Everyone knows oatmeal is a wonder food. It’s certainly made clear on the Quaker boxes with “heart healthy” right on the front. According to research, though, it does lower cholesterol and blood pressure and may help prevent Type 2 diabetes. Steel cut oatmeal is the most healthy because it is cut in pieces and that’s it. No processing.
We enjoy cut whole grain oatmeal when we visit our Colorado family and our Phoenix friends. Drue actually makes her own in her blender. Up until this winter, I hardly ever fixed oatmeal at home and never steel cut. I decided this winter, I would get on the band wagon.
Lynn had a crock pot of steel cut oatmeal ready for us while we were visiting several years ago. Thinking that way of cooking worked great, I purchased a small crock pot for around $10. It does work perfectly. I use the recipe on the back of the box.
Tonight, though, I am taking it to a new level by adding apples and cinnamon. I’ll post the recipe I found on the internet below. I’ve tweaked my blog layout to include Twitter posts. I’ll let you know there as to the deliciousness of this combination.
Slow Cooker, Apple Cinnamon Steel-Cut Oatmeal
Servings: 7 (3/4-cup) servings
Ingredients
2 apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (2-1/2 to 3 cups chopped)
1-1/2 cups fat-free milk
1-1/2 cups water
1 cup uncooked steel-cut oats
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons butter, cut into 5-6 pieces
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground flax seed
1/4 teaspoon salt
Optional garnishes: chopped nuts, raisins, maple syrup, additional milk or butter
Directions
Coat inside of 3-1/2 quart (or larger) slow cooker with cooking spray. Add all ingredients (except optional toppings) to slow cooker. Stir, cover, and cook on low for 7 hours. Spoon oatmeal into bowls; add optional toppings, if desired. Store leftovers in refrigerator. Freezes well.
To reheat single servings: Put 1-cup cooked oatmeal in microwave proof bowl. Add 1/3 cup fat-free milk. Microwave on high for 1 minute; stir. Continue cooking for another minute, or until hot.