Spicing up Oatmeal

raisins and cinnamon (which also helps regulate blood sugar!)

I actually grew up eating oatmeal with butter and salt (now that I eat healthier, I skip the salt.. maybe Molly mcbutter?)

good luck!

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I add brown sugar and milk to mine. mmm!

I like to add protein powder, dried cranberries, and chopped almonds to mine. It's guaranteed to keep you full until lunch. It's an excellent way to get protein with the almonds even if you don't add the protein powder. Hope this helps.

i put 1 tablespoon brown sugar and a half a cup of blueberries

I like to add a tsp of peanut butter and a tsp of Blackstrap Molasses (heathy sweatner with a bunch of Iron).

Oh my goodness, the combinations are endless .. I start with a mix of 1/4 c. of quick oats, 1/4 c. of Bob's Red Mill 5 grain oats with flaxseed (thicker cut of oatmeal) and then 1 T. of flaxseed meal. Next is to choose what I want to cook it in -- 1 c. milk or water, if I choose water then I add a 6 oz. container of my favorite light yogurt and last, but not least, what fruit and extras (i.e. cinnamon, apple pie spice, pumpkin pie spice, molasses, honey, peanut butter, nuts, etc.). Most of the time I cook the fruit in with the oats, adding extras afterward. Here are just a few examples of my combinations:

oats cooked in water, light banana or pineapple yogurt, fresh banana and canned pineapple (sometimes I add a little coconut as well)
oats cooked in milk, fresh chopped pear, 1t. - 1 T. molasses
oats cooked in water, light apple turnover yogurt, fresh chopped apple, cinnamon and/or apple pie spice (sometimes I add raisins as well)
oats cooked in water, light vanilla yogurt, 1/4. c. canned pumpkin, 1/2 t. vanilla, 1/8 t. pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon to taste, 1-2 T. raisins
oats cooked in water, light yogurt flavor that compliments the 3/4 c. of any type of fresh or frozen berries (i.e. mixed berry yogurt with blueberries, strawberry yogurt with strawberries, raspberry yogurt with cooked cranberries)

Have a great time being creative!

I add in frozen berries - blackberries, raspberries or cut up peaches, or a few spoonfuls of canned plain pumpkin. after microwaving, I sprinkle with some splenda and cinnamon. SO good!

I dont eat oat much now that I have my apartment, but I ate it alot in undergrad. It was a great meal when I lived in the dorms and sorority housing. I also had (from Sams!) the 4oz no sugar added dole fruit cups. I would empty the cup into the oatmeal then add as much more water as I needed to have the right amount of moisture. It was always really tasty.

Try steel cut oats instead of instant oatmeal. They are much better for you! I add a 1/4 cup of skim milk and a cup of blueberries to mine every morning. I eat my breakfast at 8am and it keeps me going until lunch at noon!

Try steel cut oats instead of instant oatmeal. They are much better for you! I add a 1/4 cup of skim milk and a cup of blueberries to mine every morning. I eat my breakfast at 8am and it keeps me going until lunch at noon!

Now I like both types of oatmeal (steel cut & rolled), but they're essentially the same nutritionally.

1/4 cup dry steel cut oats = 1/2 cup dry quick oats
1/4 cup steel cut:
Calories 150 Sodium 0 mg
Total Fat 3 g Potassium 0 mg
Saturated 1 g Total Carbs 27 g
Polyunsaturated 0 g Dietary Fiber 4 g
Monounsaturated 0 g Sugars 0 g
Trans 0 g Protein 5 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Vitamin A 0% Calcium 0%
Vitamin C 0% Iron 10%

1/2 cup quick:
Calories 150 Sodium 0 mg
Total Fat 3 g Potassium 0 mg
Saturated 1 g Total Carbs 27 g
Polyunsaturated 1 g Dietary Fiber 4 g
Monounsaturated 1 g Sugars 1 g
Trans 0 g Protein 5 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Vitamin A 0% Calcium 0%
Vitamin C 0% Iron 10%

The only difference I see is the 1g of monounsaturated & polyunsaturated fat and the 1g of sugar in the quick oats. And that's just for those 2 brands. Nutrition information definitely varies based on the brand of oatmeal. I've seen several brands of steel cut oats with as much or more monounsaturated & polyunsaturated fat and sugar as the quick oats I listed above.
While minimal processing may be appealing, in the case of nutrition, I don't think you can call steel cut oats "much better" than quick oats.


To the OP:
Sometimes when I'm craving chocolate, I add a tablespoon of semi-sweet chocolate chips to oatmeal. Bowl of chocolatey goodness for 220 calories. I also love to add pumpkin & sprinkle with cinnamon like suggested above. And, of course, any kind of fruit you can imagine.