The hot, fiber-filled breakfasts of long ago are a thing of the past. People rush out the door with a cup of coffee or slam down sugary cereals, even when they eat oatmeal.
However, with a little preparation, you can have your quick and eat hearty too.
I prefer steel cut oats for their complex texture, but who has the time or patience to stand over a stove for 25 minutes in the morning?
Instead, I slow cook a week’s worth of oats ahead of time in my crockpot . Then in the morning, I put a handful of frozen blueberries at the bottom of my bowl, dust them with cinnamon, nutmeg, and other sweet spices that were used long before sugar, add in the precooked oatmeal, and milk, then microwave 2:30 on 7 and 1:30 on high (Note that you might have to adjust the times because I cook at altitude).
Sure it takes a little longer than grabbing a cup of coffee, but your energy will be higher and last longer, you’re less likely to snack on unhealthy things, and your body gets what it needs without the additives. Besides, you can enjoy your cup of coffee instead of slamming it in the hopes energy will follow.
I’d also recommend getting microwave covers. They’re cheap and serve two important purposes: The first is just to reduce if not eliminate messy spills that turn a quick meal into a long cleanup. The second, though, is because they trap the moisture rising from your meal, they help reduce the amount of nutrients that are lost in the cooking process, much like how a steamer works when compared to boiling directly.
Good luck adding some healthy and hearty to your mealtimes. And yes, you can always add sugar (or even better honey) if you like it sweeter.
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I know you won’t, but another option for sweetening is raisins. A handful of raisins is as sweet as a spoonful of sugar, a lot tastier and a lot healthier (more nutrients).
My method is a little different, partly because I (currently) have fresh blueberries rather than frozen. I heat the oatmeal first, without liquid – 1:30 on high (at sea level). Then add cinnamon and raisins and fresh blueberries, stir it around and add milk. I like the contrast of warm cereal and cold milk. If I only had frozen blueberries, I’d put them in with the oatmeal – but still put the milk in after heating.
The magic of crockpots make steel-cut oats easy! BTW – I put 8 ounces (a cup and a half, about) of oats and 4 1/2 cups water into my little crockpot (not little dipper, it’s about a quart and a half or two quarts) and cook it on high for 4 hours (I use a timer). I like the results – quite firm, even warm (and sliceable cold). If you like soft oatmeal, you’d probably use less time.
Ah yes, the sticky sweet raisins. You can keep those. I like just the spices.
You can put the cinnamon, a bit of vanilla, and any other spices/flavorings and dried fruits when you cook it. The cinnamon tends to float on the top, so you have to stir it in after the oatmeal is done. I used to add nuts to it, too. Yummy. (But, not low carb enough to keep my blood sugar from spiking. I’m an eggs, meat, & cheese girl these days, with a small serving of berries and yogurt.)
Good point. Since I basically put the same spices in each time. I’ll try it next time.