Looking for a breakfast staple that’s good for you and just plain good? Don’t be tempted by the oatmeal instant packages full of extra ingredients and added sugars and make these oats quick!
Quick Oats Quick
Ingredients
- 1 cup quick oats
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce organic
- 1/2 cup unsweetened milk of choice
- 1 spoonful pure maple syrup
- 1-2 spoonfuls Ground flax seed (optional, for additional nutrients)
- 1-2 spoonfuls Hemp heart seeds (optional, for additional nutrients)
- Ground cinnamon (optional, topping)
- Fresh or frozen fruit (optional, topping)
Instructions
- Using a mason jar or any bowl (if you are not a hipster) pour in 1 cup of quick oats.
- If you desire elevated nutrients (aka you can sneak it past your 4 year old) stir in 1-2 spoonfuls of ground flax and/or hemp heart seeds.
- Add half a cup of milk of choice (Tip: Just use 1/2 cup measurer and your regular spoon, instead of a tablespoon, to do a general spoonful. You know, to save on dishes and general sanity).
- Add half a cup of applesauce.
- Add a spoonful of maple syrup.
- Stir to incorporate.
Notes
Now about those ingredients…
We eat a lot of oats in our house, and because we eat them so often, I buy them organic. Popular brands like Quaker Oats have tested positive for known carcinogens, and why that’s bad is a whole other issue which I will tackle later. Ultimately, you want as few of those in your system as possible, especially for the tiny humans you are caring for. Government regulations for that stuff is based on very old, outdated research estimating what big people can tolerate and not your 20 pound toddler. Whole Foods has a great price on their 365 oats for around $5, and most local health food stores offer them in bulk for even less than that.
Apples are on the dirty dozen so I buy organic apple products as often as possible. You can purchase jars of of organic unsweetened applesauce from Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods for about $3. More mainstream grocery stores, like Walmart and Publix, are catching up, so check your store, and let me know what you find! When in doubt, scan the label for ingredients that you understand.
I won’t tackle all the non diary milk options here because there are a multitude of choices. We use Bolthouse Farms Pea Protein and Califia Farms Almond.
Maple syrup and table syrup are not the same. Pick up your syrup and read the label. I am sorry, Aunt Jemima, but what’s listed on your ingredients just isn’t food. Maple syrup is more expensive by far, but a little goes a long way and will not create the same sugar addiction that high fructose, refined sugar and corn syrup create. Best prices are Target, Trader Joes and Walmart.
Ground Flax can be found everywhere from Walmart to Kroger; check the natural food or baking aisles. Hemp seeds are gaining more and more popularity but can still be hard to find and expensive. They are a great source of plant protein and omegas. Trader Joes and Walmart carry them.
I taught a few cooking classes for teens recently. Many of the kids mentioned to me that they were iron deficient. It’s not uncommon, but I was struck by how many of them also told me they only eat snacks. Oatmeal is a great way to fuel yourself and your family with iron plus many other nutrients. Did you know cinnamon is a natural prebiotic? Prebiotics feed our good gut bacteria which builds up our immune system. A few extra steps here and few less steps to the doctors office.
Once you’ve tried the recipe, come back to this post and let me know what you thought of it or how you customized it! And check out my other favorite recipes using oats.
Live well friends,
Christy
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