Pear Cardamom Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats
- Info Desk
- Aug 24, 2015
- 3 min read
Breakfast is the hardest meal of the day for me to enjoy. I like to get up and go, have a coffee and then dive into breakfast at my desk. With limited appliances at work, my options to preparing breakfast on site were limited. Cue in steel cut oats, one of the best foods to reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol. Rich in soluble fibre and slow releasing energy, it's a great ingredient to slow cook and infuse flavours into. I prepare a batch from time to time, let it slow cook over night and wake up in the morning to the sweet aroma of goodness. I then grab it to go, heat it up at work add fruit, yogurt, nuts or all three and enjoy.
Why is this good food good for you?
High fibre foods. As I mentioned before, oatmeal is rich with soluble fibre which helps reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol. When trying to reduce your cholesterol, it is important to incorporate high fibre foods into your diet DAILY. We found easy ways to make and incorporate other high fibre foods into it. We also added ground flax seeds for that extra fibre. Be sure to use ground flax and not the whole seed otherwise your body won't absorb the nutrition it offers.
Nuts. A lot of people assume that because nuts are high in calories that they're not good for you. But nuts, are high in good, unsaturated fatty acids and omega-3's that help reduce your LDL cholesterol. It is also a great snack to have, quick, easy and satisfying. Adding nuts to your oatmeal will help bring crunch to breakfast, a layer of flavour and added heart benefits. Be sure to get unsalted nuts to achieve your heart health goals.
Fruit vs. fruit. Fruits are great for your overall health. There are fruits that are better for your heart health than others like blueberries, green apples, pears, pomegranates, bananas, etc. I try to be conscious of the sugar content in fruit and to have it in the morning. For this recipe I used pears as they are also high in fibre and have a ton of flavour.
Ingredients:
2 pears, chopped, cored, skin removed
1 1/2 cup almond milk (or skim milk)
1 1/2 cup water 1 cup uncooked steel cut oats
2 tbsp brown sugar 1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cardamom
1 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp ground flax seed 1 tsp vanilla 1/4 tsp cinnamon
Toppings:
Plain or Vanilla yogurt, fresh pears, walnuts and a drizzle of honey, if desired.
5 Easy Steps (Instructions):
Step 1: Spray the inside of your slowcooker, base and sides.
Step 2: Chop your pears.
Step 3: Ground the flax seed.
Step 4: Add and mix all contents into the slow cooker. Be sure to portion the coconut oil. I usually do 3 installments of 1/2 tbsps. Cook on low for 7-8 hours.
Step 5: Once ready, I portion them out in 6 small mason jars. When ready to eat, I add a tbsp of water and heat in the microwave for a minute. Top with your choice of yogurt (I usually do vanilla) and nuts (I like almonds or walnuts). You can add a small drizzle of honey but I pass on that simply because I'm not a fan of honey by itself. Don't judge me.
Enjoy! Nutritional facts and printer-friendly version of this recipe here.
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