Old-fashioned oatmeal is like comfort in a bowl
If there’s one recipe that represents a warm, wholesome breakfast, it’s a piping hot bowl of oatmeal. The classic dish is cheap, nutritious and filling. When craving this comfort in a bowl to start the day, it’s easy to grab a packet of that instant stuff and dump in some hot water. While that can be convenient, it doesn’t take much longer to make old-fashioned oatmeal, well, the old-fashioned way: by simmering it in water or milk for several minutes.
The result is a better-tasting, better-textured product, and because you’re making it yourself, you can tailor just how much sugar and other additives go in. Besides, if you make enough to have leftovers the next day, you’ll have “instant” oatmeal then: all it takes is a trip to the microwave. It will taste just as good if not better than the first day, since the ingredients have had time to mesh.
Another bonus: Old-fashioned oatmeal easily goes from modest to marvelous with a few ingredients like brown sugar, cinnamon and dehydrated fruits like cranberries and raisins, which will plump up as they absorb the cooking liquid.
For a special treat, I like to make mine with fresh berries, which pack an extra punch when it comes to nutrition and flavor.
If you’ve always relied on that instant stuff for your oatmeal fix, grab a box labeled “old-fashioned oats” (they’re just a few bucks and last forever) and get ready start your day on an extra-wholesome note.
