This hearty winter breakfast has whole grains from the oats, lots of vitamins and antioxidants from the fruits and good fat from the nuts. It's not only healthy. It's tasty, too!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fruited Irish Oatmeal

5 cups water
2 cups steel-cut Irish oats
1 cup apple juice
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup golden raisins
¼ cup snipped dried apricots
¼ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
brown sugar or maple syrup
chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted
milk

In a 3½- or 4-quart slow cooker, combine water, oats, apple juice, cranberries, raisins, apricots, ¼ cup maple syrup, cinnamon and salt. Cover and cook on a low-heat setting for 6 to 7 hours or on a high-heat setting for 3 to 3½ hours.

Serve oatmeal with brown sugar or additional maple syrup, chopped nuts and milk.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.