How to Love Oatmeal

Oatmeal is my arch-nemesis so it might be strange to read that I am eating oatmeal every morning now. It's part of my "eat healthier" diet & exercise plan. Thankfully though, oatmeal really does not have to be as boring as plain porridge that consists of water and oatmeal. Yes, experts have finalized that oatmeal is healthy to eat but who wants to live a long life eating something that tastes like, well, nothing?

My breakfast used to consist of a plate full of vegetables tossed together in a frying pan, which I occasionally still have, but I have found the secret to eating oatmeal and enjoying it too! There's no more, eat one hour and be hungry the next, which is what I used to be conflicted with every time I ate the natural grain breakfast. It doesn't have to be boring/tasteless and it doesn't need to leave you feeling like starvation mode has kicked into top gear.

In my breakfast bowl, I have learned to make the most of the whole grain that absorbs flavors with just about no effort at all. Firstly, take the dry oats and make it the base for the entire meal. Yes, meal! I have been known to eat oatmeal for lunch and even sometimes dinner when I'm craving it. My first simple trick is to take your one serving (1/2 cup) and double the amount of water that the manufacture suggests. I love to warm up ½ cup of oatmeal with around 1½ cups filtered water. By adding more water, the cooking time takes about double that of the original. Hence, normally I would microwave the oats for about a minute and now I set the microwave for 2 minutes and 35 seconds. The oatmeal comes out not so much thin porridge but slightly thicker. It doubles the amount of oatmeal with the same amount of calories. It is fantastic for filling your appetite for hours.

Secondly, add healthy ingredients such as nuts to increase nutrients and minerals. Right now I am addicted to Healthy Seeded Oatmeal. It is a combination of "super-foods" and contains nothing but low calories and nutrients for the body. Or, you can just add any seeds that you like or have sitting around the house and spike up your protein count for the day. Just remember that nuts have high-protein but also normally contain high-fat and calories. If no nuts are around, go for a tablespoon of smashed peanuts in the form of peanut butter.

Thirdly, there is a wonderful option out there called almond milk. Many raw vegans love to make almond milk from raw almonds and water. I have tried to make my own almond milk on occasions but it does take a bit of time and can cost a lot in my area for raw almonds. So, I prefer to jump on over to Trader Joes for their unsweetened Almond Milk that is 40 calories per cup. Amazingly low calories compared to other nondairy milks. It has a slight nutty flavor but is also naturally sweet to the taste buds. It goes well with oats and can complete some of your calcium content for the day.

Finally, I love to take oatmeal and grind it up to make oat flour. You can use oat flour in a lot of things such as pastries like muffins and scones. Then I love going for pancakes made oats called Fried Oatmeal with caramelized Apple Slices and Sweet Potato Waffles. If you just really can't find the taste for oatmeal with these recipes, there is always a smoothie that you can sneak some oat flour into without making a thick mess. Add about 2 tbsp to just about any smoothie.


Oats do not have to be the boring oatmeal that most of us grew up on. It is healthy for the body and heart so should be taken into consideration when making entrees. I used to detest the thought of having to eat oats but now I'm tossing it into just about anything. Try some new recipes and see what you can come up with, you might find that you have a love for the whole grain too!