Overnight Oatmeal

From EatingWell: Winter 2004, The EatingWell Diabetes Cookbook (2005)

Here is an easy way to serve a crowd a hearty breakfast before facing the elements for a day of winter sports. You can assemble it in the slow cooker in the evening and wake up to a bowl of hot, nourishing oatmeal. The slow cooker eliminates the need for constant stirring and ensures an exceptionally creamy consistency. It is important to use steel-cut oats; old-fashioned oats become too soft during slow-cooking.

READER'S COMMENT:

"I made this exactly as the recipe calls for, but I added a bit of vanilla and some cinnamon. It was great, but my 4 year old and 22 month old didn't like it. It made way too much for just me to eat (because my husband wouldn't try it! lol...

Makes: 8 servings, 1 cup each

Active Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 7 to 8 hours (slow-cooker time) - 1 hour 35 minutes (stovetop time)

Nutrition Profile

View Our Nutrition Guidelines »

Ingredients

8 cups water
2 cups steel-cut oats, (see Ingredient note)
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Preparation

Combine water, oats, dried cranberries, dried apricots and salt in a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker. Turn heat to low. Put the lid on and cook until the oats are tender and the porridge is creamy, 7 to 8 hours. Stovetop Variation Halve the above recipe to accommodate the size of most double boilers: Combine 4 cups water, 1 cup steel-cut oats, 3 tablespoons dried cranberries, 3 tablespoons dried apricots and 1/8 teaspoon salt in the top of a double boiler. Cover and cook over boiling water for about 1 1/2 hours, checking the water level in the bottom of the double boiler from time to time.

Tips & Notes

Ingredient Note: Steel-cut oats, sometimes labeled "Irish oatmeal," look like small pebbles. They are toasted oat groats—the oat kernel that has been removed from the husk that have been cut in 2 or 3 pieces. Do not substitute regular rolled oats, which have a shorter cooking time, in the slow-cooker oatmeal recipe.

Nutrition

Per serving: 193 calories; 3 g fat ( 0 g sat , 1 g mono ); 0 mg cholesterol; 34 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 6 g protein; 9 g fiber; 77 mg sodium; 195 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Fiber (36% daily value).

Carbohydrate Servings: 2

Exchanges: 2 starch, 1/2 fruit

More From EatingWell

Healthy Muffin Tin Recipes

Muffin tins are great for making more than just muffins,...

Thanksgiving Potato Recipes

No Thanksgiving dinner table is complete without a bowl of...

Thanksgiving Vegetable Recipes

If you’re looking for new healthy vegetable side dishes to...

Recipes for Frozen Yogurt

When you serve one of these frozen goodies this summer, your...
Thanksgiving Meal Makeover

Save 851 calories with our Thanksgiving makeover. With a few...

Healthy Quesadilla Recipes

Quesadillas are the perfect family-friendly weeknight meal...

Healthy Turkey Burger Recipes

Making a burger with ground turkey is the first step for a...

Quick Dinner Recipes

At the end of a busy day, ordering take out for dinner might...
Recipes From the May/June 2013 Issue of EatingWell

Get new recipe inspiration from EatingWell's best recipes...

Tofu Four Ways

According to a 2005 study by the U.S. Soybean Board, 30...

Tilapia Recipes, Mahi-Mahi Recipes and Cod Recipes

The delicate white meat and full flavor found in mahi-mahi,...

Top 50 Diet Recipes

From dinner to dessert, you can feel good about eating our...
Top 50 Diet Recipes for Fall

With the changing weather and back-to-school season comes a...

Top 50 Healthy Recipes for Winter

From chili recipes and stew recipes to creamy chicken recipes...

Top 50 Healthy Recipes of 2012

Ring in the new year with EatingWell’s best healthy recipes!...

Top 50 Recipes for Fall

When the weather turns cooler, creamy casseroles, baked...