Overnight Oatmeal with Apricots and Buttermilk

Overnight Oatmeal with Apricots and Buttermilk

Adapted from theKitchn.com

A reviewer on theKitchn's website recommend tasting your dried apricots before proceeding with this recipe. The buttermilk in this recipe will give your oatmeal some tartness so if your apricots already tastes more on the tart side, you may want to omit the buttermilk and replace with regular milk/cream or decrease the amount of buttermilk and make up the difference with regular milk/cream. If your dried apricots tastes sweet, the tartness from the buttermilk will be a perfect balance with the sweet apricots.

I had tried this recipe using two types of dried apricots: Trader Joe's Turkish Dried Apricots and Trader Joe's Blenheim Variety Extra Choice Dried Apricots. The dried Turkish apricots are more moist, larger, more plump and brighter orange color vs. the Blenheim variety are less moist, smaller, less plump, and darker rusty orange color. Between the two varieties, I preferred the Blenheim variety. The Blenheim variety is more tart than the Turkish variety, but the Blenheim variety is more robust in apricot flavor. I liked to try the organic unsulphured dried apricots, but the dingy brown appearance looks unappetizing.

What I did, I used half the amount of buttermilk and half 2% reduced fat milk. (Another time, I omited the buttermilk and used 100% So Delicious brand unsweetened coconut milk.) I also increased the amount of brown sugar to1/4 cup packed. I don't usually add salt to my oatmeal so I decreased the amount of salt to 1/4 teaspoon. I slow-cooked my oatmeal for 8 hours. The oatmeal cooked up nice and creamy and the apricots were so soft and plump, it practically melts in your mouth. I ate my oatmeal with So Delicious brand unsweetened coconut milk. A sprinkling of some toasted sliced almonds will also go perfectly with the oatmeal. The original oatmeal recipe came from theKitchn.

1 cup steel-cut oats (157g)

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar (57g)

1/4 teaspoon salt (1g)

1 cup dried apricots, snipped or chopped into small pieces - See Note*

3-1/2 cups water (28 ounces, 794g)

1/2 cup 2% reduced fat buttermilk (113g)

1/2 cup 2% reduced fat milk or So Delicious brand unsweetened coconut milk (113g)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or almond extract (2g)

*Trader Joe's Dried Turkish Apricots (167g) OR Trader Joe's Blenheim Variety Extra Choice Dried Apricots (111g). The two varieties varies in weight measurements.

Spray the slow-cooker insert (liner) with nonstick cooking spray or rub with butter. (If your insert has a nonstick coating, you can skip this step.) Mix the oats, brown sugar, salt and apricots. Pour in the water, milk and vanilla. Stir well. Cover and turn on your slow cooker to LOW temperature. Cook for 8 hours. Serve with So Delicious brand unsweetened coconut milk and toasted sliced almonds. If your oatmeal needs to taste sweeter, you can add additional natural cane sugar, brown sugar or honey to taste.

Yield 5 (8.4-ounce) servings, approximately 293 calories (not including the extra coconut milk, toasted sliced almonds, and additional sweetener)