Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oatmeal

Perfect for our Lent challenge of eliminating processed foods, I found a super-simple oatmeal recipe in my new favorite cookbook, Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook, and was intrigued not only by the prep time (about 25 seconds) AND the idea of having a hot breakfast ready to go in the morning.

Supposedly, steel cut oatmeal is is best - if you go by the theory that the less a food is processed, the better. They're just cut up and thrown into a package, versus more traditional rolled oats, which are rolled and dried. I really like the steel cut oats, and with this recipe you really can't go wrong - but I'm sure any oatmeal is fine.

Put this on low right before you go to bed to have it ready for your morning - or for lunch or a snack, put it on high for 3-4 hours.

Slow Cooker Oatmeal - Serves 3-4
1 c steel-cut oats
4 c water
1/2 tsp vanilla

1. Grease the slow cooker with a bit of nonstick spray or butter.

2. Combine all three ingredients in slow cooker, turn on low for 8 hours (if you don't have a timer, don't worry, just leave it on low and it will be fine).

3. In the morning, stir oatmeal and spoon into bowls. We top ours with fresh fruit (blueberries and bananas are awesome), a half-teaspoon of brown sugar and a couple tablespoons of lowfat milk.

Very easy to double and make extra to pop in the microwave the next morning!