Blueberry Cobbler Oatmeal (and other oatmeal ideas)

To continue with my series on healthy breakfasts…

I’ve always been a big fan of oatmeal. I remember, when I was a kid, my parents would sometimes make us oatmeal for supper, which they would always serve with warm pieces of toast.

My dad would sometimes add a pinch of nutmeg to the warm cereal and I would always eat mine with a little bit of cold milk and LOADS of brown sugar (yeah, I know… I’ve wizened up since, I found much better ways to make my oatmeal sweet and tasty!)

I remember spooning my oatmeal right onto my toast, too. I would put a spoonful on a corner and then eat that part. I’d repeat that pattern until my toast had completely disappeared, then I’d grab another toast and start over, until my oatmeal was all gone.

That was one supper I really enjoyed.

Then, as I grew up, I sort of forgot about oatmeal for a while. Why? I don’t know. Probably because for the longest time, I didn’t do breakfast. There was no time for that… and when I did have breakfast, it would be bacon and eggs. Hmpft… thank goodness people change! I guess I could’ve chosen to have some for supper sometimes, but I just never thought about it.

Anywho, now that I have rediscovered the art of breakfast, and the goody goodness of oatmeal, I just love to experiment and create all sorts of different yummy flavors.

This one is my latest creation, my favorite so far. Seriously. This has to be the best oatmeal cereal breakfast I have eaten in my entire life. Heck, it’s so good, I think it would even qualify as dessert!

While it does require a little bit of prep work and will dirty a few pots and pans, it’s worth all the trouble and more, I swear!

Other oatmeal recipes you might like!

Base oatmeal recipe
(for 1-2 servings)

Ingredients

• 2 – 2½ cups water
• ¾ – 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
• 1/4 tsp salt
• ¼ cup unsweetened plain soy milk

Instructions

• Bring water to the boil, add salt and oatmeal, lower heat, cover and cook for about 10-12 minutes, stirring often, until all liquid is absorbed and oatmeal is nice and creamy.
• Transfer to serving bowl and add cold milk if desired.

Use a ratio of about 1 part oatmeal to 2 – 2½ parts water. Use more or less water depending on how you like your oatmeal. Adding more water will result in a creamier cereal, less water will give you a stiffer, chewier texture. I like to make mine more on the stiff side and add cold milk after it’s cooked. I really enjoy the contrast between the warm cereal and the cold milk.

Apple Cinnamon

• 1 apple, cored, peeled and diced
• ¼ tsp four spice (nutmeg, ginger, pepper and cinnamon)
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp cottage cheese
• 10 grams sliced almonds, roasted
• 1 tsp honey

Instructions

• In a skillet over medium high heat, slightly cook the apple with the cinnamon and four spice, about 2-3 minutes.
• Add the apples to your oatmeal once it’s done cooking, stir to combine and transfer to a serving bowl.
• Pour in cold milk and garnish with cottage cheese, almonds and a drizzle of honey

TIME SAVING TIP! I like to make large batches of apples and freeze them in individual servings of 100g, which is roughly equivalent to one apple. This makes preparing oatmeal or stuffed buckwheat pancakes much easier and quicker!

Warm Banana Bread

• ½ banana, pureed
• 4 dates, chopped
• 2 tbsp 1% cottage cheese (or low fat plain yogurt)
• 15 grams crushed walnuts, toasted

Instructions

• Add the chopped dates to your oatmeal while it is cooking.
• When it’s done cooking, add the mashed banana, stir to combine and transfer to a serving bowl.
• Pour in cold milk and garnish with cottage cheese (or plain yogurt) and toasted walnuts

A GREAT TRICK is to put your bananas in the freezer when they are getting too ripe to eat fresh. Then when you make something, anything, that requires mashed bananas, be it breads, muffins, smoothies or oatmeal, you just stick one out of the freezer and let it thaw for a few minutes, then the peel comes right off and it’s good to go!

 Tropical Twist

• 3-4 strawberries, cut into little cubes
• ½ cup frozen mango cubes (you can use fresh if you have!)
•  ¼ cup pineapple cubes
• 2 tbsp 1% low fat plain yogurt
• 15 grams crushed pecans, toasted (or unsweetened coconut!)

Instructions

• Add fruits to your cooked oatmeal.  Stir gently until heated through and transfer to a serving bowl.
• Pour in cold milk and garnish with plain yogurt and toasted pecans (or coconut)

ANOTHER GREAT FREEZER TRICK is to make little bags of assorted fruits, such as sliced bananas, raspberries, mango cubes, strawberries, blueberries, etc. Mix them all up and make single servings that you bag and keep in your freezer to use in smoothies or cereal.