Author Notes
Oatmeal is one of the healthiest breakfast options around due to it's whole grain status and fiber content. However, this nutrition superstar can quickly loose its sparkle when its loaded up with lots of sugar (even the brown variety) and tons of butter, or, even worse, processed to cook in a few minutes and flavored with chemicals. Delicious.
Many people shy away from steel cut oats because of the long cooking time (30-40 minutes), but I have a solution to this problem that might surprise you: a slow-cooker. Suddenly, a dish that many consider to be a hassle becomes a set-it-and-forget-it convenience food that leaves your house smelling amazing when you wake up in the morning. —Sarah's Scoop
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Ingredients
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1 cup
steel cut oats
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4
small cooking pears (or apples if you prefer), chopped
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1 cup
fresh cranberries
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1/4 cup
raisins
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3
1-inch pieces of cinnamon sticks
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1/4 teaspoon
ground nutmeg
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1/8 teaspoon
ground ginger
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1/8 teaspoon
ground cloves
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4 cups
water
Directions
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Add all ingredients to slow-cooker and mix to distribute spices. The oats tend to sink while the cranberries float, but that's ok.
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Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, depending on how thick you like your oatmeal. I usually do closer to the 10 hours.
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Refrigerate leftovers to enjoy later. Since I'm cooking for one, these can last me a week. Oatmeal can gel a bit in the fridge so, when reheating, add a little warm water. This and a some mixing should return your oatmeal to the proper consistency.
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