I got an InstantPot, y’all! But let me back up 15 years or so, because that’s what I do. I was fairly fresh out of college and a couple of years into my new life as a pantyhose wearing, business card carrying corporate professional, and my company had just changed health insurance policies. With that change came an option for lower premiums for anyone who committed to getting an annual physical. Now, going to the doctor ranks right up there with a trip to Walmart as my own personal hell, but giving up an hour of my day once a year meant that I saved a couple of hundred bucks, so I penciled “hell” into my calendar for January 4th, pleased with how grown up I was behaving.

Heart disease runs pretty rampant on my mom’s side of the family, but, at a very young age, I decided to take a different path - one that included a lot more vegetables and daily movement (as a kid in the form of Richard Simmons’ Sweatin’ to the Oldies, and now, thank all great things, it’s distance running and yoga). So, when the doc calls a few days after my appointment, I was floored to learn that I have high cholesterol. “Wait, what? How?!? I’m not taking medicine. What do I do?” Not terribly long before, Quaker Oats had begun campaigning on the claim that oatmeal helps reduce cholesterol, and I kid you not, the first thing he says to me is to eat oatmeal. If you asked what I ate breakfast before this conversation, I couldn’t tell you. Probably coffee and a second cup of coffee or something, but the morning after that phone call began a decade long streak of daily oatmeal.

I feel like I should clarify that with age comes wisdom, and now I know better than to let a catchy little phrase from a carton of hot cereal dictate my mornings, but I still love oatmeal, and though it’s not a daily dish anymore, it makes a regular appearance at my breakfast bar. And with a youthful little backstory and a brand new InstantPot, I bring you the creamiest, easiest - and some say heart healthiest - steel cut oats.

A couple of things (and I’ll put these at the notes in the bottom, as well): I originally tried the typical 4 cups liquid to 1 cup oats that are provided for stovetop recipes, but ended up with runny oats. It turns out that with a lid on top of the oats, less liquid evaporates. Funny how that works. Also, I did a quick spray of the inner pot with coconut oil. This helps keep the oats from foaming while pressure cooking, minimizing the chance that foam could clog up the pressure release valve. Incidentally, it makes clean-up significantly easier, which is reason enough for me to do it. Finally, oats aren’t the sexiest breakfast you can have, and left these plain just for ease, but the add-in options are endless. I listed a few ideas for you in the recipe. We’d love to hear yours, though!

creamiest InstantPot steel cut oats
makes 4 servings

1 cup steel cut oats
1 cup coconut milk (or your favorite non-dairy milk)
2 cups water
pinch of sea salt
cooking spray

optional add-ins:
1/4 cup nuts
1/4 cup seeds
1/4 cup dried fruit
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
all of the above

1) Spray the pot of your pressure cooker with cooking spray. See note below on why NOT to skip this step.
2) Add the non-dairy milk, water, oats, sea salt, and any add-ins to the pot, and stir to combine.

3) Close and lock the lid, and make sure the Vent/Seal dial is set to Seal.
4) Pressure cook on HIGH for 10 to 13 minutes. Less time will yield chewier oats. More will yield creamier.
5) Allow the pot to release pressure naturally before opening the lid, and to prevent scorching, don’t let your pressure cooker switch to the KEEP WARM setting. Scoop oats into four bowls, top as desired, and enjoy!

notes:
Spray or wipe the pan with coconut oil to keep foam from clogging the pressure release valve and make clean-up a snap.
You can use any ratio of water to milk, but note that you need less liquid to oat ratio in a pressure cooker. If you want to make this on the stovetop, increase the ratio to 4 parts liquid to 1 part oats, and remember to stir frequently to prevent scorching.
Please follow the manufacturer’s directions for safest usage of your pressure cooker.

creamiest InstantPot steel cut oats
makes 4 servings

1 cup steel cut oats
1 cup coconut milk (or your favorite non-dairy milk)
2 cups water
pinch of sea salt
cooking spray

optional add-ins:
1/4 cup nuts
1/4 cup seeds
1/4 cup dried fruit
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
all of the above

1) Spray the pot of your pressure cooker with cooking spray. See note below on why NOT to skip this step.
2) Add the non-dairy milk, water, oats, and sea salt to the pot, and stir to combine.
3) Close and lock the lid, and make sure the Vent/Seal dial is set to Seal.
4) Pressure cook on HIGH for 10 to 13 minutes. Less time will yield chewier oats. More will yield creamier.
5) Allow the pot to release pressure naturally before opening the lid, and to prevent scorching, don’t let your pressure cooker switch to the KEEP WARM setting. Scoop oats into four bowls, top as desired, and enjoy!

notes:
Spray or wipe the pan with coconut oil to keep foam from clogging the pressure release valve and make clean-up a snap.
You can use any ratio of water to milk, but note that you need less liquid to oat ratio in a pressure cooker. If you want to make this on the stovetop, increase the ratio to 4 parts liquid to 1 part oats, and remember to stir frequently to prevent scorching.
Please follow the manufacturer’s directions for safest usage of your pressure cooker.