Ode to Oatmeal

Breakfast is probably my favorite meal of the day. I look forward to waking up and eating breakfast always! I love any type of breakfast like pancakes, waffles, omelets, muffins, and cereal! Recently, I have discovered how much I LOVE oatmeal. Lately, I have been experimenting with all different types of oatmeal options, mix-ins and toppings! Oatmeal really is a great breakfast, good for you and it keeps me full for hours because of all fiber and good ingredients in it!

 The first type of oatmeal I am going to talk about is Steel Cut Oats- I absolutely love the taste of this oatmeal, and it is better for you I have heard! The only down side to this oatmeal is it takes longer to simmer in the morning (about 20 minutes). If you are someone who is usually rushing in the morning, this may not be the breakfast for you, but I like to make it on a Sunday morning before church because we have time to let it simmer!

Steel Cut Oats:
1 Cup Water
1 Cup Milk (I add milk because it makes it creamier...I usually use Pacific Foods Organic Unsweetened Low Fat Vanilla Almond Milk)
1/2 Cup Steel Cut Oats

To make the oats: Bring water and milk to a boil, pour in oats and stir and then turn down the heat to simmer for about 20 minutes or until thick enough consistency to eat. In the last few minutes of cooking, I like to add in salt, maple syrup, cinnamon and shredded Apples for a nice flavor. It's really delicious!

Next, Rolled Oats are a wonderful breakfast as well. I make mine two different ways. The first way is on the stove! This results in a more creamy oat mixture which is normally what I like, but again it involves cooking and dishes and a dirty pan, and some people just aren't into that in the morning! Sometimes I add half a banana into the oats while they are cooking for an added sweetness!

Recipe (Makes one generous serving of oatmeal)
1/2 Cup Rolled Oats (not quick-oats)
1/2 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Milk
To make oats, Bring water and milk to a boil, then stir in rolled oats and cook for about 5-8 minutes stirring occasionally until most of the liquid is absorbed.
Toppings:
Almond Butter
Peanut Butter (Homemade is THE BEST...I'll get to that later too)
Chia Seeds(We will talk about those later)
Walnuts
Raisins
Sliced Banana
Buckwheat groats
Almonds
Blueberries
Cinnamon

 Finally, There is something I like to call "Breakfast Cookie" or Microwaved oatmeal mix! This is really nice when you want a healthy breakfast, but you are running short on time! Basically what I do is take 1/2 Cup Rolled oats, 1 mashed banana, 1 TBS whole wheat flour, raisins, cinnamon, a few splashes of milk and mix them all together in a bowl and then microwave for about 2 minutes until it is the consistency that I desire. If you like a creamier oatmeal, add more milk. You can really get creative when it comes to oatmeal and add any mix-ins or toppings you want!

I hope you enjoy this oatmeal topic, it is really a delicious healthy breakfast that keeps me full for hours and gives me energy! I love knowing that I am starting my day off right! Don't hesitate to comment with any questions!