Love oatmeal, but the store-bought packets contain more sugar than you would like to start your day? Here is my “recipe” to enjoy oatmeal every morning with just enough sweet, but not all of the added sugar and still feel full and satisfied.
*Zero added sugar- depending on the toppings you add, they may *add* sugar, but this recipe does not contain sugar*
- 1/2 cup of oats
- 1 cup of milk (or water)
- 1-2 tablespoons of nuts
- Sprinkle of Cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon of nut butter
- Splash of vanilla extract
Optional Toppings/ Add-ons
- Dried dates, craisins, apricots, etc.
- Fresh blueberries, banana, strawberries- really any fruit
- Other: sprinkle of granola, cereal or anything you want!
Combine all ingredients (except the toppings) and microwave on high for 2 minutes or cook on the stove top per the package’s instructions. Mix and add topppings.
Oats– I prefer old fashioned rolled oats because they have more texture. Adjust cooking times for instant oats.
Milk- I am not going to get into dairy vs. non-dairy- use whichever milk you like! I actually hate the taste of milk and only tolerate when it is combined with other foods (i.e. chocolate). I use it in my oatmeal, though, to add protein to my meal. I recently discovered Fa!irlife (yes that’s right) Ultra-Filtered Milk and really like it. I really like Fa!irlife because it does not taste like milk (#1 priority) and it has less sugar.
Nuts: I prefer pecans. I have also been known to use walnuts, but any will do! I like mine cut into smaller pieces so they add some texture to every bite. Texture is big for me so this is an important step.
Cinnamon: Lately I have been using pumpkin pie spice.. shh don’t tell my husband- I’m not sure he has noticed. You could also add nutmeg, ginger- so many options.
Nut Butter: I use almond butter in my oats, but I make my husband’s oatmeal with peanut butter. I always put this in before I cook the oats so it turns into a melty goodness that can be mixed well in your bowl when it is done cooking. I tend to buy nut butter that does not have any added sugar, but this still adds just the right amount of protein, and flavor.
Vanilla– This adds a really nice flavor with just a splash, without adding sugar
Optional Toppings: This is where you can add something a little sweet and with that may come some sugar. Here is my secret: dried dates. I cut up one (or two depending on size) really good and juicy dried date and add it after the oats are cooked. Yes this adds a bit of sugar, but it also adds fiber-something the added sugar in the packets does not. You can also omit this completely if looking for something a little plainer. Sometimes I add a sprinkle of low- sugar cereal, granola etc, for added texture on top.
Prep ahead: I keep my oats in a glass jar with a scoop that came with a jar of protein powder. Fun fact: this scoop measures 1/4 of a cup so I leave it in there and always have a measuring cup ready to go. At the beginning of each week, I measure two scoops (or half a cup of oats) into jars, along with nuts, and cinnamon. This way they are all ready to be poured into a bowl or made in the jar if I am on the go and you just add the vanilla, milk and nut butter.
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