Overnight Porridge

Further proof that I'm such a Nana... I'm blogging about the joys of Overnight Porridge!

I decided to swallow my pride, as I am sure there are some of you out there that may find this post helpful... or at least get a good snigger.

See if you can picture me in the mornings (I am a night person and don't actually start to function properly until around 1pm each day) trying to pack 3 lunch boxes (sometimes 4), encouraging the kids to get dressed, make their beds, set the table, stop play fighting etc. while hubby is out feeding chickens, toileting dog and pouring hot water over the frozen windscreen on the car.

Sometimes things go smoothly, and sometimes they don't.

Now I love porridge, and I know it is super healthy and cheap... but we only have porridge if the morning has gone smoothly and I have time to make it. And lately, we've been resorting to toast a lot!

That was until I discovered that you can make porridge in a crockpot (slow cooker)!

I am loving setting the porridge up to cook before bed and then waking to warm porridge ready to serve in the morning. There is just enough for our family of 6 when you double the recipe below (we have two tiny eaters though). Sprinkle on some brown sugar and a dash of milk and mmmmmmm.

Overnight Porridge, Plain or Fancy
For 2 servings

½ cup coarse rolled oats
2 cups cold water
¹⁄₈ tsp salt
2 Tbsp nutritious additions (see below)

Find a heatproof bowl that will fit inside your slow cooker bowl and a lid or plate to sand on top of it. Turn your slow cooker onto LOW.

Measure the cereal, water and salt into your selected bowl.

Add 2 tablespoons, total, or any of the following: wheat germ, wheat bran, oat bran, ground linseed, chopped dried apples or apricots, sultanas etc. (These absorb water - if you don't want to use any of them, add extra whole grain oats.)

If you like other additions to your porridge, add small amounts of chopped nuts, or sunflower, pumpkin or toasted sesame seeds etc.

Pour about 2 cups of cold water into the slow cooker, put the bowl of cereal into the water in the slow cooker, then cover the bowl of cereal with the plate or lid. Put the lid on the cooker and cook on LOW for about 8-10 hours or overnight.

Serve sprinkled with a little sugar, brown sugar, or cinnamon sugar, or drizzled with honey. Add milk, your favourite yogurt, or a little cream.

Enjoy!!

 Recipe thanks to Simon & Alison Holst, "100 great ways to use slow cookers and crockpots"

For more delicious recipes visit here.