Being Cheap is Easy: cranberry
Showing posts with label cranberry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cranberry. Show all posts

Healthy Breakfast: Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats!

December 09, 2014

overnight oats, steel cut oats, cranberry, apple, Silk almond milk, #SlowCookerMeals
Have you jumped on the steel cut oats bandwagon yet?  They are a bit heartier than regular oatmeal and super filling!  Another perk is they have protein, fiber and less calories than regular rolled oats. For a while, they were hard to find at a decent price, but now even Aldi sells them! If you're gluten free, Bob's Red Mill has a version for you.  I have found that they pair well with warm spices like nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger...even that leftover pumpkin pie spice you have on hand!

The tricky thing about steel cut oats is making them.  A little more time is required to cook than regular oatmeal which is not good for rushed weekday mornings. I will admit, you also have to get used to the chewier texture.  One problem with putting the steel cut oats in the slow cooker is they turn into a gummy, chewy mess.  The key to this recipe is only cooking for 1.5 hours on high and then leaving them alone in the cooker overnight.  They turn out perfectly! 

Lately, on Sunday nights I have been making a slow cooker batch of steel cut oats for my breakfasts during the week.  I tend to always add apple and cinnamon...the cranberry was something new a few weeks ago.  All you need to do is break up the oats into little 0.5 cup portions in containers and microwave them in the morning for a quick 90 seconds!  I like to add extra almond milk, bananas and a drizzle of honey.  Goes perfectly with coffee before the chaos of getting the girls ready for school! 
healthy breakfast, overnight oats, steel cut oats, cranberry, apple, Silk almond milk, #SlowCookerMeals

Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats- Apple Cranberry
Note: If you don't like cranberry, just add more apple!  
Recipe altered from Mother Thyme 

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup steel cut oats
  • 2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or skim)
  • 1 cup cored, chopped apple
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup apple cider (or an additional cup of water)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon agave nectar or honey
  • 1.5 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoons of chia seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Put all ingredients in the slow cooker and cook on high for 1.5 hours ONLY.  Stir and turn off. After sitting overnight in the slow cooker, they will be the perfect consistency!

To serve, reheat with a splash of milk.

Do you eat a hearty breakfast?

Mmmm Monday: Cranberry Hootycreeks

December 10, 2012



I love this time of the year because I dust off my apron and experiment with baking.  It's especially fun this year now that I can use one of our wedding gifts, our Kitchen Aid (thanks Mom and Dad!).  It really does save a lot of time and energy when you have a nice mixer.   Our old hand mixer used to smoke on batch two or three of cookies...probably should throw that away.

This year I was a part of a Cookie Swap with other bloggers. After baking a batch of cookies, you ship a dozen off to 3 different people. It's like a secret Santa with cookies...the best kind! Also, donations are made to Cookies for Kids' Cancer and Oxo will match $100,000! What a tasty way to help those in need this holiday season!

A few years ago, I made cookie jars for gifts and this was by far our favorite variety.  It's nice to step away from plain old (but delicious!) sugar cookies.  I was going to make something with peppermint, but this recipe just kept popping into my head. 

I'm sure not too many people have tried a hootycreek, so I thought I would share!  The only hootie I've heard of is of the blowfish variety...don't lie, you loved them too.

Cranberry Hootycreeks
(Adapted from this jar cookie recipe)

Ingredients
  • 2 1/4 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar (packed)
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla (I always add extra for cookies)
  • 1 cup oatmeal
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1 cup pecans
  • 1 cup Craisins
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper (or simply spray with Pam).
  2. Combine flour, soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
  3. Cream butter and sugars with a mixer.  Add eggs and vanilla.
  4. Mix in dry ingredients, slowly.  Next add oatmeal and pecans.  Finish up with Craisins and chips.
  5. Drop onto cookie sheets and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until done.  (Mine tend to take 11-12 in our new oven).
ENJOY!
 
Hopefully the lucky recipients of these cookies have received their cookie box.  They are:
 
 


 
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