Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal with Maple Toasted Walnuts February 10, 2013

Jamie says:  Two things I’ve really been enjoying this week are… drum roll, please… breakfast and the beach. The only thing better would have been if the two were together. On the beach front, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Clearwater Beach and St Pete Beach. On the breakfast front, I’ve made two hits- cinnamon spice pumpkin pancakes and this Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal with Maple Toasted Walnuts.

Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal with Maple Toasted Walnuts

Use a ladle to make a perfect scoop of deliciousness.

A ball of joy – and healthy foods

If you have the time, cook the oats on the stove top. (I can taste a difference.) Also, when you cook the raisins in the oatmeal (as opposed to adding them on top later), they plump up nicely. Toasting walnuts brings out their nutty flavor, too.

Plump raisins, nutty walnuts, good times

Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal with Maple Toasted Walnuts

Ingredients:

• 3 oz (3/4 cup) walnut halves (Publix)
• 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats (Quaker)
• 1 3/4 cup water
• 2 tsp cinnamon (McCormick)
• 1/4 cup raisins (Publix)
• 1 cup fat free (skim) milk (Publix)
• 3 Tbsp real maple syrup (Highland Sugarworks- Pure New England Maple Syrup)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Roast walnuts on a baking sheet for 12 minutes. Remove from baking sheet.
2. In a medium pot, bring water to a boil. Stir in oats, reduce heat to medium, and add cinnamon and raisins. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
3. Scoop cinnamon raisin oatmeal into bowls. Pour milk in the bowl. Top oatmeal with toasted walnuts and drizzle with maple syrup. Enjoy!

Servings: 3

Serving suggestion: Cooking for one? Refrigerate the leftover oatmeal (with the walnuts in a jar in the pantry) and enjoy the oats cold (or hot) for the next couple of days- or just make one serving.

• Nutrition note: Start your day with a balanced breakfast like Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal with Maple Toasted Walnuts. With this breakfast, you’ll be hitting 4 of the 5 food groups and including good-for-you nutrients like fiber, calcium, omega 3s, and antioxidants.

Special Oats January 5, 2012

Jamie says: When I was little my Mom used to make us “special oats.” It was an occasional weekend treat. Thinking back, I don’t think it was the same recipe each time (from what I recall, there was fruit, nuts, and a splash of cream), but they were special because they were called special and Mom made ’em and they were good.  The fat free milk with omega-3s makes a great substitute for the cream. Here’s my version:

Special Oats

Wholesome whole grain goodness.

A comfort food

The raisins, bananas, and dark brown sugar made it sweet.

The raisins plumped up and the brown sugar melted quite nicely

Special Oats

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup old fashioned oatmeal (Quakers)
• 1 cup water
• 2 Tbsp raisins (Publix)
• 1/2 small banana (Chiquita)
• 6 walnut halves (Costco)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp dark brown sugar (Publix)
• 1/3 cup fat free milk with omega-3s (Smart Balance)

Directions:

1. Add oats, water, and raisins to a microwave-safe serving bowl. Microwave for 3 minutes.
2. Slice banana half and place on top of cooked oatmeal. Crush walnuts on top. Spoon brown sugar and pour milk on top. Enjoy!

Serves: 1

• Nurition note: Like the taste of cream and the nutrition of fat free milk? Try fat free milk with omega-3s. They took out all the saturated fat (bad fat) and added in the really good-for-you fat (omega-3s).

Super Oats: Chocolate Cinnamon Oatmeal with Sweet Cherry Kefir and Toasted Walnuts December 14, 2011

Jamie says: My second entry for the Food and Culinary Professionals Quaker’s at Breakfast and Beyond Recipe Contest was in the Power Pairs category. The overachiever in me decided I wanted to go above and beyond power “pairs,” so I made the whole meal out of super foods.

~ A nutrient-rich powerhouse of delicious super foods~

This super healthy breakfast is not only good for your health- but also for your eyes. (That is, it’s quite visually appealing.)

