Strawberry Balsamic Vanilla Steel Cut Oats

Thank you so much for your positive response to my cookbook. You can see Johanna’s review of it here.

I have been debating whether to go on a complete blog hiatus during the summer or work on some pre-written posts. I am leaning towards a blog vacation simply because my absence will be too long for me to mask or simply dwindle down to a post once a week.

When deciding what to share this week (while I was on vacation last week), I had to see what was lurking in my archives. (Note: I should have added one more tip for food bloggers: have draft posts and lots of them). As such, I have been hunting through my archives of not-yet-published posts. You know – the half-written posts, the posts without any photos uploaded and the worst – the ones without a recipe.  As soon as I discovered these photos, I knew I wanted to share them.

The glowing strawberries are oh-so-ripe and the drizzle of balsamic layered nicely around the oats. I would love a bowl of this right now.

Truthfully, I don’t remember making this but my photo time stamp tells me it was 2011. Obviously around strawberry season. Perfect timing because Ontario strawberries are just starting to appear, as we found out this weekend.

This dish was from a time when I used to toast my steel cut oats as I waited for the water to boil. Now I don’t bother.

It was before I started adding protein powder to my oats. My current concoction is a murky green stew but I am not sure if that is any better than my previous (chocolate) brown variety with berries. I used to share a lot of my morning eats but with my morning monotony there is not as much day-to-day novelty. I already shared a Balsamic Lemon-Blueberry Steel Cut Oats which was likely my inspiration 3 years ago.

Be it resolved to change my morning oats this week? Absolutely!

How about you? Do you have a similar breakfast every day?

Any preferences for my blog sabbatical? I am toying with the idea of a few summary posts (like the best vegan restaurants in Houston and Toronto).

PS. I am sharing this with Four Seasons Food for Red, Shop Local, and Simple and In Season.

Strawberry Balsamic Vanilla Steel Cut Oats

1 cup steel cut oats
4 cups water
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
1.5 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
4 tsp mosto cotto, or balsamic syrup

1. In a medium skillet over medium heat, toast steel cut oats until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Do not let it burn!

2. Meanwhile, bring water to a boil with the salt. I find the oats to be done toasting when my water begins to boil.

3. Add oats to boiling water. Cover and turn heat down to low; allow the oats to cook for 30 minutes.

4. Remove lid and stir in vanilla. Continue cooking, uncovered for 10 minutes, or until oats reach your desired texture.

5. Serve in a bowl and garnish with strawberries and a drizzle of mosto cotto or balsamic syrup.

Serves 4.