Slow Cooker Chocolate Banana Oatmeal

Slow Cooker Chocolate Banana Oatmeal

 

On the surface this is an unusual choice for me since as a general rule of thumb I dislike oatmeal and bananas. In fact it is somewhat of an understatement to say that I strongly dislike oatmeal. I don't like it as a breakfast cereal, as a cookie, as a bread, or in any other fashion. Prior to this recipe, the only exception to this rule was Instant Apple Spice Oatmeal made with Apple Juice because the flavor reminded me of apple cider. Even then I have to make myself eat it by reminding myself with every bite that it is good for me. And the only time I will voluntarily eat bananas is when they are buried in Banana Pudding. I am a sucker for a traditional Southern Banana Pudding and I don't delude myself into thinking it is healthy for me. 

But as fond as I am of a traditional Southern Banana Pudding, I LOVE chocolate! So when I discovered a recipe that let me have my chocolate for breakfast, is super fast and easy to assemble, was gluten and lactose free, relatively healthy, and used my beloved crockpot... well I decided I could overlook the oatmeal and bananas.

So here is my lovable cast of primary ingredients:

 

Now it should be noted that the original recipe called for water instead of milk and a granular no-calorie sucralose sweetener (such as Splenda®) instead of regular granulated white sugar. This obviously makes the recipe healthier. However I don't use granular no-calorie sucralose sweeteners like Splenda® and chose to substitute Fat-Free, Lactose Free Milk instead of water to make it creamier and add the additional vitamins, calcium, etc. milk provides. And you can find certified gluten free oats in almost every grocery store. The one's in the picture are not but I had given the Bob's GF oats I had to a GF friend earlier in the month.

 

And below is my pretty crockpot. And yes I did buy it for it's pretty pattern even though I already had a larger, programmable crockpot. I would love to justify it as needed purchase due to a desire to it using less electricity, it being smaller and easier to clean, it taking up less room on the counter, it causing me to cook smaller portions (in theory), etc. But the truth is I thought it was pretty and couldn't resist.   

The original recipe instructed the cook to lightly spray a 5-quart or larger slow cooker crock with cooking spray. Personally I am a fan slow cooker liners as they prevent sticking and make clean up a snap. So I recommend inserting the slow cooker liner into the crock pot. But either way works, so do whatever is most convenient for you.

I poured my oats into crockpot.

Added the sugar and Cocoa Powder. (I only have a photo of the cocoa powder being added. I forgot to take a photo of the sugar being added. Sorry! But it is in there I promise.) 

Mix all the dry ingredients together. (You could probably keep the dry goods premeasured and premixed in a zip lock baggies to save time if you like to make this recipe.) If you want to add a dash of cinnamon, now would be the time to add it.

Now the recipe calls for hand mashing the bananas. But since we are going for fast in addition to healthy, let me introduce you to my little friend the mini food processor.

In a matter of seconds it purees the bananas and I can throw all the parts into the dishwasher. It is great for small jobs like this but doesn't compare to the pretty full size food processor a very dear friend gave me as a Christmas gift.

Dump the mashed/pureed bananas into the crockpot onto of the dry ingredients.

Mix well.

Add the milk, or water if you prefer, to the mixture in the crockpot.

Mix together one last time. Place the top on the crockpot and turn the crockpot on low. Go to bed and allow the oatmeal to cook for 6 hours. I would really recommend a programmable crockpot that defaults to warm when done cooking so that you won't burn the oatmeal if it stays in the crockpot too long at low. Not that I am speaking from personal experience with my pretty, but non-programmable, crockpot or anything.

When you wake up after 6 hours, your house smells divine and the oatmeal comes out looking like the below. It is very creamy and has small chunks of banana. I added vanilla to taste in the crockpot and mix very well before spooning it out into the bowls.

I topped my Chocolate Banana Oatmeal with chocolate chips. But you can also garnish with sliced bananas, flaked toasted coconut, white chocolate chips, toasted nuts, butterscotch or peanut butter chips, or even raspberries might be good. But the melting chocolate chips were a yummy addition and there is never such a thing as too much chocolate!!! 

Slow Cooker Chocolate Banana Oatmeal
Serves 6
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time:6 hours
Total time: 6 hours and 5 minutes

Ingredients:
cooking spray or a slow cooker liner
5 cups of milk {can use water instead}
1 cup steel-cut oats
1 pound ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons sugar {a granular no-calorie sucralose sweetener (such as Splenda®) can be used instead}
Add Cinnamon or Vanilla to taste
Suggested Toppings for the oatmeal include, but are not limited to: sliced bananas, milk chocolate chips, flaked coconut, white chocolate chips, nuts


Instructions:1. Lightly spray a 5-quart or larger slow cooker crock with cooking spray or insert the slow cooker liner into the crock pot.
2. Mix milk (or water), oats, mashed bananas, cocoa powder, and sugar (or sweetener) in prepared slow cooker.
3. Cook on Low for 6 hours.
4. Before serving, add Cinnamon or Vanilla to taste.
5. Finish with your toppings of choice.