But let's talk about oatmeal. I like to get as much nutritional bang for my buck as I possibly can into a meal and oatmeal is one of those all-around workhorse types. But don't take my word for it:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=54
Just check out all the things these magic little flakes can do! Go ahead and Google search those health benefits. It would give you a lot of reading to do! As for me, it's an unexpectedly rainy morning and I'm more interested in getting a bowl of this into my belly. So let's make with the recipes already.
First of all, I stick with quick oats - please don't think I mean instant oatmeal. That stuff packs a sodium punch I just don't care to deal with first thing in the morning. I'm talking about regular old Quaker quick oats. They really are true to their name and you can have a steaming bowl of goodness in less than 10 minutes. Dollar for dollar, the bag of oats you buy is a lot cheaper than anything you buy pre-packaged too, and this way, you get to flavour it yourself. No chemicals.
Oats themselves are dead easy to cook: I use four heaping tablespoons per person. I dump it in a pot. I use just enough water to cover those bad boys and add a dash of salt. I also usually throw in cinnamon at the start, then more can be added later, if the urge strikes. Now's when you get to have fun:
Cook it on med-high heat, stirring frequently until you reach the consistency you want. Like, I'm talking 3-5 minutes. It's just that fast. Now you figure out what you have in the pantry to add. The lovely little concoction below involves maple syrup, apples, and pecans. That's it. I dice an apple (skin and all) and toss it in while the oatmeal is cooking. The high heat will semi-cook the apple chunks, softening them and adding their juice to the overall flavour, while the crushed pecans add a nice little crunch. It tastes more like dessert than breakfast, but so healthy! And easy on the eyes too.
What else can you add?
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| Oatmeal with toasted pecans, banana and maple syrup |
Treats like raisins, cranberries, almonds (or whatever nut or seeds you may have on hand - if you don't have nuts handy but still want a little crunch, throw on a handful of other cereal right at the end - some cheerios, raisin bran, just give them a half-hearted squeeze first, so their original form breaks up a bit), frozen blueberries (any frozen fruit, really, just toss it in while it cooks and voila!). I've even stirred in a tablespoon of peanut butter and a sliced banana (leave that till serving). Sweeteners can be anything from brown sugar to honey, or if you're feeling particularly grown up and suave (which happens sometimes, I've heard), leave the sweetener out altogether and just let the added fruit do the job.
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| Oatmeal with peaches, strawberries and pepitas |
If you choose to add milk, more power to you. I find oatmeal has been an acquired taste, and I just prefer it without milk. My kids gobble it up, it keeps in the fridge and believe it or not, you can toss it right back in a pot or even into the microwave to reheat. If we have any left from breakfast, the kids usually fight over who gets the leftovers after school.
I think the thing I love best is that it's such a simple and inexpensive base for something that is not only fun to dress up, but so healthy - and on a cold or busy morning, it is like a hug inside your stomach. Not to get too cheesy, but jeez, it's true.
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| Oatmeal with blueberries and cranberries |
Ending on another '90s song reference: Oats, oats, baby.
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