Since transitioning my diet a month ago, I’ve gotten into the routine of eating the same things over and over again. One of those things is oatmeal for breakfast! I honestly never knew I liked oatmeal until now (yes, I’m a super picky eater), so knowing that I not only like them but can easily make them in my Instant Pot is huge for me!
This recipe is solely for the plain oats- I like to add all customizations in the end while reheating, just because I think the oats keep best while plain. Once I’m ready to heat up my small 1/3 cup portions, then I get to customizing. But first, let’s learn how to make the oats…
Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats
Easy Instant Pot Oatmeal perfect for meal prepping!
- 1 Cups Steel Cut Oats
- 2 Cups Filtered Water
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Add oats and water to Instant Pot. Cover with lid and ensure valve is sealed.
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Press the “Pressure Cook” button and set the timer for 4 minutes to cook on high pressure.
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After the 4 minutes is done, let it naturally release for 20 minutes. The pot switches to “Keep Warm” when complete and will show the elapsed time, so no need to set any other timers!
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Turn the vent on the lid to de-pressurize, then remove the lid and give your oats a good stir to combine. They’ll be thick! If you want a thinner oatmeal, add an extra cup of water before you cook.
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Serve warm & combine with your milk & toppings of choice! Leftovers will last about 1 week.
As for my favorite mix ins & toppings, I stay pretty basic with it. When I find something I like, I stick with it! If it ain’t broke…
For milk, I use Good Karma’s Flax Milk because it’s my favorite non-dairy milk. For my 1/3 cup of oats I’ll add up to 1/4 cup of milk to it before heating it up so it can get a bit more porridge-y.
To sweeten, I use Splenda or Honey. Since I’m dieting I mostly use Splenda since it’s 0 calories, but Honey is a fun one to add when you have peanut butter or bananas in there.
I love cinnamon in oatmeal too. I want to try to make an apple cinnamon & raisin oatmeal soon!
Fresh fruit is also a great addition- I typically use a small banana but I’ve also used berries like strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. I’ve even made a quick blueberry compote to put on top of my oats and that turned out amazing.
Some superfood additions include chia seeds & goji berries. They’re things I already have had on hand, so while I don’t put them in every day, they’re a fun topping for my weekend breakfasts.
Additionally, you can top your oats with your favorite nuts or seeds. I haven’t gone too deep into this because I have to be careful with how much fat I intake from food- including nuts!
The recipe for the oatmeal I have pictured is as follows…
- 1/3 cup pre-cooked oats
- 1/4 cup flax milk
- 1 Splenda packet
- 1 small banana
- 1 tsp honey
- a couple of goji berries
- pinch of chia seeds
- a few dashes of cinnamon
The whole breakfast is only around 200 calories! Oatmeal has a lot of benefits because it’s a high fiber food, is a “good” carb, and also has a lot of iron to fulfill your daily nutritional needs.
Let me know if you try it…you may be surprised by how much you like it, because I definitely was!!