While I sometimes experiment with various breakfast creations, I find that always end up coming back to basics – good ole’ oatmeal.
There are many things I love about oatmeal:
- It’s easy. Easy is important when it comes to breakfast… actually it’s important when it comes to meal preparation period.
- It’s hearty and warming. It gets cold in Toronto in the winter, and our bodies crave foods that are warming in the cold months. Oatmeal starts your day in a warm way.
- It’s yummy. There is so much you can do with oatmeal. You can dress it with fruits, nuts, seeds, spices, or even go savoury and add veggies to your oatmeal. Whatever you’re in the mood for, oatmeal can deliver it.
- It’s satisfying, which means that you won’t be hunting for a snack after you’ve finished breakfast. For most people, a good bowl of oatmeal holds them over until lunch.
- It’s good for you!!! Wait, it’s easy, hearty and warming, yummy and good for you… well, that sounds too good to be true – but it is! Some of the health benefits are that oats can help with regulation of insulin, blood sugar, and cholesterol. Oatmeal is rich in several vitamins and minerals.
Yields: 2-3 servings
1 cup quick cooking steel cut oats – I used the Bob’s Red Mill variety
2 cups water
2 dates, chopped into small pieces
2 organic, sulpur-free, dried apricots, chopped into small pieces
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
1/2 cup bluerries
1 gala apple, diced
4 walnut halves, broken into pieces
- Bring water to a boil.
- Add oats, pinch of salt, cinnamon, chopped dates, and chopped apricots.
- Reduce heat and let simmer 7-9 minutes until the oats are close to your desired consistency. Let stand about 2 minutes.
- Dish out the cooked oats into 2 bowls.
- Sprinkle each bowl with half of the blueberries, half of the diced apples, and half of the walnut pieces.
Such an awesome breakfast for a cold winter morning. I promise you feel satisfied and energized throughout the morning!