Slow Cooker Spiced Steel Cut Oats--With a Sneaky Veggie Addition ;)

Hey guys and gals!  If you saw my #fruitsandveggiesmonday post yesterday then you saw my suggestion for multi-purposing your cauliflower.  Here is my first recipe for the week featuring this workhorse of a vegetable!  Cauliflower really is so versatile.  You can make it the star of your dish, or it is mild enough that you can hide it almost anything to boost your intake of vegetables. This recipe is more of the latter. ;)

I am always a fan of oatmeal, especially when you make sure to add some veggies to bump up the nutritional content even more.  Oats, especially steel cut, are full of fiber and are a great source of vegan protein, as well.  They are perfect for breakfast to fuel the start of your day, but I also enjoy a small bowl for a snack to keep my belly happy during the day.  So far I have used zucchini, carrots and beets in my oats, but since I had this beautiful head of cauliflower I figured I'd give it a chance.

Obviously I am happy enough with the result to share it with you all!  By running the cauliflower through the food processor first you can hardly even tell it is in the oatmeal once cooked.  I was inspired by some different pilaf recipes I have made in the past, so that is where the idea for the dried apricots, coconut and spices came in to play.  It turned out to be a beautiful combination of the aromatic spices and natural sweetness of the dried fruit.  I am a morning person anyway, but this definitely makes me excited to wake up and get my day started right!

Slow Cooker Spiced Steel Cut Oats

Makes 8 servings

• 2 cups steel cut oats
• 2 cups "riced" cauliflower
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• 2 teaspoons ceylon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 7 cups water
• optional toppings: hemp hearts, maple syrup or date paste if desired

Place all of your ingredients in a slow cooker and gently mix together.  Cover and cook on low for about 4 hours.  Check to see if your oats are cooked through and most of the water is absorbed, cooking for a little bit longer if needed.

Sprinkle with a tablespoon of hulled hemp hearts and a little sweetener if desired for serving!

If you like the idea of using cauliflower for breakfast, check out @rawadventuress take on cauliflower porridge here: https://steemit.com/food/@rawadventuress/cauliflower-porridge-how-a-raw-veggie-becomes-a-delicious-treat-raw-vegan#@rawadventuress/re-plantstoplanks-re-rawadventuress-cauliflower-porridge-how-a-raw-veggie-becomes-a-delicious-treat-raw-vegan-20180206t064852001z

I think hers looks delicious, too! And a continued thank you to @woman-onthe-wing for the #makeithealthy initiative (@make-it-healthy). :)