Think oatmeal’s boring? I did too—until I developed a recipe for the best oatmeal ever. It takes oatmeal from regular breakfast fare to divine treat.
Since Griffin’s eating more solids at this point, I’ve been experimenting with warm nourishing breakfast cereals, and of course oatmeal has played a big part in this.
But I’ll be honest; I’m not the biggest fan of the humble grain. It is decent, but I can think of so many other yummy alternatives like sprouted corn blueberry waffles or a coconut smoothie.
Still, oatmeal has it’s benefits—it’s easy to make, it’s warm, and it’s definitely nourishing enough for a hungry, busy toddler. It’s just so easy, but in my opinion, it’s definitely lacking a little something, something.
So I got to work experimenting in the kitchen. I was totally set on finding a way to make our daily oatmeal just a little more appetizing! After much tinkering, I’ve stumbled upon a way to raise oatmeal from regular breakfast fare to an absolutely divine treat. Yay!
This recipe is simple, easy, and DELICIOUS! Oh, and it’s totally toddler-approved. And isn’t that one of the hardest stamps of approval to win?!
Ingredients
- 2 cups of organic rolled oats (for this recipe, these are preferable versus steel cut)
- 4 cups of filtered water
- 1 scant tsp of raw apple cider vinegar or lemon
- 1 TB of whole wheat flour (you can use buckwheat flour if you’re gluten intolerant)
- 3 to 4 coconut rolled dates. These are the special ingredient. They can be found at Whole Foods in the bulk section or ordered online. I know they’re expensive, but trust me, they’re worth the investment! (Find more date recipes here!)
- 2 to 4 TB coconut flakes
- 1/3 c. milk (you can replace this with coconut milk or water, if you prefer)
- dash of salt
- raw honey or stevia to taste
Directions
- In a pan, soak your 2 cups of rolled oats in 4 cups of luke warm water with your vinegar and lemon and 1 TB of whole wheat flour for a full 24 hours. By doing this step, you’re helping to break down the antinutrients like phytic acid in the oats. (Read more about why it’s important to soak nuts, grains, and seeds here.)
- This makes your oatmeal easier to digest and more nutritionally available to the body.
- Set out 3 to 4 coconut rolled dates so they come to room temperature.
- In the morning, put oatmeal on the burner and set the stove to high. Wait till the water comes to a boil, then reduce and simmer uncovered.
- Cook for about 15 to 20 minutes on low. About half way into the cooking time, mince your dates with scissors, a knife or a fork and stir into the oatmeal mixture. Add your coconut flakes and 1/3 cup of milk. Cook until most of the liquid is absorbed and you have a nutty, thick oatmeal that is easy to dish out.
- Serve the oatmeal with raw honey, stevia, or fresh fruit. Nuts and maple syrup also make a nice topping—especially in the fall. Yum! ENJOY!
How about YOU?
Have you mastered your morning oatmeal? I’m always looking for new, delicious ideas. Share your recipe with us in the comments below.
