Recently, I have become obsessed with coconut milk. Not only is it super healthy because it’s high in Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, and Magnesium (and surprisingly low-calorie, too!),but it’s also a great dairy-alternative. Coconut milk is creamy with a hint of sweetness, so it tastes like an indulgent treat. I can’t help but gulp down glass after glass of this stuff. I drink it plain, put it in my coffee, and even bake with it. So when I came across a slow cooker oatmeal recipe that uses coconut milk, I knew I had to try it.
The best part about this recipe (aside from the use of coconut milk): It takes about 5 minutes to prep before you to go to sleep, and then you have a hot, tasty breakfast waiting for you when you wake up in the morning. This oatmeal is perfect for an easy weekend breakfast if you have a busy day ahead of you, it’s great for a lazy day off of work, or it’s easy to take to work for a yummy breakfast on the run. Another perk? It’s another way to use up extra bananas that I always seem to have in my kitchen. So eat up and enjoy this guilt-free indulgent treat.
Surprisingly, this is very filling, too! A little bit goes a long way, and it helps curb my typical mid-morning cravings.
What you’ll need:
2 ripe bananas, sliced
3 1/2 cups coconut milk (my favorite is So Delicious Coconut Milk, Original)
1/2 cup water
1 cup oats, not instant (Old Fashioned Quaker Oats, for example)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon margarine
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
What you’ll need to do:
Spray your slow cooker with cooking spray so the oatmeal doesn’t stick. Add all your ingredients and stir. Set your slow cooker on low and go enjoy a long, restful night of sleep – the oatmeal takes at least 7-8 hours.
I was a little worried about it being too runny at first, but my fears were assuaged when I woke up to creamy oatmeal.
When you wake up in the morning, your oatmeal will be ready to go.
Look at those caramelized bananas. Such a sweet morning treat!
Scoop into a bowl, add any toppings that suit your fancy (but don’t add sugar or syrup, this is already really sweet), and enjoy! All for about 250 calories.
I added walnuts to the top of my oatmeal for a little texture (and because I had extras in my cupboard!). Pecans or raisins would also be a delicious addition.
SeaJetCook 
Because of the high saturated fat content of coconut milk, I used a product that is 50% coconut milk and 50% almond milk.. saturated fat content all the way down to 1 gram per cup, which is a substantial savings! Made by Almond Breeze in the dairy case. Result was quite good. I prefer thicker oatmeal so it will be interesting to see what happens when I re-heat tomorrow…when I put things in the fridge the consistency had thickened up already. Tasty and easy….