Creamy strawberry oatmeal is one of my favorite sweet breakfast foods.  This recipe combines the sweetness that I'm craving with some healthy ingredients hidden in there, too.

This creamy strawberry oatmeal will take care of any sweet tooth craving that hit you. (And you don't have to feel bad about it!)

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Over the past couple of years, I've been working on preparing more foods that are less processed.

I want to know what exactly we are eating, and sometimes buying packaged foods leaves me wondering how healthy it is.  Especially for foods that are as equally easily to prepare like oatmeal.

The small packets of oatmeal are packed with so much sugar.  You might as well eat spoonfuls of sugar and throw a few flakes of oatmeal on it.

I prefer to buy the old-fashioned oatmeal and then, not only do I feel like what I'm eating is better for me, but I have options on how I can prepare it.

Plus, it's cheaper. Double win.

You can buy a huge container of old-fashioned oatmeal for the same price as one or two of the small microwaveable oatmeal containers.

​This recipe becomes even cheaper (and sweeter!) if you grow your own strawberries like we do.  If you are interested in growing your own food, check out my articles about plasticulture gardening, planting fall vegetables and preparing garden soil in the fall.

I discovered overnight oatmeal about a year ago.

I tried some recipes that I found on Pinterest, and then I started experimenting on my own.  Sometimes I want the same effect, but I forget to put any up the night before.

This recipe is the result from one such morning.  I really wanted some creamy strawberry oatmeal, but I didn't have any ready, so I had to do it the old-fashioned way, on the stove.

​If you love old-fashioned recipes, you'll love my crockpot apple butter and chicken and dumplings recipes.

This recipe easily makes oatmeal for four people, but you could split it in half or fourths for one or two people.

You'll need the following ingredients-

2 and 1/2 cups old fashioned oatmeal
2 and 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup of sugar
1 Tbsp chia seeds
1 and 1/2 cup fresh strawberries

Measure out the oatmeal, milk and cream.  Put these into a large saucepan and mix everything together.

​Turn on medium low heat.

Add the vanilla, sugar and chia seeds.  I love to add chia seeds to my oatmeal recipes.  You can't really taste them and there are so many nutritional benefits to eating them.

​Mix again to make sure everything is distributed well.

While this is heating up, start cutting up the strawberries.

​Cut the tops off, including the white part at the top.  I prefer smaller pieces so that there are strawberries in each bite.  I usually cut each strawberry into about six or eight pieces.

Once the strawberries are all cut up, add them to the oatmeal. Mix it up again to incorporate the strawberries.

The oatmeal should start to slowly bubble, and when it does, turn the heat down a little.  You don't want the oatmeal to burn.

It doesn't taste good, trust me!

​Cook the oatmeal on low heat until the oatmeal is soft and is no longer runny.

Side note- If you wanted to add protein to this, you could add vanilla Greek yogurt to the oatmeal.  It adds the protein and an extra layer of creamy vanilla flavor.