I’m giving a “shout out” to my aunt Annie today!  This recipe comes straight from her and I’ve been in love with this hot cereal ever since she shared the recipe with me! First off . . . I love the cooking method.  I am usually quite busy most mornings, so the option to cook breakfast in the slow cooker overnight works wonders for me!  I don’t even have to really do anything and I just wake up to a hot breakfast.  It doesn’t get much easier than that!  Additionally, I love the taste that comes from the mixture of all these wonderful whole grains.  I might have to say that my favorite grains in the cereal would be the quinoa and the wheat.  I just love the texture that these two grains provide in the cereal and when I eat the cereal it’s almost as if the grains pop in my mouth.  This is one of those hot cereals that I love to throw my Strawberry Topping on.  It makes it SO delicious.  I also like to mix up a serving size of my vanilla protein drink and then pour it over the cereal (like you would milk).  Stirring Greek yogurt into the cereal has also proven to be wonderful as well!  However you decide to enjoy it, I hope you find as much pleasure in the cooking method AND the taste as I do.

Slow Cooker Multigrain Hot Cereal
Source:  Adapted from Aunt Annie

4 cups steel cut oats
1/2 cup barley (whole, not pearled)
1/2 cup red quinoa (or white works too)
1/2 cup kamut
1/2 cup spelt
1/2 cup rye
1/2 cup amaranth
1/2 cup millet
1/2 cup wheat

Combine all ingredients making 8 total cups of dry cereal.  (You can easily change the proportions to fit your tastes.)  Put desired amount of cereal into a strainer and rinse thoroughly (this hot cereal cooks in a 3 to 1 ratio . . . 3 parts water to 1 part dry cereal).  Measure 1 cup rinsed cereal to 3 cups water (and a dash of salt), put in glass pyrex bowl and set it inside the slow cooker.  Put enough water in the slow cooker so the water is barely touching the bowl, going about 1/4 – 1/3 up the pyrex bowl.  Cook on high for 4 1/2 hours, then on low for 1/2 hour more. You can also cook on low for 8-10 hours (cooking it overnight so it is ready for breakfast the next morning).

Add desired toppings like strawberry topping, maple syrup, raisins, milk, fresh/frozen berries, protein drink, yogurt, etc.  You can also put in vanilla or almond flavoring.

Alternative Cooking Method
Add to rice cooker in 1 to 3 ratio of cereal to water.  Add a dash of salt and cook as you would rice.

1 Cup Dry Cereal Makes Approximately 4 Servings.

Nutritional Information without Topping(s)
(Per Serving =  Approx. 3/4 Cup Cooked Cereal)
Calories:  134.6
Protein: 5.2g
Carbs:  26.4g
Fat:  2.1g (0.4 = sat)