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Healthy Oatmeal Ideas and Toppings

By Diane Hanson

If your idea of oatmeal is just oats, milk and a sprinkling of brown sugar, then you’re in for a really pleasant surprise. There are so many other ingredients that you can add to a bowl of oats to create different flavors and textures. So why are you having the same old boring, mushy oatmeal porridge over and over again? Steal these super mouth-watering healthy oatmeal ideas and toppings, and say hello to brighter mornings!

What Can You Add to Oatmeal Porridge to Make It Taste Better?

1. For more exciting tastes while boosting calcium intake, you can add unsweetened almond milk, soy milk or rice milk instead of cow’s milk to oatmeal. Then drizzle in a sweet topping such as honey, maple syrup or applesauce. Try manuka honey as it is reported to have stronger weight loss benefits than regular honey.

2. Toss in a handful of dried fruits including currants, raisins, and dried cranberries, cherries, blueberries, apricots and dates for a bit of natural sweetness. If you want some crunch, feel free to add a small sprinkle of coarsely chopped nuts such as walnuts, pistachios or almonds. Pumpkin seeds as well as flax seeds also make delicious oatmeal toppings without adding to your waistline. Both are great sources of omega 3, which is said to help speed up metabolism.

3. Add fresh fruits such as sliced-up bananas, apples, strawberries, blueberries or blackberries to oatmeal. In case you can’t find fresh, frozen fruits work well too. However, try to steer clear of canned fruits soaked in syrup. They tend to be higher in sugar and therefore, less fat-loss-friendly.

4. You can also top your bowl of oatmeal with your favorite granola, a touch of cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract, cocoa or even ginger to spice up your breakfast. Here’s my favorite way to eat oatmeal – stir in some cocoa powder into a bowl of oatmeal and then add a teaspoon of manuka honey or a bit of cinnamon. You’ll have a rich chocolatey oatmeal porridge in minutes, and have nothing to feel guilty about!

5. Feel like having something salty at breakfast but have no time to fuss in the kitchen? For a deliciously savory morning treat, add generous amounts of feta cheese and grindings of black pepper to your bowl of oatmeal porridge.

6. Think out of the box, oatmeal doesn’t necessarily mean breakfast! Add a big scoop of low fat vanilla ice cream and frozen mango cubes (or any other kinds of fruits); icy cold ice cream meets warm oatmeal porridge “dessert” – heavenly!

7. Want to treat youself to a sinful indulgence? Add your favorite chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, butter and brown sugar, whipped cream or crushed candy bars. Add a tablespoon of agave nectar to oatmeal, swirl in caramel sauce, chocolate sauce and then toss in a handful of roasted peanuts. Irresistibly tasty but be warned, this oatmeal recipe can break your calorie bank!

8. As you may already know, oats provide a wide range of health-enhancing benefits and are highly encouraged for regular consumption. But what if your picky family members simply hate eating porridge? You can hide rolled oats by adding them to your favorite recipes – chocolate chip cookies, muffins, mini-breads, pancakes (great for fussy kids) – for a nice chewy texture and a mild nutty taste.

9. Next time you make meatballs, meatloaf or stuffed mushrooms, use rolled oats or quick-cooking oats as fillers rather than bread or cracker crumbs. Oats hold onto moisture pretty well, and it’s also a great wat to get dietary fiber into your diet. Oats can also be used in place of breadcrumbs to coat chicken or fish.

10. Did you know oats work wonders as thickening agents too? You can add a tablespoon or two of oatmeal to thicken soups, stews or even smoothies for added nutrition.

With so many oatmeal ideas and toppings to tempt you, will you be having a hearty bowl of oatmeal porridge for breakfast tomorrow?

what can i add to oatmeal porridge to make it taste better

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