Steel Cut Oats…Fast!

Ever wonder if you can make steel cut oats faster? Well, you can’t really speed up the cooking time (at least not that I’m aware of) but you can make a big batch when you have some time (think Prep Day Sunday) and eat off the batch the rest of the week.

The other day, I made a big batch of steel cut oats in my slow cooker (a great way to start the day – hot oats waiting for you! Woohoo!), and I set aside a couple servings to reheat later. I put 2 in the fridge, and I’m currently experimenting with a couple frozen batches.

As for the refrigerated version, they’re a cinch to heat up…and super fast, too!

And look what time it is! Pumpkin time!

Part of the reason I made my slow cooker oats sans sweetener or mixins was because I wanted to add the mixins, like canned pumpkin, at the time of re-heating.

Anywho…

While there are lots of ways you can re-heat oats, I like to avoid the microwave as much as possible. So, I usually go stove-top.

Place your pre-cooked oats (see this post on how to cook them in advance) in a small pot and add a little milk (or non-dairy milk) over medium low heat.

Stir to combine.

Add your mixin of choice (here I have canned organic pumpkin).

A little more heat and a lot more stirring and voila! Pumpkin oats are ready! Just make sure you heat them to your desired temperature (but try to avoid bringing to a boil, especially if you’re using a cow milk). Once they’re at the right temp, you can just pour them in a bowl.

As for sweeteners, your best bet is to add them while your oats are in the pot…as for me, I like just a drizzle of real maple syrup on top. 🙂

Perfect with a hot cuppa joe.

My fave pumpkin oat toppings are pretty simple: maple syrup and nuts. Today I added maple syrup, flaxseed meal and pepitas.

Yuuummy!