Summer Fridays! Steel Cut Oats w/ Peaches & Cashew Cream | dolly and oatmeal

these breakfast oats are a reminder of my time spent in LA last summer with my brother, his fiancé, and my husband. we stayed in my brother's apartment in downtown near one of cafe gratitude's locations (aka my favorite restaurant on earth). every morning frank and i would head down there for some breakfast. i would either get the granola or their steel cut oats, and frank would try some funky thing that i would never go for (like this savory french toast with tempeh chorizo!). the oats became an instant favorite. they had a creamy yet al dente consistency, they were mixed with stewed peaches, and topped with a mildly sweet cashew cream. when i went back for another visit a couple months ago all i wanted was their oats and those stewed peaches! to my (somewhat) dismay, they were serving the oatmeal with seasonal pears instead of summer peaches. womp, womp.

so, i decided to make my own variation of peachy oats and share it here on this summer friday! i think i far surpassed any expectation i had with this recipe. i thought nothing would come close those LA oats. turns out i was wrong (or maybe it's been too long since i had the original). i've been eating bowls and bowls of this stuff each morning and cannot get enough! it's a really adaptable recipe if you want to include another fruit other than peaches - nectarines, apricots, cherries, etc.! and the cream is way delish. it's sweet, but not overly so, and has bit of a bite thanks to some lemon juice and vinegar.

wishing you a bright & beautiful weekend! xo.

steel cut oats w/ peaches & cashew cream | v & gf

| makes 3-4 servings |

1 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight, rinsed, and drained
1/2-3/4 filtered water, plus more for soaking
2 tablespoons maple syrup
3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
fine sea salt
1 cup steel cut oats
1 tablespoon extra virgin coconut oil
1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
3 ripe but firm peaches, cut into 1-inch chunks

method

make the cashew cream. place the cashews, 1/2 cup of water, maple syrup, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract , vinegar, and a pinch of salt into a high-speed blender (preferably a vitamix). blend on high for about 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the container and adding more water as needed to get a smooth, fluid consistency. taste and adjust, adding more syrup or salt. place in a lidded jar and set aside.
make the oats. cook the oats according the instructions on the back of your package. (i like adding a pinch or two of salt to the water.)
while the oats are cooking, make the peaches. heat a sauté pan over medium-low heat. once the pan is hot, add the oil and maple syrup and give it a swirl. add the peaches and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, use a rubber spatula to gently toss everything together. let the peaches cook, stirring every couple of minutes, until they are soft but not falling apart; about 7-10 minutes.
serve with peaches and a good drizzle of cashew cream. leftovers can be stored in a lidded container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

enjoy!