Oatmeal just might hold the records for healthiest and most boring breakfast food!
The beauty of oats is their ability to go with almost anything!
Luckily, Men’s Fitness has 6 ways to knock your oats up a notch!
1. Banana-Nut Butter
Mix in a spoonful of protein-heavy peanut, almond, or sunflower butter to make your oats even heartier and more filling, then top with potassium-packed banana slices, which can help you maintain your level of electrolytes and prevent muscle cramping during workouts. Finally, sprinkle a handful of flax seeds for a dose of Omega 3 fatty acids—they can help prevent inflammation and reduce the risk of chronic diseases, such as arthritis, heart disease, and cancer.
2. Savory Spinach and Parm
Elevate oats to full-fledged hearty brunch fare with grated Parmesan, sautéed spinach, a bit of olive oil, a pinch of coarse salt, and a dash of pepper. To up the protein even more, add a poached egg—or splurge with a piece of chopped turkey bacon.
3. “Chai” Mix
Bust out of the brown sugar rut with this grown-up version of oats, which tastes perfect on a cold morning. Inspired by the warm, spicy tea, it’s similarly sweet, but with a kick. Just add a pinch of crushed nutmeg, ginger, coriander, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves.
4. Fruit Medley
Whether fresh, frozen, pureed, or dried, fruit is a great complement to oats. The juices provide just enough sweetness, without having to resort to artificial additives. Try a spoonful of blueberries, which are packed with antioxidants, or stir in some all-fruit jam for a thicker consistency. Dried cranberries and apricots are also delicious, especially when paired with some crushed walnuts, almonds, or pecans. The nuts pack health benefits, too: a daily dose of walnuts could help lower your LDL cholesterol, according to a 2010 study.
5. Coconut Milk
Super-hydrating coconut milk will fuel you up. Top with pistachios, cinnamon, and shredded coconut, and you’ve got a healthy take on rice pudding. (Bonus: this flavorful combination can stew in a slow-cooker overnight, saving you precious morning minutes.)
6. Pumpkin and Protein Powder
For a healthy fall breakfast that tastes more like a treat, warm up 1/3 cup of pumpkin puree and add a pinch of pumpkin pie spice and some vanilla-flavored protein powder. It’s like pie, without the gut-busting crust. Plus it’s super rich in Vitamin A and beta-carotene.
Wow… all of those sound ahmayzing!
We thought they were just gonna be like “chop up an apple and sprinkle on cinnamon,” but nope!
These are some serious 5-star oatmeal recipes.
So try ’em out and get healthy without giving up flavor.
[Image via Wikimedia Commons.]