Better and Faster than A Bowl of Cold Cereal
March 22, 2010 17 Comments Jump to Recipe
Life hasn't been easy since Snack-Girl set a new cereal standard in our house. I've tested many of our cereals and I've come up with very few that pass the Candy or Breakfast? Evaluate Your Cereal test.
So, what to do? Oatmeal is a great solution to my breakfast dilemma. It is whole grain, no sugar added, and four grams of fiber per 1/2 cup. BUT, who has time to make oatmeal?
There is instant oatmeal, of course, but it doesn't taste as good as old fashioned rolled oats, or steel cut oats. Also, many of the packets have added sugar and flavors that may or may not be delicious. And, it costs more per serving than a regular box of rolled oats.
The solution: Buy a slow cooker and mix your oats and water at night. In the morning, your oats are ready to go! It is SO ridiculously easy and (for you college students out there), you don't even NEED a stove.
Some tips:
- Get your hands on some rolled oats or steel cut oats from the bulk section of your supermarket. They are cheaper and more delicious than Quaker (trust me, I have tried them all).
- Use a small slow cooker (1.5 - 2.5 quart). I used my large one and it really made a mess to clean up. Picture crusty oatmeal glued to my cooker. The small ones are perfect for this task.
- Change what you mix in to your oatmeal. You can get bored with oatmeal if you eat the same thing every day. Add different things and look forward to the meal.
Sweet things to add to oatmeal:
maple syrup, brown sugar, honey
cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves
Raisins, dried apricots, dried cherries
Strawberries Prevent Cancer, Blueberries, Raspberries
Banana, Apples, Pear
Frozen Berries
apple butter
Savory things to add to oatmeal:
soy sauce and scallions
salsa
crumbled Hard Boiled Egg
peanut butter, almond butter, etc.
cooked vegetables from last night
grated cheese
Below the recipe, there is a book that I love for my slow cooker. "Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook" has a bunch of different overnight breakfast recipes and other great ideas for main dishes.
Overnight Oatmeal Recipe
(serves 4)
Ingredients
2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
4 3/4 cups water
Instructions
Mix oats and water in slow cooker and set for 8-9 hours. Amounts can be doubled or halved depending on the size of your cooker. These recipes will work in a 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 quart capacity slow cooker.
Points values are calculated by Snack Girl and are provided for information only. See all Snack Girl Recipes
Overnight Steel Cut Oats Recipe
(serves 2)
Ingredients
1 cup steel cut oats
4 cups water
Instructions
Mix oats and water in slow cooker and set for 8-9 hours. Amounts can be doubled or halved depending on the size of your cooker. These recipes will work in a 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 quart capacity slow cooker.
Points values are calculated by Snack Girl and are provided for information only. See all Snack Girl Recipes
What do you add to your oatmeal? Please share below.
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