Can Oatmeal Make You Better At Math?

This morning, Noemi asked, “can I have oatmeal again, Mommy?” I said of course and pulled out Thursday’s leftovers from the fridge to heat up. But the eagerness on her face seemed beyond what a bowl of oatmeal would warrant.

“Why do you want oatmeal again, baby?” I probed.

She puffed out her chest. “Because I was so speedy in math yesterday. Mrs. P asked what I had for breakfast and I said oatmeal and she said it must have worked and that I should have oatmeal EVERY day.”

“A ha,” I said, stifling a smile.

I can’t guarantee this breakfast will make you better at math, but I can tell you it’s like waking up to a bowl of pumpkin pie. Only this version is full of fiber and nutrients rather than sugar. The recipe here is made with steel cut oats, but I’ve found it works just as well with faster-cooking rolled oats (I’d suggest passing on “quick-cook” oats, though; they get a bit too mushy).

I’d go so far as to call this my all time favorite oatmeal recipe. Although stay tuned; I’ll be expanding my repertoire … something tells me I’ll be cooking quite a lot of oats in the coming months.

Basic Steel Cut Oatmeal

Steel cut oats may surprise you: Sure, they’re great for a healthy breakfast (like in our Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal with Toasted Pecans), but they also make delectable savory dishes too. This recipe makes 8 servings–store leftovers in a covered container in the fridge and reheat, covered, with a bit of milk (for breakfast or sweet recipes) or vegetable stock (for savory ones) over medium-low heat. This oatmeal recipe works on the stove top or in a pressure cooker.

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