We eat so much oatmeal because of the convenience and the health benefits. Steel cut oats are an even better choice than rolled oats because they are less processed and will create a lower blood sugar spike. As opposed to the few minutes that it takes to cook rolled oats, however, steel cut oats have to cook for about 45 minutes. There is a solution though!
Simply boil water the night before, add the oats, then turn the heat off and let the oats sit, covered, overnight. In the morning, they will be perfectly ready to eat. Re-warm it, and breakfast is ready.
You can do this with plain oats and add your typical toppings–nuts, seeds, berries, bananas. This is a carrot cake version that we have enjoyed lately.
If you’re into convenient carrot cake breakfasts, you’ll also enjoy these popular Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies!
How to make delicious steel cut oats--carrot cake style-- with mere minutes of hands on time!
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup steel cut oats
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 carrot, grated (about 1/2 cup)
- dash of cloves, nutmeg, and all spice
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1 TBSP hemp seeds
- 1/4 cup shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup crushed pineappple
- 2 TBSP chopped walnuts
- maple syrup to taste
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Boil the water in medium-sized pot with a lid. Add the oats, then turn off the heat. Add all the other ingredients. Stir, cover, and let sit overnight.
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In the morning, add a little almond milk if desired, and re-warm it on the stove. Add maple syrup to taste and serve with more almond milk.
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Combine all the ingredients in a crock pot and set on the lowest setting for 6-8 hours. You may want to oil the bottom of the pot to prevent sticking.
I didn’t have steel-cut oats. I used old-fashioned rolled oats and didn’t cook them ahead of time. In a resealable bowl, I combined the uncooked oats with all the ingredients (using plant milk instead of water) and put it in the fridge overnight, saving the nuts for the next morning so they would retain their crispness. It turned out great! Very flavorful, very creamy. It makes for such a quick breakfast the next morning when all one has to do is pull it out of the fridge and it’s ready to eat.
Great! I keep hearing how great overnight oats are, but I don’t think I’ve ever even tried them in the fridge. Glad you enjoyed!