Not much negative to be said about a traditional serving of oatmeal.  It kickstarts the day and gives you energy.  Highly recommend this simple and hearty breakfast option.

Kids love it.  Adults love it. It’s fast to make and it’s healthy.  AND, you do not need to add salt.  It is so much better than the microwave cup version, or oatmeal you can buy in fancy places.

Here’s a simple recipe for Old School Oatmeal, as my mum taught me.  I made a few minor tweaks to make it heart friendly … which mainly removes the salt and use alternative milk.

Servings: 2-3 portions

• 2 cups of almond or flax milk
• 1 cup of Quaker Old Fashioned Oats (I like the bigger old style rolled oats)
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
• Take a small pot and heat up the milk
• Once it boils, you add the oats and reduce to medium heat
• Let it cook for 5-6 minutes while stirring occasionally – you decide how mushy you want the oats, so cook less or longer time.
• Turn off the heat, take it off the cooker and let it sit for 2-3 minutes

… Here come the nice bits 🙂

I like to use various topics such as below list, but you can pretty much add any topping you like and crave.  However, make sure to keep them low salt and avoid grapes if you are just starting your rehab and still on a restrictive diet.  Grapes contain high levels of sugar.  The same goes for dried raisins.

Here are a few of my favorite toppings:

• finely chopped apple
• slides dried pitted prunes
• blueberries
• dried figs
• a light drizzle of honey

Some people like to sprinkle a little milk on top, but that is obviously a personal preference.  It also depends on the consistency of the oats when you take them off the stove.

Healthy Tip

If you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity then you need to make sure your oats are labeled “gluten-free”.  Oats can be cross-contaminated with wheat and barley.

Cooking a simple portion of Mama’s Oatmeal should take more than 10-15 minutes, so you can easily prepare this for yourself and the kids on busy school mornings.

Enjoy and let me know how you like your oats and if this recipe was any good.