OATMEAL, IT'S "WHAT'S FOR DINNER?" (HEALTHY MINI-HABIT #4)

​Many people make oatmeal a meal for breakfast, but you can also make it a midday snack or an evening meal. Oatmeal is low in calories and low in fat and high in soluble fiber. You can cook it in the microwave or in a pan on the stove.
 
I enjoy alternating from oatmeal to oat bran.  You can also take raw oatmeal, blend it into a powder and make cream of oatmeal.  Just add water and cook for a few minutes.
 
To make either one of these, oatmeal, oat bran, or cream of oatmeal, into a more fulfilling, interesting meal, you could add all kinds of good things to your bowl.  Here is a list of items I incorporate into my oatmeal or oat bran:
 

• Walnuts
• Almonds
• Pecans
• Raisons
• Dates
• Sunflower seeds (roasted, unsalted)
• Banana
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Blackberries
• Raspberries
• Seeds
• Flax meal

 
I usually use one or two items (fruits or nuts) at a time.  For instance, I will use walnuts and a banana or raisons and sunflower seeds. On other times I’ll use blueberries or strawberries alone. You can cook all the nuts, fruits and other foods with your oatmeal or mix them in, uncooked, into your bowl after your oatmeal is cooked. It's a very easy meal to prepare and it is good for you.
 
Note:  The seeds and nuts are unsalted and many are roasted. You can purchase many from Trader Joe’s if you have one near you. I get my shelled walnuts, pecans, raisons and berries from Sam’s Club.  You can also visit 99 Cent Only stores for Strawberries, Blueberries and Blackberries.
 
Another great oatmeal meal is a mixture of milk or almond milk with oats. This recipe is a version of Swiss muesli.  Put oats in a bowl. Pour in milk. Chop up a few dates or sliced apple. Microwave for three minutes. You now have a tasty, fulfilling meal. Another recipe that is said to be Swiss muesli is to put raw oats in a bowl with milk, let it sit in the refrigerator overnight.  The milk will be absorbed into the oats.  Slice an apple and add it to your bowl.  This is a refreshing, filling (not blotting) breakfast for warm summer mornings.
 
Oatmeal is inexpensive compared of other foods.  I have found that Wal-mart (online only) has the best prices for their Great Value brand (42 oz canister $2.48 as of this writing with free delivery of $35 order.)
 
If you are interested in organic oatmeal try Sun Organic Farms (www.sunorganicfarm.com).  They have rolled oats, 3lbs. for $4.95 and economical 25lb. bags.  They also have steel cut (Irish) oats and organic oat bran.
 
Stay healthy with this oatmeal mini habit.  The nice thing about oatmeal and oat bran is that you can add all sorts of good, nutritious foods to your meal.