Believe it or not, oatmeal is one of the easiest and most nutritious breakfasts you can make. If you can boil water or have a microwave oven, you can certainly make oatmeal within minutes. Here are a few tips on how to make oatmeal.
The next time you shop at your local supermarket, take a look at the different kinds of oatmeal available. You will find boxes of regular and flavored oatmeal. If you choose a box, it conveniently has six packets of instant oatmeal. You may also notice a cylindrical box of oatmeal, either large or small grain. These are normally unflavored oats.
Let’s begin with the box of instant oatmeal. If you have a microwave oven, this couldn’t be easier to make. Take out one packet of oatmeal, place it in a small cereal bowl. Add a cup of water or milk. Place the bowl in the microwave and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on high. Take the bowl out of microwave and stir. You can add a teaspoon of sugar or perhaps you would like to add fresh strawberries or blueberries on top as well. Hmm…..good!
The other type of oatmeal mentioned is just as easy to prepare. Open the cylindrical box and take 1/2 cup of oatmeal and add to a small cereal bowl. If you are serving two people, add 1 cup.
Put a small sauce pot on the stove and add 1 cup of water or milk for one serving; or add 1 and 3/4 cups of water or milk for two servings. Turn on gas and boil water or milk. Stir in oats. Cook about 1 minute over medium heat, while stirring occasionally.
You can flavor your oatmeal with any sweet items at home – honey, cinnamon, brown sugar, maple syrup, fruits or pie filling. Just use your imagination and you’ll create oatmeal that your family will love.
Note: Oatmeal lowers cholesterol. Simply have ¾ cups of oatmeal a day with 1-1/2 cups of water.
Tip: Oatmeal isn’t only great for breakfast; it serves as an after dinner snack as well!
How about some less expensive alternatives to store bought instant oatmeal?
I’ve had these in my files, gleaned from all over the net.
Denice
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Homemade Instant Oatmeal
Recipe from various sources, including Daphne Matexas Hartwig’s “Make Your Own Groceries”
3 cups quick-cooking oats
salt
8 small zip baggies
Put 1/2 cup oats in a blender and blend on high until powdery. Set aside in a small bowl, and repeat procedure with an additional 1/2 cup oats. If you’re using a food processor, you can do the 1 cup of oats in one batch. Put the following ingredients into each zip baggie: 1/4 cup un-powdered oats, 2 Tbsp. powdered oats, and 1/8 tsp. salt. Store in an airtight container.
I’m sure you could add Stevia to these to make it less sweet and cut the carb and glycemic index. I don’t know why you have to use quick cooking oats if you’re going to put them thru the blender. You could probably use coarser rolled oats, or even add some oat bran back into it for more fiber.
To serve: Empty packet into a bowl. Add 3/4 cup boiling water. Stir and let stand for 2 minutes. For thicker oatmeal, use less water – for thinner oatmeal, use more water.
Variations:
Apple-Cinnamon Oatmeal
To each packet add 1 Tbsp. sugar, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, and 2 Tbsp. chopped dried apples.
Sweetened Oatmeal
To each packet add 1 Tbsp. sugar or 1 packet artificial sweetener.
Brown Sugar/Cinnamon Oatmeal
To each packet add 1 Tbsp. brown sugar & 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Oatmeal w/Raisins & Brown Sugar
To each packet add 1 Tbsp. packed brown sugar and 1 Tbsp. raisins.
Health Nut Oatmeal
To each packet add 2 Tbsp. any kind of wheat germ
Fruit & Cream Oatmeal
To each packet add 1 Tbsp. non-dairy coffee creamer and 2 Tbsp. dried fruit
Fun Fruit Oatmeal
To each packet, add 6 or 7 pieces of “fruit snack” type dehydrated fruit.
Confetti Oatmeal
To each packet, add 1 tsp. decorative cake/cookie sprinkles.
S’more Oatmeal
Add 6 miniature marshmallows and 1 Tbsp. milk chocolate chips to each packet.
Cookies n Cream Oatmeal
Add 1 crushed Oreo cookie and 1 Tbsp. non-dairy coffee creamer to each packet.
Exploding Oatmeal
Add 1 tsp. sugar, and 1/2 tsp. “Pop Rocks” candy to each packet. This one is fun for celebration days, such as birthdays.