A few weeks ago I found the most amazing sounding recipe combining my favorite dessert, Bananas foster, and one of my favorite breakfasts, oatmeal. Now, when I say oatmeal, I mean those instant packets you just add hot water too. I know, so gourmet. But, as I keep saying, I am not a cook. I don't cook, really. But, I do become enamored with certain recipes I find that sound delicious and I imagine will look beautiful when photographed. My real love is the picture of the food, the making it is just a necessary step and the eating a wonderful benefit. Back to this oatmeal. I have never had "old-fashioned" oatmeal. I had to make a special trip to the grocery store for steel-cut oats. I've never heard of steel-cut oats. It is always educational when I decide to make something, this being no exception. Did you know steel-cut oats are lower on the glycemic index than rolled oats, making them cause less of a spike to insulin levels when eaten? Now we do.

And I always seem to have bananas on hand that are past their peel-and-eat prime (at least according to my kids who think more than about three tiny brown spots means they're rotten.) This recipe is a delicious way to use them without having to make another loaf of banana bread (although I always welcome banana bread!) I made a small tweak to the original recipe to better suit the pan I had to caramelize the bananas in and I also switched from the original walnuts to pecans (pecans are my favorite and I think they're best with bananas. Plus, I'm allergic to walnuts.) Definitely check out both versions of the recipe and make the one that sounds best to you. You can't go wrong either way. Recipe below.

Bananas Foster Oatmeal
1/2 cup steel cut oats
2 medium bananas, sliced and divided
1/2 cup water
1 cup + 1/2 cup milk, divided
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Banana-pecan Topping
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/4 cup rough chopped pecans (I like them larger)
remaining banana slices from above

Oatmeal directions

  1. In a small pan, combine oats, 1/3 of the sliced bananas, water, 1 cup milk, salt, and cinnamon; cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until it begins to bubble and thicken.
  2. Turn heat down to low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup milk and turn heat up to med-high until oatmeal is bubbling again.
  4. Turn heat back to low and simmer for 10 more minutes.

Banana-pecan topping directions

  1. Combine butter and brown sugar in a small pan over medium heat, stirring until butter and sugar are melted.
  2. Add remaining banana slices in an single layer to caramel. Sprinkle pecans between banana slices. Once they start to brown and caramelize, flip the bananas over and cook until both sides are caramelized. Divide into two bowls and top with the bananas.

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