One of the most important choices you make daily is what sort of nutrients you put into your body. Ann Wigmore said, “The food you eat can be the safest form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.” Dr. Michlynn and I are firm believers in that ideal!
In our house, we are always looking for ways to do things more efficiently. I’m always willing to try the newest gadget or gizmo that promises healthier prep in less time! The Instant Pot caught my attention because of its almost cult-like following online. We bought the 8 quart 7-in-1 last month, and it is AWESOME!
If you are unfamiliar with the Instant Pot, it’s a multi-function appliance that does the job of a slow cooker, pressure cooker, rice/porridge maker, steamer, sauté pan, yogurt maker and keep-warm serving pot. We’ve used it for everything from roasts and ribs to strawberry applesauce, all to rave reviews from the toughest 6 & 10-year-old food critics in our house!
I will be sharing our favorite recipes, tested in our home! I will try to cover all the bases: gluten free, dairy free, low/sugar free.
First up, a great breakfast that will warm you up on those cool, crisp fall mornings! I originally made it as a Pumpkin Spice version, and then modified it for apples and cinnamon. So, you get both recipes, to kick this blog off right!
This recipe can be made with regular or gluten-free steel cut oats. Be sure to read the label, and choose either “quick cook” or regular steel cut oats. Cooking time differences are noted in the recipes. (Do NOT use this recipe with regular oats, as that is not recommended in a pressure cooker.)
Pumpkin Spice Steel Cut Oats
- 1 cup steel cut oats (regular or gluten free)
- ½ cup canned pumpkin
- 1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1/3 cup brown sugar (substitute maple syrup, if desired)
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup almond/coconut milk – optional, to serve
- ½ cup toasted nuts for optional topping
Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oats
- 1 cup steel cut oats (regular or gluten free)
- 3 apples, cored, peeled and sliced
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1/3 cup brown sugar (substitute maple syrup, if desired)
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup almond/coconut milk – optional, to serve
- ½ cup toasted nuts for optional topping
- Add all ingredients, except milk and nuts (save for serving) to Instant Pot and stir well.
- Lock the lid, set the steam vent to “SEALING” and using the manual setting, adjust it to cook for 10 minutes. If using “Quick Cook” steel cut oats, set timer for 4 minutes.
- When the cook time is up, turn the unit OFF or unplug it. Allow the unit to reduce pressure naturally (Natural Pressure Release/NPR) for 10 minutes. If using “Quick Cook” steel cut oats, set steam vent to “VENTING” and Quick Pressure Release.
- The ingredients will have separated during cooking. Stir and serve with milk and toasted nuts!
- Leftover can be refrigerated overnight and reheated.
This recipe serves 4. You can scale the recipe up, just be sure to be not to fill your Instant Pot more than half full, as it will bubble up under pressure.
Depending on your tastes, I intentionally kept the sugar at a minimum. If your household prefers things a little sweeter, it’s easy to doctor it up during serving!
We hope you enjoy this fall treat, and look forward to posting more tasty recipes, tips and healthy hints for you and your family! See you next week!
Cheers to your health!
Dale Heide