Peach Ginger Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats

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?

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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 peaches which are high in fibre, potassium and vitamin C, a great combo for promoting heart health.

Skip ahead to the nutritional facts and printer-friendly version of this recipe.

Ingredients:

3 peaches, chopped, pit, 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

3/4 tbsp ginger

1 1/2 tbsp coconut oil

1 tbsp ground flax seed 1 tsp vanilla 1 tsp cinnamon

Toppings:

Plain or Vanilla yogurt, fresh peaches, almonds or walnuts, if desired.

6 Easy Steps (Instructions):

Step 1: Spray the inside of your slowcooker, base and sides.

Step 2: Boil the peaches for 30 seconds.

Step 3: Drain and run cold water over the peaches to stop the cooking process.

Step 4: Remove skin from peaches, chop and add to slow cooker.

Step 5 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 6: 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).

Enjoy! Nutritional facts and printer-friendly version of this recipe here.

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