• 2 apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2inch cubes
  • 1-1/2 cups almond milk
  • 1-1/2 cups water
  • 1 cup uncooked steel-cut oats
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon ground flax seed
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

I am a big fan of oatmeal and my slow cooker. Why not combine the two.  I end up putting this in my slow cooker before I go to bed at night and when I wake up the next morning the house is filled with the aroma of cinnamon and apples. This is a delicious, hearty and healthy breakfast alternative that is ready to eat with no mess and preparation, just make your coffee or tea and scoop out a bowl and cut out a lot of the preparation for your morning routine.

This also makes plenty of leftovers, I am typically eating this for a week. Some advice on cook time: I do say it takes approximately 7 hours but the first time I did this I cooked it during the day to monitor how my slow cooker cooked the recipe. If you can keep an eye on it and determine when it is done. You want to see the edges slightly brown, not burnt. I started checking around the 5 hour mark.

Directions:

  1. Coat the inside of your slow cooker with cooking spray.
  2. Add all the ingredients to slow cooker.
  3. Stir, cover and cook on low for approximately 7 hours (slow cooker time may vary).
  4. Spoon oatmeal into bowls and add additional toppings (bananas, nuts, fruit, maple syrup, etc.)

Reheating Leftovers:

  1. To reheat leftovers, place 1 cup of cooked oatmeal into microwave proof/safe dish or bowl.
  2. Add 1/3 cup of almond milk or water.
  3. Microwave on high for 1 minute and stir.
  4. Continue cooking for another minute until you reach desired temperature.

Recipe adapted and modified from Cook Smarts