Place grains, non-dairy milk, water, and salt in a small slow cooker. (See note #3.) Stir vigorously with a whisk to combine. (This is important to break surface tension so that teff doesn’t float to the top during cooking.)
Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 5 hours (see note #4). For best results, do not remove lid during cooking process.
When porridge is done, remove lid and stir well. Mixture will be thick on the bottom and thorough mixing helps incorporate the thicker porridge on the bottom with the thinner porridge on the top.(If porridge is stuck to the inside of slow cooker, turn the slow cooker off, remove insert from cooker, and allow to sit [covered] for 15 to 30 minutes. Remove lid and stir well. Porridge should release from the sides easier now.)
Stir in dried fruit, walnuts, date sugar, sesame seeds, coconut, and vanilla.
Serve hot with berries and optional toppings.
Notes
1. All slow cookers cook differently. If your hot cereal turns out too thin or too thick, adjust liquid amount accordingly the next time you prepare overnight hot cereal.2. Walnuts taste best in this recipe, but if you need a nut-free cereal, you can use sunflower seeds in place of walnuts.3. This recipe is for a small (7-cup) slow cooker. Recipe may be adjusted for different size slow cookers.4. If you would like your slow cooker to turn on and off automatically, you can plug it into an appliance timer.Click here for more information about cooking porridge in a crock pot.