Bready or Not: Overnight Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oats in the Crock Pot

In recent years, we’ve been trying to eat more healthy stuff.

That means I’ve been trying more alternative grains like quinoa (okay), amaranth (bleh), and steel cut oats. What are steel cut oats, you ask? They are oats that haven’t been processed as much. They take longer to cook and they have more texture and more nuttiness to them.

That whole texture things means they are awesome when slow cooked in the crock pot.

It takes maybe ten minutes to throw everything together the night before. I don’t bother peeling the apples. Just chop, combine everything, put the lid on, close the pot.

In the morning, give it a good stir. Most of the liquid will have soaked it. It will be soft, though my crock pot creates some crunchy bits, too–which are my favorite, to be honest. Dish it up, and then add whatever topping you want– nuts (pecans are awesome), maple syrup, agave nectar, honey, more milk, more spices…

Keep the crock pot on “warm” and the slow-to-rise people can get their food, too!

Really nice thing? The leftovers. Stash them in the fridge, and for several days–maybe all week–you can scoop some out, zap it in the microwave, and go about your day.

Modified from Jamie Cooks It Up.