3 recipes: Banana Walnut Oatmeal, Raspberry Almond Oatmeal, and Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal

I am pretty much hooked on oatmeal these days. I eat it almost every single morning for breakfast. It is much more nutritious than most cereals on the market and it is just incredibly easy to change up each morning. Now, when I say I am hooked on oatmeal, I mean the plain oatmeal, not the store bought packets that contain all kinds of junk and tons of added sugar. I like to know exactly what is in my breakfast, so I make it from scratch. The best part about these recipes is that they don't take a long time to make at all, which is always helpful on days you need to get to work on time. Here are three of my favorite kinds right now. I hope you at least try one of them. :)

Side Note: I typically make eggs and chop some fresh fruit when I have oatmeal for breakfast. It's very important to have some protein, whole grains/carbs, and healthy fats at each meal, while remembering that fresh fruit and veggies are also important. This always keeps me satisfied until lunch time.

Banana Walnut Oatmeal
Serves 4-6 servings (This can be made in a huge batch and then eaten a little each morning)

Original Recipe: http://mywoodenspoon.com/old-fashion-banana-nut-oatmeal/

Ingredients:
3 cups skim milk or water (I use 1 1/2 cups water and 1 1/2 cups skim milk)
3 tablespoons brown sugar or brown sugar substitute
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned will work)
2 ripe bananas - mashed

Optional ingredients: honey and pecans

 Directions:
-In a large saucepan, combine milk/water, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg to a gentle boil.
-Add the oats and return to a gentle boil.
-Cook approx 5 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed.
-Remove from heat and stir in bananas and chopped pecans
-Drizzle some local honey on top if you prefer.
Enjoy! :)

Raspberry Almond Oatmeal
Serves 1 (can be doubled for 2 servings)

Original Recipe: http://greenlitebites.com/2010/11/16/raspberry-almond-oatmeal/

Ingredients:
-1/2 cup Old Fashioned Oats
-6 to 8 ounces water or skim milk
-pinch of salt - optional
-1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
-1/4 teaspoon pure rasbperry extract
-1/2 cup fresh organic raspberries
-Chopped almonds (a few tablespoons to 1/4 cup)

Optional ingredients: honey

Directions:
-In a saucepan, add your oats, water/milk, and salt.
-Cook approx 5 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed
-Remove oatmeal from heat source and stir in almond and raspberry extracts.
-Pour oatmeal in a bowl and top it off with raspberries, almonds, and a drizzle of local honey.
Enjoy! :)

Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal
Serves 2

Original recipe: http://marcussamuelsson.com/recipes/lindsay-hunt-a-healthy-valentines-day-recipe-apple-cinnamon-oatmeal

Ingredients:
-1 cup old fashioned oats
-2 cups of water or skim milk
-1 medium to large apple chopped in chunks (I use fuji, braeburn, or honeycrisp apples for this)
-1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
-1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
-1 tablespoon brown sugar or brown sugar substitute

Directions:
-In a large saucepan, add water or milk and bring to a boil.
-Add old fashioned oats and gently boil for approx 5 minutes or until liquid is mostly absorbed
-Add cinnamon, nutmeg, apples, and brown sugar and stir together until combined.
-Pour in a bowl and enjoy :)