Instant Pot Magic: Old-Fashioned Oatmeal with Fresh Blueberries

As far as I’m concerned, an “Instant Pot” might also be called an “Impatient Pot.” For the person who likes to cook everything on the “high” burner of the stove, then an “Instant Pot” is the perfect kitchen appliance. Get the “Instant Pot” settings programmed and hit “Start.” Then leave the appliance alone and go on to another task. It doesn’t matter, as the “Instant Pot” regulates the temperature and pressure automatically. The recipe finishes cooking and the “Instant Pot” turns off. Yeah! No more burnt pots. I’ve tried cooking a variety of dishes in my brand new “Instant Pot.” And to the doubters who questioned if you could cook oatmeal in an Instant Pot, today I’m giving it a try.

Packed with Nutrition

Oatmeal with blueberries is a nutrition-packed breakfast. Oatmeal has the type of fiber that helps regulate blood pressure and diabetes. It lowers cholesterol and helps prevent heart disease. Oatmeal provides antioxidants known as avenanthramides which have anti-inflammatory effects. Nutrients found in oatmeal include thiamin, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese, selenium and iron.

Blueberries are full of vitamins such as Vitamin C and Vitamin K. In addition, blueberries provide antioxidants which have protective prosperities in a variety of chronic diseases such as the “metabolic syndrome.” Eating blueberries can provide a boost to the immune system.

Together, these two foods — oatmeal and blueberries — makes for a healthy start to the day. Plus, this oatmeal recipe is very tasty!

Growing blueberries in Louisiana

I have four blueberry bushes growing in my back yard and they survived the freeze of this past winter very well. In addition to their nutritional value, these blueberries have a superior flavor to ones purchased in a grocery store. These berries “pop” with flavor. Blueberries are easy to grow — just let them alone in a sunny spot and well-drained soil. Everyone should plant several of these bushes. Blueberries ripen a few at a time so pick them daily. And, like a good neighbor, I share the blueberries with the many birds that live in my backyard.

Instant Pot recipe with a “trick”

This is a simple recipe with just a few ingredients. It uses old-fashioned oatmeal rather than steel-cut oatmeal which I found as an ingredient in many Instant Pot oatmeal recipes.

The “trick” is to cook the oatmeal in a bowl within the Instant Pot’s inner bowl. Sort of “a bowl within a bowl” concept. You MUST add water to the bottom of the Instant Pot. With this method, the water in the bottom of the Instant Pot heats up and creates the steam before the oatmeal begins to cook. The oatmeal does not spatter or become too gummy with this method.

Making the Recipe

To make the recipe, mix all the ingredients in the “oatmeal bowl.” Make sure you have added water to the bottom of the Instant Pot inner bowl. Use the trivet which comes with the Instant Pot to lower the oatmeal bowl into the Instant Pot. Do not cover the “oatmeal bowl.” Set the Instant Pot to “Pressure Cook”, “High” and time for 10 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 15 to 20 minutes. Then manually release the pressure. Add a little ice to the top of the Instant Pot to cool it off faster, if desired.

Carefully raise the oatmeal up and out of the Instant Pot using the trivet and hot pads. Give the oatmeal a stir.

What type of bowl did I use? It should be a bowl which easily fits in the Instant Pot and allows steam to circulate around it. It should be heat-proof. I found a set of three glass bowls with lids in 3 sizes: 1-liter, 2-liters and 3-liters. The 1-liter bowl just fits in my 6-quart Instant Pot. You don’t use the lid for this recipe, but the lid is handy for other occasions.

And so my experiment of cooking oatmeal in an Instant Pot was successful. In this case, the oatmeal didn’t cook any quicker in an Instant Pot than it on the stove. The value came in the ease of the process — you don’t have to pay attention to the temperature of the stove burner, stirring the oatmeal, etc. The Instant Pot takes care of those processes. It is also very easy to wash and clean up the “oatmeal bowl.” And I’m all for making things easy in the kitchen.

This oatmeal really is tasty; especially with fresh blueberries added into the oatmeal along with a little sugar,, vanilla extract and just a pinch of salt. The oatmeal is just a little chewy. Serve the oatmeal with yogurt, banana slices, more fresh blueberries, milk or cream. Add along a great cup of coffee. Now I’m ready to enjoy breakfast on my backyard patio with the morning birds chattering at me! This makes a large recipe; I refrigerated the leftover oatmeal and reheated for breakfasts all week. Enjoy!

Instant Pot Magic: Old-Fashioned Oatmeal with fresh Blueberries

Servings: 2 large servings
Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups water (or 1 cup water and 1/2 cup milk or almond milk)
1 cup Quaker Old-Fashioned Oatmeal
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp margarine
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup fresh blueberries plus more for serving
Yogurt for serving

Instructions and Steps:

Add one cup water to Instant Pot inner bowl.
In separate one-liter bowl, which comfortably fits inside Instant Pot bowl, add all ingredients: water (or water/milk mixture), Old-Fashioned Oatmeal, brown sugar, margarine, salt and 1/2 cup fresh blueberries. Stir gently to combine.
Place bowl with ingredients on Instant Pot trivet and lower trivet with bowl into Instant Pot bowl. Do not cover the bowl of oatmeal.
Place lid on Instant Pot and lock. Make sure pressure vent is closed. Turn settings to “Pressure Cook” and “High” and set timer for 10 minutes. Make sure “Warm” setting is on. Press “Start.”
After Pressure Cooking cycle has ended, let Instant Pot cool naturally for 15 minutes. Then, manually release pressure valve. You may add ice to Instant Pot lid to speed cooling.
When pressure is completely released, carefully remove lid. Use hot pads to hold trivet and carefully remove oatmeal bowl.
Stir oatmeal. Serve with yogurt and additional fresh blueberries.
May refrigerate leftover oatmeal and serve later.. Reheat in microwave prior to serving

NOTE: For a larger recipe, use 1 cup oatmeal and 3 cups water (or a combination or water/milk). Other ingredients remain the same quantities.