Almost Instant Make Ahead Oatmeal Bowls

Everyone knows oatmeal is such a great way to start your morning. It is loaded with whole grain goodness that has been shown to lower bad cholesterol while upping the good and balancing out blood pressure. Its heartiness keeps you full until lunchtime; its versatility is endless. My husband was literally eating a giant plain bagel every morning with fatty cream cheese. One giant lump of white flour, sugar and saturated fats, not to mention a ton of calories. One plain bagel with 2 tablespoons of whipped cream cheese comes in at 300 calories and is nothing more than a bunch of wasted carbs. The carbohydrates in oats are complex; they keep you feeling fuller longer, contain higher amounts of fiber and less simple sugar. The packets of instant oatmeal you get at the store have upwards of 12 grams of sugar; some even more, plus added preservatives. Why subject yourself to this non-sense when you can make your own?

I started making my husband oatmeal bowls that he can just add water to and microwave in the morning for a hearty, healthy low-calorie breakfast. Sometimes he pairs it with an apple or a yogurt to balance out his meal. I make 5 or 6 at a time and keep them in small reusable plastic bowls with lids so he can eat them throughout the week and not have to worry about assembling them in the morning. Convenient, huh? Oh, by the way, I make about 3 weeks’ worth of oatmeal for about $4. One of those oatmeal bowls you buy at the grocery stores costs almost $3.00!

Below is the recipe I use but there are so many variations you can make. Be creative PB2, chocolate chips, dried fruits, nuts, bananas, jam, vanilla bean, spices, apples are all great add-ins for your oatmeal.

These bowls are also a great make ahead breakfast or snack for kids. You can even pack an oatmeal bowl for lunch if there is access to a microwave for you or your little one.

Almost-Instant Oatmeal Bowls (Use organic ingredients whenever possible.)

To make 5 oatmeal bowls:

1 ¼ cups quick cooking oats

5 tbsp dried cranberries, raisins, golden raising or cherries (or a mixture)

1 ¼ tsp cinnamon

5 tbsp brown sugar

Salt

5 small reusable, microwavable bowls with lids or you can put them in plastic baggies and just pour it into a bowl in the morning. I like the bowls because I am not wasting any plastic baggies (those babies are expensive).

To assemble:

Place a ¼ cup of oats, 1 tbsp dried fruit, ¼ tsp cinnamon a pinch of salt and 1 tbsp brown sugar into each bowl. Put on the lid and give it a shake. Place in a dry, cool spot until ready to eat.

To Cook:

Add ¾ cup of warm-hot water to your oatmeal. Place the oatmeal bowl in the microwave and heat on high 2 minutes. Give it a stir and cook 30 more seconds. Feel free to add your milk of choice for serving.

Be careful your oatmeal will bubble!