Oats and More Oats

Who ever thought I could have fun with oatmeal? I've been jazzing up the usual oatmeal lately and I'm so please without how it turned out. Now I have so many oatmeal ideas I just want to eat different oatmeal recipes all day.

It started off with discovering a box of Trader Joe's Whole Grain Instant Oatmeal with Cranberries in my pantry. The bag of steel cut oats was looming on the top shelf but I was hungry and wanted to eat soon.

Yesterday I mixed the oatmeal packet with water and added a bit almond butter. After heating I added some sliced banana. I didn't miss the packet of sweetener I usually add to oatmeal.

Slightly Jazzed Up Oatmeal

1 Packet Trader Joe's Whole Grain Instant Oatmeal with Cranberries
1/2 water
1 tsp Almond Butter
1/2 small banana chopped

Yesterday I picked up a few healthy items at Publix. In fact, by the time I checked out I was feeling like a bit of hippie health freak. I can't say it was a bad feeling. I had a cart full of stuff I usually never buy. I'm excited to start adding them into the foods I already make to improve the nutritional value.

I started my mad scientist additions with my oatmeal for this morning's breakfast. It was so good!

I made the oatmeal like yesterday's but I used vanilla soy milk instead of water. I also added a teaspoon of milk and egg protein powder (which I already had on hand). Now for the really fun stuff...I bought the Publix Greenwise Whole Flax Seeds from the dried fruit and nut section. I also picked up a container of wheat germ. I added a bit of both along with the usual sliced banana and tad of almond butter. It was thick, rich, nutty and sweet. Again, I didn't miss the missing sweetener packet. It was also very filling. According to the calorie counter on My Fitness Pal it totaled up to about 306 calories.

Jazzy Nutty Oatmeal

1 Packet Trader Joe's Whole Grain Instant Oatmeal with Cranberries
1/2 c Vanilla Soy Milk
1 tsp Almond Butter
1 tsp. MLO Milk and Egg Protein Powder
1 tsp. Publix Whole Flax Seeds
1 tsp. Wheat Germ
1/2 small banana chopped

Combine all of the ingredients except for the banana and zap for 1 minute in the microwave. Stir and add on any additional time if needed. I noticed the soymilk didn't absorb as fast as water and I cooked it for 1:20. Add chopped banana and enjoy.

This afternoon I discovered another blogger at Eating Bird Food who loves oatmeal and I'm excited to try her overnight oats recipe.

She also adds in Chia seeds. I've seen them have never tried them. I suspect they will be in my next hippie shopping basket full of stuff.

I'll try to post pictures. I just get so hungry the food is gone before I think to take a photo.