Fancy Pants Oatmeal

Ahhh oatmeal. Warm and gooey, the epitome of breakfast comfort foods. For me, oatmeal was one of the first foods i was allowed to eat after overcoming the flu, the special treat my mother would bring to me in bed on special occasions, the promise of its tasty warmth warming me up from the inside got me out from under the covers on cold winter mornings. Though I have always enjoyed the tasty prepackaged Quaker Oats mixes, (Apple Cinnamon, Maple and Brown Sugar, etc) recently I have taken to buying the large tube at the grocery store. However, preparing the oatmeal according to the package directions can be boring and bland. As a result, I have been experimenting with various combinations of wonderful things to make oatmeal a bit more special, because lets face it, even if you grew up liking oatmeal, it can get boring. Here are some of the delectable combinations I have come up with.

Hot Cocoa:

 Mix about a teaspoon of cocoa powder, tablespoon of sugar, a dollop of butter and a wee bit of milk to turn a bland flavor into a magical burst of winter warmth.

Peanut Butter Nutty Goodness:

 My current obsession. Mix a spoonful of peanut butter, a spoonful of brown sugar, and a sprinkle of pecans to one serving of oatmeal. Easy, and oh so tasty! No worries if you don't have pecans, any nuts you like work, and sans nuts is tasty too.

Before you write this one off as a weight gainer that should be avoided, look at THIS study.

Pumpkin Spice:

 Sprinkle a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg over the oatmeal while cooking. Add sugar and a tablespoon of canned pumpkin.

Maple and Brown Sugar:

You can copy the maple and brown sugar flavor by simply adding brown sugar and some maple syrup. Shocker, right?

Apple Cinnamon:

Add applesauce and cinnamon or cinnamon flavored applesauce. Taste test before adding sugar, the applesause is already sweet.

Hearty Raisin:

Add brown sugar and a sprinkle of raisins or dried fruit of your choice. Add a sprinkle of cinnamon if desired. This tastes absolutely divine if you have cream or whole milk to pour on top.

Berry Oatmeal: (pictured above)

While water is heating, microwave a handful of frozen berries to thaw them out to make a healthy breakfast full on antioxidants.Add honey or brown sugar and sprinkle granola on top for a finishing touch. Delish!

If you have granola, sprinkling a bit on top can enhance the oatmeal with a bit of crunchy sweet texture to any of these recipes!

Happy breakfast!