Instant Pot Oatmeal {Easy & Healthy!}

This instant pot oatmeal recipe could not be easier to make! It is super versatile and acts like a blank canvas to switch up the flavors. It's healthy and is great for Sunday meal prep for breakfast throughout the week.

Okay, who got an instant pot for Christmas? I know there are a few of you out there. Lately I (and Sean!) have been digging oatmeal for breakfast, so I decided to make an instant pot oatmeal recipe that is SO easy and such a good way to get your day started.

I also just wanted to take a second and say thank you to all of you for your lovely comments on our pregnancy announcement! I wrote a blog post about my first trimester (and about before pregnancy!) in this blog post. We are super excited to begin the new chapter of our lives! Sean is hoping for a star athlete! LOL. 😆

Old Fashioned Oats vs. Quick Cooking Oats vs. Steel Cut Oats

This instant pot oatmeal recipe utilizes old fashioned rolled oats. A lot of people ask me the different between old fashioned rolled oats and quick cooking oats, both nutritionally and physically. Oats are a complex carbohydrate and act as a soluble fiber, meaning they take longer to digest (hence the 'full' feeling) and stabilize blood sugar more so than a simple carbohydrate that will spike your blood sugar faster. Here is the breakdown of the differences....

• Old fashioned oats: These oats appear bigger than the quick cooking oats and take a little longer than quick cooking oats to cook. They tend to hold moisture better than quick cooking oats in breads, muffins, etc... so they are often preferred in these types of recipes.
• Quick cooking oats: If my information is correct, quick cooking oats are processed differently and flatten more, giving them a drier, flakier and almost powdery texture. Because of the broken down texture, they cook quicker than all other oats.
• Steel cut Oats: Steel cut oats take the longest to cook and contain the husk of the grain, so they give a chewy and more dense texture than the other oats.

If you want to know more about the differences, check out this article.

Nutrition of Homemade Oatmeal

In terms of nutrition and health, making your own oatmeal at home is the way to go. Instant packs of oatmeal that are flavored and seasoned can have triple the amount of added sugar, preservatives and end up costing more in cost per serving!

Homemade oatmeal is a great source of protein, fiber, phosphorus, biotin, manganese and molybdenum. In just a quarter cup of dry oats there are 6 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber!

Ideas for Instant Pot Oatmeal Toppings

• Fresh, dried or frozen fruit: You really can't go wrong with all three. If using frozen fruit, I would defrost them or heat them in the microwave for a few seconds before stirring into your oatmeal.
• Chopped nuts or seeds: Any leftover nuts or seeds that you have in your pantry would be a great addition as an oatmeal topping. Also a great way to boost your healthy fatty acid intake.
• Go savory and top it with an egg: So much room for creativity here! Go with an over-easy egg, hard boiled or poached! Add some scallions, hot sauce, spinach or mushrooms and you've got yourself a savory oatmeal breakfast.
• Jellies, nut butter and chutneys: All great toppings to stir in.
• Greek yogurt and protein powder: If you want to boost your protein content, add some yogurt or protein powder to your morning oats.

Hope you guys love this instant pot oatmeal recipe! Please leave a star rating/review!

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