Undercover Mother: slow cooker meals

With the days becoming shorter, nights chillier, I find it hard to pull myself from the warm, flannel sheets of our cushy bed.

Especially when I wake up to two cute little boys in my bed, I'd like to linger in the warmth, in between two small bodies of heat, enjoying the early-morning smiles brought about by rest and a new day, but little tummies growl and want food before too many minutes pass.

On these chilly-air mornings, in the newness of autumn and the heart of harvest, I love waking up to Baked Apple Pie Oatmeal smells wafting up the staircase from the slow cooker. And I love that we can all roll out of bed, slip into wool socks and sweatshirts and head down to enjoy a warm breakfast without cooking; it makes getting out of bed so much more inviting.

With its easy preparation, in-season ingredients {we picked our apples at All Seasons Orchard}, flavorful taste and high nutrition, I bet Baked Apple Pie Oatmeal will become a favorite around your house, too.

Baked Apple Pie Oatmeal

* 4-5 small apples, peeled and chopped into bite sizes {Galas are perfect, but any crisp, sweet apple will work}
* 1 and 1/4 cups of whole-rolled oats or steel-cut oats {half of both is FABULOUS!}
* 1 Tablespoon of cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
* 1.5 Tablespoons of coconut oil or butter
* 2 Tablespoons of Almond Meal {optional}
* 2 Tablespoons of Ground Flax Seed
* 1.75 Cups of original Almond Milk or regular cow milk {we prefer raw!}
* 1.75 Cups of water, Sprinkle of sea salt
* Generous sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice

Be sure to grease the inside of the slower cooker and then simply toss everything into the pot, letting it simmer overnight {about six hours} on low.

Note: Depending on the heat levels of your slow cooker, you may need to play with this recipe and adjust the liquid ingredients accordingly because if it cooks at a higher heat on low than mine, you may need more liquid.

In the morning, after the oatmeal is dished into separate bowls, you may want to add honey or brown sugar on the top for added sweetness. The boys and I, however, think it's plenty sweet without adding a drop because of the sweetness of the apples. {If you want, you can add one tablespoon of honey to the pot, though.}

We do play with garnishes, though; G likes his with raisins, and I like mine topped with a few almonds and some extra cinnamon.

Also to love, even E., my picky eater,devours this breakfast, shoveling it into his mouth with both a spoon and his free hand.