Oatmeal ... the breakfast of champions

Okay, so maybe it's not EXACTLY the breakfast of champions but it's a pretty darned good breakfast, in my opinion, anyway.

It's a pretty ordinary breakfast for all intents and purposes. At Perkins, when we were there for breakfast, I remember asking them if they made their oatmeal with milk or water and they said "it's made with water, in the microwave". Not exactly a ringing endorsement. I think they would much rather I order a big breakfast of pancakes, sausage, bacon and eggs. (Psst! The oatmeal is healthier). I mean, on their menu, oatmeal is a side order, it's not even a real menu item

For whatever reason, The Boy decided to buy a box of oatmeal thinking that it was cereal. He thought that he could just put some milk over it and call it breakfast. I suppose he could have done that, but it really would have been rather awful - again, my opinion.

Do remember that oatmeal is a particular favorite of mine, as far as breakfasts go. When we were in the US recently, we had breakfast at Perkins most days and most days I ordered oatmeal. I might have had one breakfast where I ordered the Magnificent Seven and another where I shared one of The Boy's pancakes when he ordered the Tremendous Twelve.

This morning, The Boy happened to be home and he wanted to try the oatmeal (cereal to him) for breakfast. I could not in good conscience just tell him to go ahead and pour milk over the oatmeal flakes and eat it, so I (like the good little wife I am) went ahead and cooked up the oatmeal for him.

Here's what I did:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Uncle Toby's Oats Multigrain (it has oats, barley, wheat, rye and buckwheat in it)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries (I used Craisins)
• 1 tablespoon Stevia
• 1 1/2 cups soy milk
• 1/2 cup water
• Cinnamon
• Honey

Instructions:

• I dumped it all in a pan and heated it till it boiled, stirring regularly.
• When it reached the point where it was thick and creamy, I stopped and served it.
• When in the bowl, I topped the oatmeal with 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of honey.

Note: If the oatmeal is too thick, add either water or milk to water it down.

It turned out delish. The cranberries were a nice touch and added a different texture to the oatmeal. Also, this multigrain oatmeal had some depth to it. It was not all creamy and smooth, but because of some of the grains also added a bit of crunch, which was quite nice.

You can experiment however you like with oatmeal. Add raisins, dried fruit, use different types of milk (I use soy since I am lactose intolerant) and even sprinkle with sugar or drizzle with maple syrup.

It's a warm hearty breakfast, particularly comforting on a cold winter morning. On top of all that, it's very good for you, plenty of fibre and is known to reduce cholesterol.

It's got to be better for you than this:

... and a whole lot less calories too!!!


Tell me, what do you like for breakfast? Are you someone who likes a good hearty start to your day or do you just run out with a cup of caffeine in your system?

© This work is copyrighted to Invest-Ex and Destiny’s Fortunes Pty Ltd