Secret: The white spots are little drops of plain kefir

The sweetness is from fruit- frozen cherries and fresh blueberries- and dark chocolate. The toasted walnuts add a wonderful nutty flavor and the kefir adds a hint of bitterness and cools it down.

Shavings of dark chocolate, toasted walnuts, and fresh blueberries- delightful!

I called it: Super Oats because they’re super delicious and super healthy!

Super Oats: Chocolate Cinnamon Oatmeal with Sweet Cherry Kefir and Toasted Walnuts

Super Oats: Chocolate Cinnamon Oatmeal with Sweet Cherry Kefir and Toasted Walnuts

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• ½ cup walnut halves
• 5 cups water
• 2 cups Quaker Old Fashioned Oats
• ¼ cup natural unsweetened cocoa
• 1 Tbsp and 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 cups frozen, pitted cherries
• 1 cup and 4 tsp unsweetened nonfat kefir, divided
• 2 ¼ oz dark chocolate, divided
• 1 1/3 cup fresh blueberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350⁰F. Place walnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a cutting board. Chop walnuts into bite-sized pieces.
2. Use a knife to shave chocolate into small curls.
3. In a medium pot, bring water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and stir in oats. Cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in cocoa powder, cinnamon, and half of shaved chocolate.
4. In a blender, pulse frozen cherries and 1 cup kefir until well-blended.
5. To serve, pour cherry kefir into four bowls. Scoop oatmeal into center of each bowl. Top oatmeal with blueberries, chopped walnuts, and reserved chocolate shavings. To decorate, use a teaspoon to drop small amounts of reserved plain kefir on top of cherry kefir.

Serves: 4

• Nutrition note: Start your day in a rockin’ way with this super foods breakfast. There are a lot of nutrition highlights for this one, but here are a few of the benefits: oatmeal has soluble fiber which can help decrease your cholesterol; dark chocolate and natural unsweetened cocoa contain antioxidants (the cocoa also has fiber); kefir is full of probiotics which are good for your immune and digestive health plus it has vitamin D and calcium for bone health; blueberries are an antioxidant powerhouse; walnuts have heart-healthy omega-3s; and cherries also have antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties which are beneficial for muscle function and recovery in athletes. Whew! And that wasn’t even all the nutrition highlights!

Creamy and Zesty Lemon Yogurt Oatmeal November 15, 2011

Jamie says: I woke up this morning feeling a bit under the weather (aka I have a cold). I like to deny that I’m sick until it’s quite obvious that I am because, personally, I believe a good chunk of it’s mental. I also believe you can fight it faster with good nutrition and rest. So this morning, despite having all my bike gear laid out and my alarm set, I skipped my morning bike ride and slept in a little more. Then, for breakfast, I made:

Creamy and Zesty Lemon Yogurt Oatmeal

I’ve never added lemon to my oatmeal, but maybe it (the vitamin C) was what my body needed since I am fighting this cold. I really liked the bold flavor the lemon zest added and the crunch of the almonds.

The fresh lemon zest adds vibrant color and an extra kick of flavor

Creamy and Zesty Lemon Yogurt Oatmeal

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup old fashioned oats (Quaker)
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 lemon
• 6 oz lemon 0% fat yogurt (Stonyfield)
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds (Wonderful)

Directions:

1. Combine oats and water, in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 3 minutes.
2. Use a microplane to zest lemon. Add half of zest to cooked oatmeal. Juice lemon and add juice to oatmeal. Stir.
3. Scoop yogurt on top. Sprinkle remaining zest on yogurt. Sprinkle almond slivers around the perimeter of the bowl. Enjoy!

Serves: 1

• Nutrition note: By using fresh lemon juice and zest in your breakfast, you’re adding vitamin C (and lots of flavor) to your morning meal for only a few more calories.

Key Lime Pie Oatmeal November 11, 2011

Jamie says: I’ve got oatmeal on my mind lately. I’m brainstorming recipes for an oatmeal contest. You should see the brainstorming “web” I made. Remember those from elementary school? They really do come in handy!

For breakfast today, I made…

Key Lime Pie Oatmeal

The cinnamon oatmeal with the graham cracker and pecan crumble made a great “crust.” And the key lime yogurt was not too sweet- perfect for breakfast.

