Yummy Goodness: Slow Cooker Steel Oats

Jennifer, a sweet friend of mine from Colorado, recently shared her recipe for maple steel cut oats with me. I LOVE maple syrup (but, only the REAL kind without any crappy additions) and this sounded so warm and comforting, that I had to give it a try, plus it is so easy to make. I made just a few changes to her original recipe, but it turned out really good. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did! Plus oats are big time nutritional powerhouses - containing more soluable fiber per serving than any other grain, which helps keep you feeling fuller for longer. And, they assist in balancing blood sugar - so you don't have those yucky highs & lows which lead to binging. They also lower cholesterol and contain tons of great nutrients such as Manganese, Selenium, Vitamins B1, B2, B5 & B9.

Slow Cooker Steel Oats

serving = 1/2 cup (makes 10 servings)
154 calories, 5 g protein, 32 g carbs, 2 g fat, 83 mg sodium, 4 g fiber
note: adding 1 T. slivered almonds & 1/4 c almond milk increased the calories by 44

2 c. steel cut oats                                                                         
4 c. water
1/4 c. maple syrup
2/3 c. dried cranberries
2 t. cinnamon
slivered almonds & vanilla almond milk, for serving

Place all ingredients, except almonds & almond milk, in a crock pot. Give it a quick mix, then turn on low and cook for 3 - 4 hours.  Since crock pots vary, check after two to three hours to determine if they need to go a little longer. If you like them creamier, you can add a little more water. Just remember, you want them to be a little chewy and not over cooked or mushy. 

When they are done, cool completely, then store in a covered glass container in the frig for 3 – 4 days. Remember to cool them first, though, before covering and sticking in the frig. If not, they will continue to steam and could possibly get mushy. I love making these on Sunday evening, then enjoying a bowl full for breakfast during the week. My favorite way to eat them is warmed up with ¼ c. vanilla almond milk (I like Almond Breeze - the 40 calorie per cup one) and 1 T. toasted, slivered almonds. To make sure I get the correct amount of protein, I always eat a turkey sausage patty or a few egg whites with it as well. Hope you enjoy! I think they are really yummy!