Overnight Banana Apple Steel-cut Oats
Ahhhh the quickie morning meal dilemma… You and your family crave a healthy tasty breakfast, but have little time or desire to prep before dashing out the door. Sound familiar? Well I have the perfect solution. Oats and crockpots are such a beautiful pairing as the slow cooking process produces the creamiest oatmeal you’ve ever tasted…and with so little effort!! Just toss these simple ingredients into your crockpot before you go to sleep. Then wake up to the best tummy-warming (and good for you) breakfast for time-crunched chilly weekday or lazy weekend mornings.
Yield: about 4 servings
Yield: about 4 servings
Ingredients
Oatmeal
- Olive or coconut oil spray
- 2 medium bananas peeled and coarsely chopped
- 1-2 large apples any kind, peeled and diced
- 2 cups milk of choice such as unsweetened vanilla almond milk or coconut milk, regular milk, etc.
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg optional
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup or honey or as desired
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or butter helps prevent sticking-don’t omit
- 1 cup steel-cut oats (if need certified gluten-free try Bob’s Red Mill
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
Toppings (mix ‘n match as desired)
- Cinnamon and nutmeg
- Almond or peanut butter
- Granola store-bought or homemade (try Pack ‘n Go Granola or Power Crunch Granola )
- Chopped nuts such as walnuts almonds, pecans and macadamias
- Unsweetened dried fruit such as cranberries blueberries and raisins, chopped apricots and cherries
- Sliced bananas apples, peaches and berries
- Yogurt
Instructions
- Coat bottom and sides of a 4-quart crockpot with olive or coconut oil spray. (prevents sticking) Add all remaining oatmeal ingredients to crockpot; stir well to combine. IMPORTANT: using a larger crockpot, will likely result in the oatmeal sticking to the bottom and sides to where it’s almost “baked-on,” which is quite challenging to clean. This happened to me on my first try! Not fun!
- Cover; cook on Low setting for about 8 hours or until soft. Oatmeal may initially look a bit brown and “crunchy” around the sides. Stir well to create a creamy texture. (If you plan to sleep longer, switch setting to Keep Warm.)
- Serve hot oatmeal with a variety of yummy toppings.
Notes
Make Ahead and Storage Tips: leftover oatmeal may be refrigerated, covered for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stove-top over medium-low setting for about 5 minutes or until hot. (may need to add a splash of water or milk if too thick) Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
For quickie breakfasts on-the-go: consider portioning out oatmeal into heat-proof containers.
For optimal texture, steel-cut oats require a 4:1 ratio of liquid to oats. Any combination of liquid will work so choose between water, unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk, regular milk, etc.
DO NOT SKIP coating your crockpot with olive or coconut oil before adding the oatmeal ingredients. If you skip this step, the oatmeal will get crusty around the edges and most likely stick and be challenging to clean.
Do not use a crockpot larger than 4 quarts unless you are going to double the recipe. (see note above)
Stove-top directions: in a 4-quart pot, combine all oatmeal ingredients. Bring to a boil; simmer, uncovered for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Have more hungry mouths or a larger crockpot?? This recipe will double just fine.
Intrigued to try making your own granola? Check out these easy and nutritious recipes for Nutty Crunchy Crumble, Pack ‘n Go Granola and Power Crunch Granola.
Another slow cooker oatmeal you may enjoy: Crockpot Oatmeal with Pears ‘n Apples .
