With that first snap of cool fall weather, all I want to do is cozy up with a warm bowl of oatmeal in the morning.
Oatmeal is such a great breakfast option because it helps keep you full until lunch. I also love that oatmeal offers endless flavor combinations, from sweet to savory.
My favorite oatmeal company, The Quaker Oats Company, makes the most delicious steel cut oats. Steel cut oats are simply chopped, while the regular rolled oats are steamed, rolled, steamed again and then toasted. The texture of steel cut oats is heartier and they have a nutty, rich taste.
I used to be a little intimidated by making steel cut oats. They definitely require more cooking time than the Quaker Quick Oats I was used to making. But then I stumbled upon an over-night recipe for steel cut oats and I was hooked.
The first thing I did was make my own recipe with apples and cinnamon for the cool fall weather. Of course you can make any good thing great, so I also decided to make a little serve-yourself breakfast station with the Quaker Steel Cut oats and some toppings.
It’s the perfect thing for ensuring the kids (and I) get an easy breakfast with little to no effort required
Here’s how I set it up…
Quaker Steel Cut Overnight Oats
- 3/4 cup steel cut oats
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup applesauce
- 1 1/2 cups water
In a small bowl (make sure the bowl fits in your crock pot with the lid on), mix all the listed ingredients. When the ingredients are well combined, place the bowl inside your empty crock pot.
Using a pitcher, fill the crock pot with water. The water level should hit the bowl around the top of the oatmeal. You want it to create a water bath effect in the crock pot. No water will actually go inside your bowl of oatmeal, it will simply surround it.
Place the lid on and cook at a low temperature for 8-10 hours (overnight).
When I make my steel cut oatmeal, I’ll also take the time to put a few ingredients in little containers for toppings throughout the week.
In the morning, waking up to an amazing smell in the kitchen and a delicious bowl of hearty steel cut oats is the perfect way to start the day. Plus, I’ll also be set up to have a breakfast station for the rest of the week.
Oatmeal Toppings
- craisins or raisins
- any type of chopped nuts
- fresh cut fruit (anything that’s in season)
- brown sugar (I like to pre-portion this. It helps with those that tend to be heavy-handed with the sugar.)
How to create the oatmeal breakfast station:
1. Put the left-over oatmeal into lidded containers.
2. Organize all the oatmeal toppings in small containers. I like to use color-coded or clear so the kids know what they are grabbing in the morning.
3. Clear out a little space in your fridge for the individual servings of oatmeal and the choices for toppings.
In the mornings, my kids can get breakfast on their own with the oatmeal station. Sometimes my kids will even eat the oats cold. They are that good!
If we want to re-warm the oats, I’ll add a little more liquid (water or milk) and we’ll microwave the glass container. The kids can choose the portioned toppings from the fridge and they are eating a hearty breakfast every morning of the week.
*This post is sponsored by The Quaker Oats Company as part of our, all opinions are 100% my own.
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Kristin