OVERNIGHT STEEL CUT OATS WITH BANANAS & CINNAMON
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!
Don't you want:
To increase your metabolism
To maintain a healthy weight
To curb cravings for unhealthy snacks through the day
To perform better at work
To improve your diabetes by controlling your blood sugar levels
Studies also show that children who eat breakfast are more likely to be a healthy weight, have better concentration at school and miss fewer days of school. The key to a healthy breakfast is: fiber, lean protein, fruits and vegetables, and dairy (for children, and pregnant women).
My go-to breakfasts: #1. Power Greens Breakfast Smoothie (my first blog post!) #2. Oatmeal. I am often praising the health benefits of oatmeal to my patients - most of whom remember that bland mush at the end of the cafeteria line. Commonly people turn to those instant oatmeal packets full of sugar and stripped of many of the whole grain benefits of oats. So in this recipe I bring you all the benefits of steel cut oats with all the convenience of instant oatmeal. Steel cut oats are high in fiber (5g/serving), protein (7g/serving), and have a very low glycemic index. They are also packed with protein, and burn long and slow to keep you full all morning. Steel cut oats can take up to 20 minutes to cook on stove top, and few of us have time for that in the mornings. The solution: make a big batch of steel cut oats OVERNIGHT and save the extra for the rest of the week. When you wake up, you might think someone snuck in and made you freshly baked banana bread! Now I just need one of those fancy espresso machines with an auto delay timer....
OVERNIGHT STEEL CUT OATS WITH BANANAS & CINNAMON
YIELD: 6 Servings ACTIVE TIME: 5 minutes TOTAL TIME: 8 hours
1.5 cups steel cut oats (do not substitute quick cooking, instant or rolled oats)
4 cups water
2 cups milk of your choice
2 large mashed bananas
2 Tablespoons chia seed
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Optional toppings: Nuts, blueberries, apples, bananas, coconut flakes, peanut butter, honey, stevia
METHOD:
Place all ingredients in 4-6 quart slow cooker and stir to combine.
Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours overnight
NOTE: Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to one week or frozen up to 2 months. Simply add a Tablespoon of water or milk and reheat in microwave. For diabetics, I would substitute berries or apples for the bananas.
NUTRITION FACTS: Per serving (1 1/4 cup)
212 Calories / Fat 4g/ Sat Fat 0.5g/ Sodium 141mg/ Carbs 34g/ Fiber 6g/ Sugar 6g/ Protein 9g