You know that metaphor about how parenting is like crash-landing an airplane? You need to put the oxygen mask on yourself first in order to take care of your kid. And in theory, this idea makes total sense. But as any mama knows—your kid's needs come first. This is why my infant gets a solid breakfast every morning while I'm lucky if I manage to pour myself a cup of lukewarm coffee before leaving the house. That is until I dusted off our slow cooker.
Usually reserved for soups and stews, I recently started using this bad boy for breakfast and it's changed my life (or at least my mornings).
Here's what I do: On Sunday night, I pour two cups of Bob's Red Mill steel-cut oats (I like the grittier texture) into the slow cooker, add eight cups of water, a dash of salt and a healthy sprinkle of cinnamon. I set the timer on low for eight hours and that's it. When I wake up, I have enough breakfast to last the whole week for my partner and myself. Then as I'm juggling my baby in one arm, I scoop out some oatmeal, add a splash of milk (oat milk, preferably) and some berries from the fridge, and I'm good to go. If I'm feeling fancy, I'll toss some chia seeds or pepitas in there, too.
During the week, I'll reheat the oatmeal in the microwave for a minute or two. (Although truth be told, I've also enjoyed this straight out of the fridge if I'm in a real hurry.)
