Slow Cooker Healthy Cranberry Pecan Oatmeal Porridge Food

SLOW-COOKER HEALTHY CRANBERRY-PECAN OATMEAL PORRIDGE

Steps:

• Coat the inside of a 6-quart slow cooker insert with nonstick cooking spray. Add 12 cups cold water, the oats, rice, barley, salt, nutmeg, orange peel and cinnamon stick, and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low heat until the grains are tender but still have a bite, about 8 hours.
• Thin out the porridge with hot water if desired. Ladle 1 cup of the porridge into twelve warm bowls and sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon cranberries, 1 tablespoon maple syrup and 1 tablespoon pecans. Top with some eggnog if using and serve warm.

SLOW-COOKER WHOLE-GRAIN BREAKFAST PORRIDGE

Steps:

• Combine 4 1/2 cups water, barley, oats, cornmeal, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon stick and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a slow cooker and cover and let sit overnight, at least 8 hours.
• In the morning, set the slow cooker to high and cook until the grains are tender, about 2 hours, stirring once halfway through. Ladle the porridge into serving bowls and add your favorite toppings, such as milk, dried fruit, fresh fruit or nuts.

NORDIC BREAKFAST PORRIDGE

Steps:

• For the barley porridge: Gently bring the milk and barley flakes to a boil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Reduce the heat to a simmer, then cover and cook until the milk is almost absorbed and the barley is super soft and still a bit creamy, about 15 minutes. Stir in the sugar, butter and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• For the toppings: Meanwhile, roughly smash the raspberries with the sugar in a small bowl with a fork.
• Divide the porridge among 4 bowls. Working around the edges of the bowls, make neat piles of the toppings, placing a quarter of the crushed raspberries, apple sticks, pistachios and chia seeds in each bowl. Drizzle each with 1 tablespoon milk and sprinkle with some cinnamon to finish.

SLOW-COOKED PORRIDGE

Steps:

• Heat the slow cooker if necessary. Find a sturdy ceramic bowl that will fit in the cooker. Put the oats in the bowl along with a pinch of salt, then pour over the milk, or a mixture of milk and water. Add the dried fruit, if using. Place the bowl in the slow cooker and put on its lowest setting and cook overnight for 7-8 hours. If anyone's up in the night, give the porridge a quick stir to scrape up the crustier bits from around the edges and bottom, but don't worry if not.
• In the morning, give the porridge a really good stir - it may have developed a crust on top, but just stir this in to break it up. Add a drop more milk to loosen if necessary, then ladle into bowls and add your favourite toppings.