Assemble the ingredients for this oatmeal in the slow cooker before you go to sleep, and a heart-healthy breakfast reminiscent of apple pie will await you in the morning. Unless you have a large family, you’ll even have enough left over for another breakfast later in the week.
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 8; 1 cup per serving
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Heavily spray a 3 1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Put the remaining ingredients in the slow cooker, stirring well. Cook, covered, on low for 6 to 7 hours.
Step 2
Stir the cooked oatmeal before serving.
Step 3
Don’t leave any remaining oatmeal in the slow cooker; it may stick. Spoon it into an airtight container and refrigerate.
Step 4
To reheat an individual serving, spoon 1 cup of the oatmeal into a microwaveable container and microwave, covered, on 100 percent power (high) for 1 to 2 minutes, or until heated through, stirring once halfway through and adding 1 to 2 tablespoons fat-free milk as necessary for the desired consistency (the oatmeal will have thickened while it was refrigerated).
Cook’s Tip on Cooking Oatmeal in slow cookers
Step 5
Steel-cut oats are the best choice for oatmeal prepared in a slow cooker because they can withstand the longer cooking time without getting mushy.
COOK’S TIP ON APPLE PIE SPICE
Step 6
If you don’t have apple pie spice on hand but do have pumpkin pie spice, that also will work well here. If you want to make your own blend, it can be as basic as combining equal amounts of ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg. For a mixture more similar to apple pie spice, though, try using four parts of ground cinnamon, two parts each of ground nutmeg and ground cloves, and one part each of ground allspice and ground cardamom. Feel free to adjust the amounts to taste.
Nutrition information
Step 7
(Per serving)
Step 8
Calories: 318
Step 9
Total fat: 3.0g
Step 10
Saturated: 0.0g
Step 11
Trans: 0.0g
Step 12
Polyunsaturated: 1.0g
Step 13
Monounsaturated: 1.0g
Step 14
Cholesterol: 3mg
Step 15
Sodium: 70mg
Step 16
Carbohydrates: 62g
Step 17
Fiber: 9g
Step 18
Sugars: 33g
Step 19
Protein: 11g
Step 20
Calcium: 228mg
Step 21
Potassium: 425mg
Dietary Exchanges
Step 22
2 starch
Step 23
1 fruit
Step 24
1 fat-free milk
