Recipe: Brown Sugar Pear Steel Cut Oats

Serves 2 (DF, can be made GF)

Warm steel-cut oats with brown sugar pears and pecans. A simple vegan breakfast with full servings of fruit, fibre, and protein.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup steel-cut oats (dry // GF for gluten-free eaters)
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 Tbsp butter or olive oil (non-dairy butter for vegan)
• 2 tsp  brown sugar
• 2 Bosc pears (peeled, cored, and chopped*)
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• For topping (optional): pecans, granola, nut butter

Instructions

1. Start your oats by bringing water to a boil in a small saucepan. Once boiling add a pinch of salt and then your oats. Swirl to coat then cover and turn heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed and the oats are tender.
2. In the meantime, prepare your pears. Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add olive oil or butter. Once bubbling, add brown sugar and stir. Then immediately add in pears, lemon juice and cinnamon and stir to coat. Cover to steam and soften the pears and cook for 10 or so minutes or until tender and golden brown. Once tender, remove the lid to allow them to caramelise a bit more. Remove from heat.
3. Divide oats between two bowls (as the original recipe is written) and top with equal servings of pears. I also added a few pecans, which added a nice crunch and more protein.