One of the best things about being in a relationship is learning from each other. And I love how Lance taught me what a slow cooker is! 😉 Slow cookers are far from common in Denmark and I had therefore never heard about it before Lance introduced me to it – as one of many American things than I have since then fallen in love with. Now, I could never live without my Crockpot. (For non-Americans a Crockpot is simply a slow cooker brand. And the best bran in my opinion). In fall and winter in particular, hardly one day goes by where I don´t use it.
One of my favorite ways to use the slow cooker is for overnight oats. How great is it that you get to wake up to a wonderfully smelling home, not having to spend time on preparing breakfast? I love how this allows me to go to the gym and come home and have a quick breakfast before going to work. It is such a timesaver! We don’t have kids yet but I can only imagine how convenient this must be for families with young kids as well. When you´re busy trying to get everyone up and dressed, how great is it that you don´t need to worry about finding time to prepare breakfast as well? At least if you want to serve your family a nutritious meal and not just grab for the sugary cereal box…
The key to making overnight oatmeal in the slow cooker is to use steel cut oats. This is because they require longer cooking time. Rolled oats cook way too quickly and are therefore not great for the slow cooker. Another benefit of using steel cut oats is that they take longer to digest because they are less processed. This in turn helps keep you full longer. Win!
If you have tried other overnight oatmeal recipes, you will notice that my recipe calls for more liquid than most others. I find that the oats absorb the liquid really well, and extra liquid means extra quantity. I don’t know about you, but I like getting a bigger portion without getting extra calories 😉 Of course, everyone likes their oatmeal texture a bit differently so feel free to add a bit less water if you prefer your oatmeal extra thick. (I find this version to be plenty thick though. It is far from runny.)
Overnight banana oatmeal
SERVES 2
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup steel cut oats
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 banana – mashed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Your choice of toppings (I used blueberries, cashew butter and hemp seeds)
METHOD
- Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker
- Cook on low for 9 hours
- Serve with your choice of toppings
NOTES
- This recipe is so versatile. Feel free to add or exchange any fruits that you like. The possibilities are endless!
- If you are worried about the oatmeal burning, here´s one of the best slow cooker tips I´ve ever learned: pour a bit of water in the slow cooker. You then put the oatmeal ingredients in an oven safe bowl and place the bowl in the slow cooker. The water should go about half way up the side of the bowl. You then cook the oatmeal for 9 hours like normally. Perfect. Every time.
What´s your favorite oatmeal flavors? I´m curious to know! I tend to stick to the same variations over and over again so I would love some new inspiration 🙂
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