Easy Cinnamon & Maple Oatmeal
…simple joy by simpler living
Oatmeal is one of those foods that I have tried to like my whole life but just can’t get past the pasty texture. The taste is good but the sticky, pasty way it feels in my mouth repels me. Then I discovered… steel cut oats! FINALLY, an oatmeal that both tastes good and doesn’t repel my senses! Another problem then became evident after I made it several times. It is very difficult to get it just right. More times than not it overflowed while cooking on the stove creating a huge mess that took me longer to clean up than cooking it. So it was shelved again in my house until I discovered the EASIEST way to make steel cut breakfast oats.
Enter the Instant Pot! I resisted for years buying this appliance because I do not want it to make dinners. I would much prefer a slow cooker and do all the work and clean up early in the day and allow dinner time to be a relaxing with minimal work. But then one day a friend told me about how quick and easy some breakfasts can be in the instant pot. I was sold! Now I’ve had it for two years and use it constantly for breakfasts and yogurt making. I’m sure I’ll venture to more things later but even for these things it was worth the investment. Now back to steel cut oats in the instant pot…
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How It Is Healthy
Oats – These are high in soluble fiber and have been found to lower cholesterol. They also contains a good amount of vitamins including: B vitamins, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. The amino acid glutamine is also found in abundance in oats. Glutamine is good for cerebral function, intestinal tract lining to absorb nutrients, and muscle maintenance and growth.
Zinc – This is another nutrient found in oats, Zinc is very good for our immune systems among other things. See this article for lots more information on the benefits of zinc.
Sucanat – We limit sugar on our house and use natural sugars when we sweeten things. For this recipe I use sucanat, which is a type of cane sugar that is the least refined. If you do not have this, you can substitute brown sugar for it or any unprocessed sugar such as cane sugar.
Maple Syrup – Using maple syrup in this recipe gives a nice rich flavor. Real, pure maple syrup is a guiltless way to sweeten things up. On top of being delicious, it has many positive health benefits including: anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-mutagenic. It has even been shown to lower blood sugar for diabetics! This recipe is very flexible so you could use all maple syrup or another sweetener, if you want.
Cinnamon is a spice that not only tastes good but has a multitude of health benefits. It is an antioxidant helping improve heart health, decrease inflammation, and decrease blood sugar levels among other things. This recipe is a tasty way to get a dose of cinnamon on a daily basis!
Why You Will Love It
This recipe is quick and easy. It also tastes good and the texture is always perfect! You combine all the ingredients in less than five minutes, set the Instant Pot to cook, and come back in 20-30 minutes and it will be all done. Simple, quick, easy. I’ve never had an overflow, a burn, or any mess like I did when hand cooking it on the stove. The only cleanup is the pot and lid. If you are low on milk, you can also use half milk and half water and the oatmeal will taste just as good! Very easy recipe!
Simplifies Breakfast Time
It is also a great “make ahead breakfast”. This oatmeal tastes even better as leftovers. One batch lasts several days in my house. To make it super easy, I store in individual covered mini-bowls. For the days after my initial cooking, family members can just grab a bowl to take to school, work, or eat at home. Just reheat and enjoy!
Recipe:
Instant Pot Oatmeal
Equipment
- 1 Pressure Cooker
- 1 Spoon
Ingredients
- 4 cups milk Dairy-free works great too! I use oat milk.
- 2 cups steel cut oats
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons sucanat (or brown sugar)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
Instructions
- Put all ingredients in the pressurecooker and mix with spoon.
- Cook on HIGH pressure for 4 minutes.
- Let it natural pressure release for 10-20 minutes (or longer if you are not ready for it), then quick release.
- Enjoy!
