Oatmeal is good.

Oatmeal is one of my favorite treats. Yes, I said treat. I love oatmeal in the morning, when I'm sick, for dinner, or dessert. There are so many things you can do with this simple ingredient.

I know a ton of people that cringe at the thought of oatmeal. I don't understand!!! Even McDonalds has oatmeal. This means that people like it but the ones that do aren't talking about it enough. It's perfect for people trying to lose a pound (plain)....filling/hearty, gets that digestion moving, great for your heart.

When I think of my fond oatmeal memories they come from the back of a pick-up truck in Washington State in the wee-hours of the morning heading to swim practice. Peaches and cream, my favorite at the time, extra watery. (This indeed is disgusting now...but we all have our things in our youth that make no sense.) These days my mornings are a little less hectic and I can put 5-10 minutes into some delicious oatmeal prep.

Here are some oatmeal ideas (even for picky eaters)...

First of all Quaker oats were my favorite for years until I randomly found a stick in one of their tins. Since then I've kind of moved on into the Irish Oat variety. McCann's Irish Oats are where its at. (All of these recipes are made with them.)

All of these recipes start with:
1/2 cup oats in an oversized mug
3/4 cup water, with a pinch (tiniest pinch ever) salt
1/4 cup lactose free fat free milk (I'm trying to watch my figure, but if you want to use whole milk, omg, I'm sure it would be banging.)

Breakfast Oatmeal-
1/2 apple chopped into generously sized cubes
1/2 tablespoon maple syrup

1. You can do this in the microwave (and when I'm in a perceived "rush" this is my goto)
2. You can do this on the stove top (smells super good, the apples get a little softer)
3. Combine everything all at the same time. Microwave 3mins or cook until it all comes together.

Breakfast Oatmeal for picky eater-

1 teaspoon of yogurt butter
2 teaspoons honey
Sprinkled with cheddar cheese

1. Everything combined, except the cheese. Do that at the very end. I recommend extra sharp Vermont white.

Nutty and Bacony and omg so freaking good Oatmeal
5-6 smallish pecans
5-6 smallish macadamia nuts
2-3 walnuts
(crush them ALL together)
2 teaspoons brown sugar(dark)
1 teaspoon vanilla

2 crispy cooked slices of bacon chopped up

1. Add all nuts into oats. Cook.
2. Slowly add brown sugar and vanilla while stirring
3. Add bacon cook together for about a min or two

**Gluttonous extra ... A Dollop of Daisy. Hit that oatmeal with a lil sour cream.

Coconut, Banana and White Chocolate Chip Oatmeal
1/2 banana smashed
1 generous tablespoon of coconut
White Chocolate chips to taste
Cinnamon to taste
2 teaspoons honey

1. Do this one of the stove, oats, water, milk....get them soft. Have some extra milk or water handy (depends on how creamy you like it) Add the banana, cinnamon, honey...combined well, slowly adding extra wetness. At the very end top with coconut and white chocolate chips. (SO good...sometimes I even throw in some dried cranberries.)


These oatmeal ideas are just that. Something to get you started. I never look at the box, can, or package oatmeal comes in for directions. Oatmeal is never going to be the same. Oats are always going to be a little bit different in thickness or how well they're going to absorb your ingredients. What you need to do is just go with it. Make sure you find a consistency  and flavors you enjoy.