6 Flavors to Take Your Oatmeal From Blah to BAM

Fall is finally wafting in! There's nothing like warming up from the inside out with a hot breakfast before you walk out the door into that fall chill. 

HA!

Who am I kidding? I don't walk out the door until I have fed and bathed three little people and myself...so basically I'm not going anywhere until lunchtime. 

But, a hot breakfast is still nice. Oatmeal is affordable, healthy, and you can pop a bowl in the microwave for a hot meal faster than you can say "2-for-$2 at the Drive-Thru".

Unfortunately, oatmeal also has the potential of tasting like BLAH mush. 

But have no fear, a little of this and a pinch of that will have your tummy full and your taste buds dancing. Here are my 6 favorite way to jazz up those oats. 

The Base:

For microwave oatmeal, I (following the directions on the canister) add 1/2 cup oats, 3/4 cup water,  1/4 cup milk, and a dash of salt to a bowl. Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. 

Add a sprinkle of cinnamon and a drizzle of honey to sweeten it.

The Flavor:

Creamy Coconut Lime

Top oatmeal with flaked coconut, a dollop of coconut milk (if you refrigerate the stuff in the can it will become thick like whipped cream), and a squeeze of lime.

S'more

Before cooking oats, stir in 1 heaping tsp of cocoa powder. Give it a good stir after it's cooked. Crumble graham crackers over it and drop in a few marshmallows.

Peachy Keen

Slice a whole fresh peach into the bowl and add a splash of vanilla.

Berry Nutty

Cook oatmeal with part water and part almond milk. Stir in fresh strawberries or blueberries and almond slivers (or graham crackers like I did in this photo). 

The Classic

Stir in sliced apple, pecans, raisins, and craisins. 

The Christmas Cookie

You know those boxes of assorted cookies you get (or hope to get) around Christmas? Yup, even those taste good in oatmeal. Hey, if it's between Christmas and New Years you are allowed to have cookies for breakfast.

And don't forget the sure-fire way to get your child to eat any flavor of oatmeal....

sprinkles!!