Overnight Slow Cooker Steel-Cut Oats with Raisins and My New Year’s Resolutions

by Michelle Dudash, Chef and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

January 2, 2013 • 0 comments

Steel-cut oats give morning a healthy start 

Happy New Year, my friends! I’m sure many of you have grand plans to eat healthier and stay fit during 2013. Starting the day with a satisfying, nutritious breakfast to stay fueled all morning long will also help you resist any tempting breakfast pastries that might cross your path.

Waking up to a steamy hot bowl of steel-cut oats in the morning is possible with this recipe. Right before bedtime, pour all of the ingredients into a slow cooker. Et voila. These oats will beckon you into the kitchen in the morning, making it nearly impossible to come up with an excuse for skimping on breakfast. Compared to rolled oats, steel-cut oats have a nuttier flavor with a little “chew”. I created this recipe for California Raisins, an exceptionally versatile fruit that is all-natural, dried by the sun, and contains no added sugar. The raisins infuse the oats with their natural sweetness, so you might not even want to add additional sugar. For even more staying power and flavor, swirl in a teaspoon or two of almond butter or peanut butter.

I’d love to hear about your New Year’s health resolutions. Here are mine:

1. Continue to improve on following a clear skin diet by taking healthy, whole foods with me – snacks that are free of added sugar and refined carbs, and include protein to keep blood sugars on an even keel (nuts paired with fruit are a good one). Eat immediately when hunger signals strike, instead of working through them while strapped to my desk. Or at least go and get a snack right away whenever possible.

2. Get more sleep on weeknights by being in my bedroom by 10:30 pm. No exceptions. Okay, unless I have to meet a really, really important deadline.

Your turn. Go!

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Overnight Slow Cooker Steel-Cut Oats with Raisins

3 1/4 cups (780 ml) water

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup (176 g) steel-cut oats (not quick cooking, can be found in natural foods section)

1/2 cup (73 g) California raisins

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Milk, nut butter, sweetener for topping (optional)

Coat the bowl of a slow cooker with cooking oil spray. Add water, then sprinkle in cinnamon, salt, oats, raisins and vanilla. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Top with milk and stir in nut butter and sweetener, if desired.

Prep time: 3 minutes

Cook time: 6-8 hours

Makes 3 servings, 1 cup each

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 299 calories, 4 g total fat (1 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 206 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol, 58 g total carbohydrate (8 g fiber), 10 g protein, 16% DV iron, 4% DV calcium, 0% DV Vitamin A, 1% DV Vitamin C.

Disclosure: I work closely with California Raisins. They compensated me to mention them in this recipe. Words and thoughts are 100% my own. I heart raisins.

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Overnight Slow Cooker Steel-Cut Oats with Raisins

By Michelle Dudash, Chef and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Published: January 2, 2013

• Yield: 1 cup (3 Servings)
• Prep: 3 mins
• Cook: 6-8 mins
• Ready In: 9 mins

Easy steel-cut oats cooked in a slow cooker with California raisins

Ingredients

• 3 1/4 cups (780 ml) water
• 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (176 g) steel-cut oats not quick cooking, can be found in natural foods section
• 1/2 cup (73 g) California raisins
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Coat the bowl of a slow cooker with cooking oil spray. Add water, then sprinkle in cinnamon, salt, oats, raisins and vanilla. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
   

• Cuisine: American
• Course: Breakfast
• Skill Level: Beginner