Five Ways to Oatmeal

Oatmeal is the standard breakfast during the winter around here. I think I serve it about twice a week at least. But sometimes my kids groan when they come downstairs and see the pot boiling on the stove.

One time I had a bunch of apple pie filling in the freezer that I'd made in the fall thinking I'd make apple pies for my family. Well, that didn't happen. But it did go in to the oatmeal every once in a while and, I can tell you with out a doubt, that my children really loved that!

Since apple pie isn't super practical for every day or super healthy either, I've been on the look out for new and inventive ways to serve up our old stand by. Check out some ideas I've found - here are new and different ways to serve our old favorite:

Pumpkin Spice: Stir in a can of pumpkin puree (this is for multiple servings - if you are doing just one, adjust the amount), some ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon and brown sugar.

Strawberry Swirl: Add slices of fresh berries, or thawed frozen berries in their juice, to your cooked oatmeal then add a little strawberry jam for sweetness.

Fruit and Nut: Add chopped dried apricots, dried plums and rasins as it is cooking so the fruit plumps up a little. Then add some toasted, chopped walnuts and almonds and a touch of honey.

Banana Walnut: Top your cooked oatmeal with sliced bananas, chopped toasted walnuts and a bit of honey.

Oatmeal Cookie: Add all the flavors that make oatmeal cookies so good: vanilla extract, some raisins, cinnamon and a little brown sugar.

These recipes are from Small Changes Big Results, a good book if you are looking for a slow but steady progressions to changing your lifestyle toward healthier eating and fitness.

I made the pumpkin oatmeal today. And, my kids really loved it. My husband even thought it was great, he said we should market it. So, you know it's good.