Slow Cooker Cherry Almond Steel Cut Oats

In the morning, I’m all about simplicity. I could eat eggs topped with melted cheese or a fresh fruit smoothie every day. 

I totally dig a warm bowl of oats topped with fresh fruit and nut butter too, but I typically don’t have the time that it takes to make a hearty bowl. And I’m not an instant oat type of girl. Gag!

Steel cut oats are the real deal. I think mostly because they seem so special in our house, we eat them on rare occasions or the weekend when I have some extra time. But who has extra time, really?

When steel cut oats met the slow cooker, it was love at first bite. I no longer have to stir my morning away when I have a hankering for oatmeal. Toss them in the slow cooker the night before and forget it!

Note: When making oats in the slow cooker, don’t forget to coat the pot with cooking spray or else you’ll spend more time cleaning up the sticky mess than it takes to make them the old-fashioned way. Rookie mistake.


Cherry Almond Steel Cut Oats made in Slow Cooker

Recipe by Kristina LaRue

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 cup steel cut oats
2 cups vanilla almond milk
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Toppings: almond butter, chia seeds, golden flax seeds, sliced almonds, fresh sliced cherries

Instructions

  1. Coat slow cooker with cooking spray or butter. Place all ingredients (except toppings) in slow cooker, cover, and cook on low heat for 8 hours.
  2. Spoon warm oatmeal into 4 mason jars. Top with a spoonful of almond butter, chia seeds, golden flax seeds, sliced almonds, and sliced cherries.
Kristina LaRue, RD, CSSD, LDN, CLT on FacebookKristina LaRue, RD, CSSD, LDN, CLT on LinkedinKristina LaRue, RD, CSSD, LDN, CLT on PinterestKristina LaRue, RD, CSSD, LDN, CLT on Twitter
Kristina LaRue, RD, CSSD, LDN, CLT
Kristina LaRue, RD, is the sports dietitian with University of Central Florida Athletics, provides nutrition services for Tara Gidus Nutrition Consulting, and works in the treatment of eating disorders with Joyful Nutrition. Read her blog, Love & Zest—and connect with her on Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook and LinkedIn.