Hope you enjoy it :) Rachel
Very tasty and easy to make! How much (in cups or oz) is in 1 serving of oatmeal?
Hi Heather! It makes about 1 cup of oatmeal each :) I hope you enjoy it! nothing like a steaming bowl of oats in the morning!
How big of a container do you think I would need for a week's worth?
I find that one serving is just under a cup so one recipes worth would be just under 2 cups. So if you tripled the recipe for the week maybe a 5 cup container :)
If you triple the batch I would think a container that holds at least 5 cups :)
Really informative blog. After reading this blog, I have tried many brands oats. Each of them tastes different. After trying all these, one of my fried suggested that try "True Elements Oats". They are rich in protein, fibre and also helps to boost energy and immunity. From that time now I am a regular user of these oats. They have all the varieties of Oats - Rolled oats, Steel Cut Oats, Instant Oats, Rolled Oats with Honey