I added green food coloring for photo-effect because the yogurt looked white, but normally, I wouldn't add it (maybe for St. Patty's Day, though).

Key Lime Pie Oatmeal

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup old fashioned oats (Quaker)
• 1 cup water
• 1 graham cracker (Publix)
• 10 pecan halves
• 6 oz key lime yogurt (Stonyfield 0% fat, 100 calories)
• 2 drops green food coloring, optional
• 1 Tbsp marshmallow Fluff or whipped cream

Directions:

1. Combine oats and water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 3 minutes. Add cinnamon. Stir.
2. Crumble graham cracker and crush pecans. Combine. Sprinkle on outer rim of oatmeal to form a “crust.”
3. Mix food coloring in yogurt (if desired) and scoop yogurt on top of oatmeal and within “crust.” Top with a dollop of Fluff or whipped cream. Enjoy!

Serves: 1

• Nutrition note: What makes this recipe healthier than your typical key lime pie? There’s fiber from the oatmeal and pecans; calcium, vitamin D, potassium, and protein from the yogurt; healthy fats from the pecans; and some whole grains from the oatmeal and the graham crackers. Plus it’s a lot lower in fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories. Oh, and you can eat this whole “pie” for a meal!

Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal with Whey Protein November 8, 2011

Jamie says: I’ve recently started experimenting with protein bars and protein powder. Most of the products I’ve had were actually quite tasty and filling. My friend Stephanie introduced me to the idea of adding whey protein powder to oatmeal when I stayed at her house once. So today, I tried making it myself for the first time…

Everything you need (except water) to make Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal with Whey Protein

I liked the sweet burst of flavor the cherries brought to the dish and how the milk added moisture. The chocolate flavor wasn’t as strong as when I add the protein powder to cold milk, but it was still good.

Not your typical oats...

I enjoyed this breakfast before my first big group bike ride with my Uncle Steve, but it would make a great recovery meal, too.

That's one of the cherries swimming in the milk

Chocolate Cherry Oats with Whey Protein

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup old fashioned oats (Quaker)
• 1 cup water
• 1 scoop (34 g) chocolate whey protein powder (Solgar Whey to go)
• 3 Tbsp dried tart cherries
• 1/3 cup fat free milk

Directions:

1. In a microwave-safe bowl, stir together oats, water, protein powder, and cherries. Microwave 3 minutes. Stir.
2. Pour milk in bowl. Enjoy!

• Nutrition note: Chocolate Cherry Oats with Whey Protein can be an athlete power breakfast. Tart cherries have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and have been shown to be beneficial in muscle function and recovery after workouts. Consuming adequate protein is also important for athletes since they’re muscles are breaking down and rebuilding.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal with Sliced Bananas November 7, 2011

Jamie says: I usually like breakfast food for breakfast, lunch food for lunch, and dinner food for dinner. But not lately! I couldn’t believe I wanted my leftover Chipotle burrito for breakfast last week and oatmeal for lunch today.

But not just any oatmeal… I craved Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal with Sliced Bananas. So, I made it.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal with Sliced Bananas

It was really quite delicious. Ever enjoyed peanut butter on a banana? Or made chocolate peanut butter cups? Or went out for fondue and dipped banana slices in the chocolate? Or maybe had a peanut butter and banana sandwich for lunch? This dish is the best of the three worlds. Chocolate + peanut butter + banana on oatmeal = can’t go wrong!

Looks like the inside of a giant chocolate peanut butter cup!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal with Sliced Bananas

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup old fashioned oats (Quaker)
• 1 cup water
• 1 medium banana
• 1/2 cup chocolate pudding (Kozy Shack)
• 1 Tbsp natural peanut butter (Smucker’s)

Directions:

1. Pour oats and water into a microwave-safe bowl. Cook for 3 minutes. Stir oatmeal.
2. Meanwhile, slice banana.
3. Top oatmeal with chocolate pudding, peanut butter, and sliced banana. Enjoy!

