Fruit and Cream Oatmeal

No food, other than asparagus, says 'spring' to me quite like strawberries. There is nothing like the sight and smell of a basket of beautiful, bright, red, ripe strawberries. I avoid buying them out of season, so when strawberry season comes around, we take full advantage of it. I also buy organic since strawberries are one of those fruits with high pesticide levels.

From breakfast to dessert, strawberries put an appearance in every meal in our house this time of year. Today we started the day with strawberries and cream oatmeal. I don't mean those little packages of 'strawberry flavored' oats with 'creaming agents' and artificially flavored 'fruit pieces' (dehydrated apples) along with a considerable amount of sugar, some artificial color and a sprinkling of transfats.

I mean honest to goodness oats, strawberries and (not ultra-pasteurized) real cream. I use steel cut oats because I like the texture, and soak them overnight in warm water with a spoonful of yogurt. In the morning I add a bit of salt and some butter and cook them on low while I get ready for the day.

When the oatmeal is the consistency we like, it's ready to spoon it into bowls and top with strawberries, cream and a little fresh maple syrup, if necessary, to sweeten.

The best thing is when strawberry season is over, there are plenty of fruits left to choose from. I'm already looking forward to peach season.