Berries are one of my favorite fruits and I love balsamic vinegar in sweet and savory dishes. In fact I love it so much that  friends give me fun flavors of balsamic for gifts, so I’ve accumulated a wide range of them. I love fig balsamic which is one I would have never bought myself. If you have some on hand it’s great with strawberries and in this oatmeal.

In the spring I look forward to all the strawberry balsamic dessert and sweet breakfast dishes that all the cretive chefs start making. This is my oatmeal interpretation.

Slow Cooker Strawberry Balsamic Oatmeal

2 to 3 servings

**This recipe uses a smaller slow cooker that’s 1 1/2 to 2 quarts

• 1/2 cup steel-cut oats
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup chopped strawberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1 – 2 tablespoons sweetener
  (I used agave)
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar per serving per your taste (try fig balsamic if you have some on hand)

The night before: Spray your crock with some oil to help with clean up later. Add everything except sweetener and balsamic. Cook on low over night (7 to 9 hours).

In the morning: Stir your oatmeal well. It may seem watery at the top but if stirred it should become a more uniform consistency.  The berries will have floated to the top of the crock. Just smash them a little with the spoon while you’re mixing the pot to incorporate them into the mix. Stir in sweetener and drizzle with balsamic.

**(See Page Link on Menu Bar to get to Slow Cooker Oatmeal FAQS)