Autumn is upon us and the mornings are definitely cooler. You're most likely craving warmer, stick-to-your-ribs breakfasts now. Oatmeal is perfect. It's healthy, low in fat and delicious, but who has time in their busy mornings to make that? And those packets of Instant Oatmeal? Ewww.......
Take out your slow cooker and wake up to delicious, hot oatmeal tomorrow!!
Here's how to do it:
Use long-cooking, or better yet, try steel-cut oats; they're firmer, and they get a little creamy in the slow-cooker. Put them in the slow cooker overnight with your choice of milk (regular or non-dairy) or water. (Follow oatmeal package directions for measurements). And don't forget to add salt! Oatmeal without a touch of added salt is just plain awful, so don't even try. A bit of salt isn't bad - it's all that salt in the processed, packaged and fast foods we eat that is the most harmful to us!
Now it's time to get creative! Add some spice to your oatmeal. Cinnamon and nutmeg are perfect with oatmeal. A splash of vanilla is delicious, too. Drizzle in some organic maple syrup for natural sweetness. Toss in a handful of chopped almonds or walnuts for extra protein and good fat. You can add dried fruit, like raisins, dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots, if you wish. Or fresh, cubed apples. The apples will cook along with the oatmeal.
Think NATURAL SWEETNESS over PROCESSED SUGAR.
Set it on low, let it cook overnight and in the morning you will wake up to a hot, nourishing bowl of oatmeal.
Perfection.
Just remember, tons of table sugar in your oatmeal pretty much defeats all the health benefits so, here's a little trick. The more spices and goodies you toss into it as it cooks, the less sugar you will need to add when you eat it. You might discover you don't need any extra sugar at all! If it doesn't taste sweet enough, try mixing in some banana slices or a handful of fresh blueberries before reaching for the sugar bowl.
I adapted this recipe from Nine Ways to Use Your Slow Cooker
Yours in Good Health,
Cynthia
xo
