Foodie Friday -- Crockpot Oatmeal

I found this recipe on Facebook, but I tweaked it numerous times to make it a thick-and-gooey oatmeal instead of runny oatmeal.

Super easy to throw the ingredients together the night before, set the temperature to “Low” on the crockpot, and go to bed. Breakfast is ready 8 hours later.

Sorry, no picture. Since we tend to like lots of cinnamon in our oatmeal, it didn't take an appetizing picture. 

Crockpot Oatmeal

4 Granny Smith apples, cored and peeled, chopped into large chunks

¾ cup light brown sugar

1 heaping Tbls cinnamon

1 tsp Kosher salt

2 cups oatmeal

3 cups water

Place chopped apples on the bottom of the crockpot. Sprinkle brown sugar, cinnamon and salt on top. Add oatmeal and water. DO NOT STIR. Plug in crockpot and set timer to low.

Next morning, stir and adjust seasoning (more salt/cinnamon/sugar). If too runny, add ¼ cup instant cook oatmeal. 

Enjoy!

Tips & Tricks:

• ·         Stick with a tart apple. Granny Smiths are awesome for cooking. My chunks were ½ -3/4  –inch thick. The first time I made this I diced the apples. They were too small and simply melted into the oatmeal. We like the chunks.
• ·         We like cinnamon, so I added quite a bit. The original recipe only calls for 1 tsp. which isn’t nearly enough.
• ·         We used a mixture of dark brown sugar and light brown sugar (it was what was left in the bags). My hubby didn’t care for the slight molasses flavor that the dark brown sugar leaves. Your choice.
• ·         The first time I made this, I couldn’t figure out what was missing the next morning . . . until I added a couple of large pinches of Kosher salt.  Err on the side of less salt and adjust the seasoning the next morning when you taste it.
• ·         This time I used a mixture of steel-cut oats and regular quick oats. The steel-cut are supposed to be healthier, but I don’t think they cooked down as much as regular oatmeal would, as there were tiny bits of chewiness.
• ·         The original recipe called for 3-4 cups of water, but it was too runny. If you have some quick oats you can use them to thicken it up, or go slightly less with the water. It’s hard to tell how much the apples will juice.

Weighty Wednesday -- To Have or Have NOT, Breakfast, that is

Okay, what I'm about to tell you goes against everything you've heard for years, and what the media is brain-washing you into doing.

It's radical thinking, but I think y'all can handle the concept.

Let's start with the concept that I'm sure we all grew up believing. When we get up, we were told that we must eat a breakfast meal.

First let's break it down. The term breakfast is made from two words, break + fast. To break your fast from your previous meal. I don't know about you, but from the time I last ate until I get up in the morning, there isn't must fasting going on. Oh, there's a lack of eating, but nothing that would indicate a fast.

I'm certainly NOT HUNGRY when I wake up.

And for those of you who haven't had your morning cup o' Joe, I highlighted the key words in the previous sentence.

Now, let's break down the next word in the term breakfast meal. A meal indicates you should have products from all food groups. The last time I saw a commercial that advertised a balanced breakfast, the plate held an egg, bacon, bowl of fresh fruit, two slices of whole wheat toast with a pat of butter, a bowl of cereal AND a glass of orange juice.

Personally, I don't even want to think about how many calories, or Weight Watcher points, in THAT particular combination. I'd be busted for the rest of the day and hungry about three hours later.

Look at the commercial with the lady on the couch with her husband and her two taste 'buds' trying to get her to eat fattening donuts. She picks up a bowl of cereal and then appeases her 'buds'. Okay, fine, it's a commercial trying to get you to buy their cereal . . . but did you really look at the serving size of that bowl?? Easily 2-3 servings.

This is where it pays off knowing correct portions.

For over a century, companies have been trying to get you, the consumer, to buy their products, i. e. breakfast cereals. Yes, even I ate Lucky Charms as recently as last year, but when I started eating the marshmallows out of the box in the middle of the day, I knew it was time to get rid of the boxes!

Companies hire health gurus--not naming any names here, but keyword is 'oatmeal'--to push their products. If so-and-so eats it, it must be good for me.

For years I worried that I could pinch more than an inch, therefore I need to buy this other cereal product . . . for the record, I'm at my healthy weight and I can still pinch more than an inch.

Even farm families don't sit down to a big meal when they first get up. They have chores to do. Besides, if they ate when the first got up, who do you think would have to get up an hour earlier to start the biscuits?? Mom. And I don't think that's fair at all to poor old mom! The animals have to be fed, milked, and stalls mucked out. Once the chores are through, it's time for the humans to eat. By that time they've worked up a hunger because they've been burning calories.

So here's my radical thought:

If you wake up and you aren't hungry, DON'T EAT.

Yeah, crazy-talk I know.

And who says you have to eat breakfast immediately? Oh, yeah, "they" do.

And who says you have to eat oatmeal, yogurt, or a bowl of cereal? Oh, yeah, "they" do.

And who says you have to eat a meal for breakfast, other than your mom because she was brain-washed a long, long time ago? Oh, yeah, "they" tell you.

And who are "they"?

Paid endorsers, manufacturing companies, the government, etc.

All I'm saying is that you need to pay attention to the signals your body is giving you. If you're hungry, eat. But if you aren't hungry, wait to eat until you are hungry.

And just because you grew up eating a bowl of cereal for breakfast, it doesn't mean you have to now. Many times, I'll eat a banana for breakfast and be fine. Sometimes I'll eat a little 0% fat Greek yogurt with a touch of brown sugar Splenda. Or you could make a single egg omelet with veggies and a touch of cheese, or a smoothie made from skim milk and fruit/veg.

And many times my breakfast comes after I finish my morning walk and shower . . . at 9 or 10 o'clock in the morning. And I'm awake between 5:30 and 6:00 every day. Oh, I do have a morning cup of coffee with a touch of artificial sweetener, but I don't eat.

I don't eat because I'm not hungry.

This is one of America's biggest problems. We eat because it's 'time' to eat. We need to start to take cues from our bodies and not the clock on the wall, or the commercial on the TV.

And those are my radical thoughts for the day.

Later, Peeps!