Oatmeal with Apples & Raisins
Peel, core and slice one apple. I prefer sweeter apples such as the Gala, Braeburn or Honeycrisp. Place the sliced apple in a small pot with a small amount of water. Cook on medium heat until the apples are done (5-10 minutes). You can also place the sliced apple with a small amount of water in a microwave safe dish and cook for at least 5 minutes.
Tip: For the resourceful cook, consider peeling, slicing and cooking up a bag of apples over a weekend and eating them throughout the week (with breakfast or as a side item). Apples can be seasoned with cinnamon, allspice or nutmeg. Adding a sweetener is optional depending on your dietary needs.
Prepare 1 serving of oatmeal in the microwave. To do this, take a ½ cup of 100% whole grain oats and place in a microwave safe bowl. Add 1 cup of water and cook uncovered in the microwave on high for 2 minutes.
Combine the apples with the oatmeal. Add a small amount of raisins. Season with cinnamon and sweeten (honey, artificial sweetener, or sugar) to taste. Add a small amount (tablespoon or two) of milk, half-n-half or cream to the top.
Sit down and enjoy a creamy, healthy, fiber-rich meal that will hold you until lunch.
Most of my life I hated oatmeal. I found it to be pretty disgusting – the color, the texture and even the smell. I don’t remember when or if I had actually tasted it. I just knew I didn’t like it. I come from a family of breakfast eaters. Growing up there was mostly cereal in the house before school which we had with a banana or toast. On the weekends breakfast was much heavier and would include anything from pancakes and sausage, bacon and eggs, grits and salmon cakes or corn beef hash. All of this is to say that we are not picky eaters. I remember seeing oatmeal around in the cupboard and surely someone in our family of five was eating it but it wasn’t me.
In an effort to expand my breakfast repertoire to include healthier options, I thought I should reconsider oatmeal. I mean the real oatmeal and not the instant oatmeal in the packets. I gave oatmeal another chance. I had to set aside my preconceived notions and what I thought it would taste like. I combined it with items that I already liked such as apples and cinnamon which made me think of momma’s apple pie. To my surprise, I discovered that I love oatmeal…of course once I made it my own.
It’s never too late to reconsider those things once rejected.