Serves: 1

• Nutrition note: Trans fat alert! Check your peanut butter and pudding for trans fats. Don’t be deceived by the words “0 grams of trans fat per serving”… read the ingredients and avoid products with the words “partially hydrogenated oils.”

Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal September 23, 2011

Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal

Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal

Jamie says:  Happy fall!  Today’s the first day of the season and it’s also one of my favorite days of the year.  I have no idea why I have this strange connection to the number 23 and September 23rd, but for some reason, I love the date.  And I also love all of the pumpkin foods and beverages that become available.  I “pre-gamed” with two Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Frappuccinos this week… but to officially kick off the season, I made…

Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats (Quaker)
• 1 cup water
• 2 Tbsp raisins (Publix)
• 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice (Spice Island)
• 2 Tbsp pumpkin butter- pumpkin, sugar, spices (Lynman Orchards)
• 2 Tbsp fat free milk (Publix)

Directions:

1. In a microwave-safe bowl, add oatmeal, water, and raisins.  Microwave for 3 minutes.
2. Stir in pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin butter.  Top with milk.  Enjoy!

Serves: 1

Variation:  Try toasted walnuts on top.

Full of fall flavor and perfectly sweetened!  Tastes like pumpkin pie filling!

• Nutrition note:  Pumpkin is a great source of vitamin A (in the form of beta carotene).  Vitamin A is important for vision.

Cocoa Oats with Cappuccino Kefir and Fresh Raspberries September 1, 2011

Cocoa Oats with Cappuccino Kefir and Fresh Raspberries

Jamie says:  My sister is coming home today!

Cocoa Oats with Cappuccino Kefir and Fresh Raspberries

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup old fashioned oats (Quaker)
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup fresh raspberries (Well-Pict)
• 1 Tbsp sliced almonds (POM Wonderful)
• 1 Tbsp natural unsweetened cocoa (Hershey’s)
• 1/4 cup low fat cappuccino kefir (Lifeway)

Directions:

1. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine oats and water.  Microwave for 3 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, wash raspberries.  Pat dry.
3. Microwave almond slices on a microwave safe plate for 2 minutes.
4. Mix cocoa into cooked oats.  Place raspberries in the middle of oats.  Sprinkle raspberries with almond slices on top of raspberries.  Drizzle kefir on top.

Serves: 1.  Enjoy!

Rich, cocoa taste with creamy cappuccino kefir makes these oats nothing less than extraordinary.

• Nutrition note:  Kefir is an excellent source of probiotics which may aid in digestive health and immunity.

Mocha Oatmeal with Prunes August 8, 2011

Mocha Oatmeal with Prunes

Jamie says:  It was graduation morning.  I ate this breakfast sitting on the floor.  Happily, I might add.  My kitchen table was sold.  My futon was sold.  The only piece of furniture left was my bed, which would be sold in a few hours.  My parents had a hotel at the Reitz Union nearby, but I wanted to stay in my apartment as long as I could.  I had lived there for 2 years; and I’d been going to school in Gainesville for the past 6 years.  It was kind of hard to believe college was coming to an end.  So many great memories.  But it’s also a new beginning, a new stage of my life, an adventure to embark on…

Mocha Oatmeal with Prunes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup oatmeal (Quaker Old Fashioned Oats)
• 8 prunes (Sunsweet D’Noir Dried Pitted Plums)
• 1/4 cup Bolthouse Farms Perfectly Protein Mocha Cappuccino 

Directions:

1. In a small pot, bring water to a boil.  Meanwhile, quarter prunes.
2. Once water reaches a boil, add oatmeal and cut prunes to the pot.  Reduce heat to medium-high.  Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Pour Bolthouse Farms Perfectly Protein Mocha Cappuccino on top.  Serves: 1.  Enjoy!

A  sweet breakfast!  The mocha cappuccino is creamy, and the prune pieces add bursts of flavor.

• Nutrition note:  Bolthouse Farms Perfectly Protein Mocha Cappuccino is fortified with some vitamins and minerals.  This means that selected vitamins and minerals are added to the beverage to increase the beverage’s nutrient content.