Apricot Oatmeal

Fresh apricots in the market!!! I had a some bruised apricots in the bunch, so I decided to make apricot oatmeal for breakfast this week.  I love the tangy twist and contrasting texture it gives to the oatmeal, especially since I use steel cut oats.  Steel cut oats take longer to cook, so I soaked them the night before- but I really do like the texture more than regular oatmeal.

Ingredients

1/2 cup steel cut oats

2 cups water

1/2 cup apricots, cut into 1/4 inch chunks

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp maple syrup

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup milk

nuts to top (optional- I usually use pecans or almonds)

Directions

1.  Soak the steel cut oats in the water overnight.

2.  The next day, add the apricots, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and maple syrup.  Bring it to a boil on med-high, then turn the heat to low and simmer for 30 mins.

3.  Add the salt and milk.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 mins.

4.  Serve hot or cold.  Optional- top with nuts. (Note: This oatmeal thickens as it sits, so sometimes I add more milk before eating to loosen it up.)