Oatmeal... Not the best sounding word that describes an edible food. It's as though there's a sense of "ugh" that drags along with the use of the word. It's boring, nonetheless unappetizing. However, some people have no issue enjoying a bowl of boring oatmeal (ugh). But for others, it's not as easy to get around the texture, tastelessness, and the down right boringness of oatmeal. There are solutions to this, by dousing your oatmeal with a ton of added sugar. But doesn't that defeat the whole purpose of eating oatmeal in the first place?
People don't grab a bowl of mush for the enjoyment of putting that in their mouths. They do it for the health benefits. Again, we encounter another food that's "healthy" for you, but doesn't necessarily taste delicious as per say chocolate chip pancakes.
Even though boring oatmeal cannot be compared to eating chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast. There are ways to dress up oatmeal to trick us in thinking it's chocolate chip pancakes. Not really, but you get the point.
Below are 7 ways I personally enjoy dressing up my own bowls of boring oatmeal. However, there are many combinations of ingredients to top off oatmeal that are beyond those that are shown. Nonetheless, this is a great starting point for those who don't know where to begin when trying to eat healthy.
1. Toppings: Sliced apple, sliced banana, greek yogurt, creamy peanut butter and a sprinkle of granola.
Oatmeal: Nature's Path Original Oatmeal
Yogurt: (1) Chobani Plain Greek Yogurt which has a creamier and smoother consistency than; (2) Siggis Plain Yogurt, which has a thicker consistency and a taste that's more tart.
Peanut Butter: (1) Smucker's Natural Creamy PB has thicker textured and consistency than; (2) Crazy Richard's Creamy PB which is more liquid and smooth like the consistency of soup.
Granola: (1) Nature's Path Pumpkin Seed and Flax Granola for a light sprinkle of crunch, or (2) Purely Elizabeth's Original Ancient Grain granola for a more nutty and hearty topping.
#spoontip: No added sugar is needed, for all the sweetness comes naturally from the fruits.
2. Toppings: Blueberries, greek yogurt, sliced banana, a sprinkle of granola, and a small amount of blueberry preserve.
The blueberry preserve not only adds more sweetness into the oatmeal, but also this vibrant violet color that makes it more aesthetically pleasing to eat.
3. Toppings: Half of a protein bar, slices of apple, greek yogurt, and a sprinkle of granola.
#spoontip: Add bits of a protein bar to add more fuel to your day.
The protein bar that's pictured is Met-Rx in the flavor Peanut Butter Cup with 30 grams of protein in a single bar. However, there are other protein bars I enjoy as well. Such as, ThinkThin protein bars with around 20 grams of protein in a single bar, or Pure Protein bar that also contains 20 grams of protein in each serving.
This is a creative good way to add more protein in your breakfast, especially before hitting the gym or working out.
4. Toppings: One protein waffle, slices of banana, greek yogurt, peanut butter, and sprinkle of granola.
Protein waffle: Kodiak Cake, frozen dark chocolate power waffles with 12 grams of protein per serving.
The dark chocolate waffles provides an extra texture of crispiness and sweetness to the plain boring oatmeal.
5. Toppings: Half of a grapefruit, blueberries, peanut butter, greek yogurt, and sprinkle of granola.
The grapefruit is a surprising ingredient to add to a mostly soft meal. However, this tangy, yet sweet fruit adds lightness and a pop of flavor and juiciness to each bite.
6. Toppings: Slices of apple, blueberries, peanut butter, greek yogurt, and sprinkle of granola.
Yes, I am fully aware that some of these combinations share similar ingredients. However, that's just goes to show that oatmeal is simple to make, and is very interchangeable with its toppings. Which makes the cost of groceries less expensive. #spoontip
7. Toppings: Blueberries, sliced banana, greek yogurt, sprinkle of granola, and two energy ball bites.
There are many recipes that can be found online to make non-bake energy balls. Since, the ones I've made are made of majority of peanut butter, that replaced my usual spoonful of creamy peanut butter. These energy balls also adds another texture which makes the oatmeal taste more complexed and more delicious.
As seen above, it doesn't take fancy ingredients to transform a boring meal to something you dread finishing. Yes I admit that on occasion I would look at my empty bowl of oatmeal and be genuinely upset I've eaten the entire thing. But besides that point, it goes to show that healthy eating is not all that intimidating or even unappetizing. It doesn't take a chef to whip up a bowl of oatmeal, anyone can do it.
And that's why oatmeal has consistently been my go to breakfast each morning. Before hitting the gym or getting an early start to the day, I want something that's fast, easy, delicious, and nutritious. Oatmeal has the heaviness of a meal to fuel me with the necessary energy, but also a lightness that won't put me into a food coma.
Oatmeal isn't all that mushy or tasteless after all, just dress it up a little.