Instant Pot Oatmeal

Heyo! Popping back on to the blog to share my youngest's current favorite thing: oatmeal for breakfast. She loves hot meals in the morning, but she's been given a mother that doesn't function so well at that time. Enter the Instant Pot. I can make a batch of oatmeal on Sunday (or, quickly in the morning before she gets up if I forgot over the weekend...like I tend to do) that can be portioned out, popped in the microwave, and presented to a very happy 8 year old each morning. 

I am posting what I put in to make this, but this can be easily modified for special diets. My mother enjoyed sharing the oatmeal with Christiane when she stayed with us over the holidays...but the sugar content was too much for her diabetic needs. The beauty of this (aside from the ease) is you can lessen a lot of the pre-cooking flavoring, and add it at the table instead. This recipe is my current go-to, but I'm still waiting to remember I want to try apple cinnamon with real apples. This thought generally pops up at 7 am on a weekday morning when this gal hasn't had enough coffee to wield a knife and chop up apples. I'll keep you posted if I get myself together and give it a try some weekend.

Anyhoo...here's what you'll need, and how to make maple brown sugar oatmeal. This is a doubled recipe, semi modified from some other blog I found it on. I'm writing here instead of just sharing that link because it is one of those maddening video-popping up, millions of pictures, etc. to get to the good part. Here you only had to read a little of my ramblings. Or, you know, just scroll down to find the recipe since I'm not adept enough to figure out that whole "jump to recipe" button thingy.

Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal with Cinnamon

2 cups rolled oats (we like Bob's Red Mill)

2 tablespoons butter (or coconut oil if you're dairy free)

1-3 tablespoons real maple syrup (to taste / to dietary concerns)

1-3 tablespoons brown sugar (same as the syrup)

1 teaspoon cinnamon (going to be honest here, I don't actually measure the cinnamon. Sometimes it is a lot, and probably closer to 3 teaspoons if I'm not paying good attention)

Pinch of kosher salt (a GOOD pinch)

5 cups water

Put everything in in the order listed above. Give it a gentle stir. Lock the instant pot lid and set knob to sealing. Press manual, set for 4 minutes. After 4 minutes are up, give it about 10 minutes on low before venting, opening, and stirring it up. Heads up - I like to stir it up and get it the heck out of the pot into a Tupperware pretty darn quickly to avoid it sticking to the bottom of the pot. 

Enjoy!