Everyone says that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and it is so true! It is the first thing that you eat and it is what gets you going for the whole day. Oatmeal is a great breakfast option, not only is it nutritious but also extremely customizable. You can use whatever base, oats and toppings you want, according to what you are craving. As the weather is getting cooler a nice bowl of warm oatmeal is always a great way to start your day.
Recipe 1: Apple Pie Overnight Oatmeal
Overnight oats are perfect for those mornings when you do not have time to whip up something but still need good fuel. It takes all of 5 minutes to prepare, at least the day before, and it can last for a few days if stored in a sealed container. So you can make it Sunday while meal prepping for the week or just the night before – and then you wake up to a nice bowl of creamy oatmeal. If you have a few minutes to spare in the morning and want to warm it up, you can definitely put it in a pot and warm it up on the stove or just quickly warm it up in the microwave.
Ingredients (per 1 serving):
- 1/2 cup of rolled oats
- 1/2 cup of 2% milk (or milk of choice)
- 1 tbsp of nut butter (I find almond butter tastes the best)
- 1/2 tbsp of chia seeds
- 1 tsp of cinnamon
- 1 tsp of nutmeg
- 1 tbsp maple syrup (or honey)
- 1 apple (you can grate it if you want your apple to be well incorporated in the oatmeal, small cubes if you want small soft apple pieces or large cubes if you want your apple to still have some crunch)
Instructions:
- In a container mix the rolled oats and milk. Add in your nut butter and mix it really well or else you will get clumps in your oatmeal. Once these three are well incorporated, go ahead and mix in your chia seeds, spices, maple syrup and lastly add in your apples. Mix and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
- Again you can play around with these ingredients to your liking, if you want more or less sweetness, go ahead and add more or less maple syrup. If you have pumpkin pie spice, I find this combination also tastes really good since it is essentially cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice and cloves. If you have a nut allergy you can definitely substitute with sunflower butter.
- Then when you wake up you can enjoy your bowl of oatmeal or pack it into your lunch bag to have on your commute in the morning. You can absolutely add a few more apple pieces in the morning with some nuts for some added crunch.
Recipe 2: Pumpkin Pie Rolled Oatmeal
No autumn inspired recipe post would be complete without pumpkins, as autumn has now been notoriously associated with PSL everything! This recipe is your traditional rolled oatmeal recipe and it takes all of 10 minutes to make in the morning. Once again, super customizable, you are absolutely able to play around with the quantities of ingredients.
Ingredients (per 1 serving):
- 1/2 cup of rolled oats
- 1 cup of liquid – either water, milk or 1/2 cup of each (adding milk will just give you a creamier oatmeal)
- 1/2 cup of pure canned pumpkin
- 1 tsp of brown sugar
- 1 tsp of pumpkin pie spice (or just 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 tsp nutmeg)
- 1 tbsp of maple syrup
Instructions:
- Add all ingredients to a saucepan. Mix well and place on medium to high heat.
- Once the mixture begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and let it cook for an additional 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Once this done you can definitely add some toppings. If you’re looking for a suggestion try a dollop of vanilla greek yogurt, pumpkin seeds and pecan pieces!
Recipe 3: Maple Pecan Steel Cut Oats
Out of the three oat options (instant, rolled and steel) steel cut oats are my favourite. Not only are they the most nutritious, as the oats are in their whole unprocessed form, but in my opinion they taste the best. They have a nutty flavour and I could eat a bowl of steel oats with little to no toppings. Also taking an extra minute or two to toast your oats really enhances their flavour. However, they do take longer to prepare so this is perfect for weekend mornings or for mornings where you have a few extra minutes. Another option is to cook the steel cut oats in a slow cooker overnight and you can wake up to an already made, warm oatmeal. It is good to note that steel cut oats only keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days, so you can absolutely cook the oats during Sunday meal prep and then each morning scoop out however how much you want, add a little bit of liquid and heat it up on the stove and add your toppings.
Ingredients (per 1 serving):
- 1/4 cup of steel cut oats
- 1/2 tbsp of coconut oil
- 1.5 cups of water
- 1/2 tsp of salt
- 1 tsp of brown sugar
- 1 tsp of cinnamon
- 1 tbsp of maple syrup
- 1/4 cup of pecan pieces
Instructions:
- Add the water and salt and bring to a boil in your saucepan.
- As you are waiting for the water to boil, toast your oats by putting them in a non stick pan along with the coconut oil and on medium heat. Toast them for about 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Once the water has boiled and your oats have been toasted, add the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and maple syrup to the boiling water. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover.
- Cook for about 15 minutes (more or less depending on your preference of consistency), stirring occasionally.
- Once done add some toppings to your bowl. Mix in your pecan pieces, add a dash of extra maple syrup and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar (a mix of cinnamon and brown sugar)!