Confession

I have a confession: although it may seem as though I was born this way, I was not always this oats-savvy.  Let’s go back in time, shall we?

Enter freshman year of college. The beginning of my love affair with oatmeal began with a simple need for a quick and easy breakfast I could keep in my dorm room. My mom bought me a box of low sugar instant oatmeal. And it was alright. Something was missing though, and I had the feeling that I was somehow cheating myself or my oatmeal was cheating me. Our love affair was lukewarm at best.

I quickly decided I needed more oomph to my oatmeal, and it turns out oomph = protein, if you didn’t know. With 7 grams of protein, Quaker Weight Control Instant Oatmeal was my oomphified oatmeal, and it. Was. GOOD! I couldn’t get enough. Ask anyone who knows me and they will confirm that I have been eating oatmeal every single day since this discovery. I loved the way the oats rose up in the bowl as they heated in the microwave, threatening to pillow over the edge with their oatful fluffiness. It was always a game to heat them until the last possible second before an oatmeal overflow…something tells me the people I’ve shared a microwave with have not enjoyed this game the way I have. Hmm. I adored the gel-like texture of the oats after I let them rest a few minutes to soak up the liquid. This is prime oatmeal eating time.

And just when I thought I had reached my oat maturity, I discovered old fashioned rolled oats and my world turned oatside down.  Now, you may be thinking “Old fashioned oatmeal is for toothless grandmas,” and I hear you, but let me explain.  When you use regular oats instead of instant one, the texture takes on a whole new level.  Other than the health benefits of using the real deal (I’ll get to that later), they just taste better.  Read about how to make the perfect bowl of oatmeal here.

The possibilities of things you can do with oats are endless. From sweet to savory, warm to crunchy, the add-ins make or break an ordinary bowl of oats.  And not only can you use oats for a killer bowl of oatmeal, but they’re also awesome in other recipes too! Cookies, breadcrumb toppings, face masks….the possibilities are endless, and I am making it my mission to share  all of them with you.