Put away the packets! One of my favorite breakfast foods growing up was a bowl of oatmeal prepared from instant packets of apples and cinnamon oatmeal.
Funny how our palates change, and our fond recollections are not what we once thought. I recently grabbed such a packet to eat on while flying cross country. While it filled my empty belly with warm comfort, I found the consistency now pasty, the taste a bit salty, and the bits of dried apple in need of an upgrade.
Hence, I was inspired to create my own fast fix apple oatmeal. Only my vision was to have it taste reminiscent of apple pie. To do so I knew that the apples would need to be cooked, so you will note in this recipe (compared to most other apple oatmeal recipes), the apple gets partly cooked before the oats are added. This simple step yield soft cinnamony apples that really do make this oatmeal a breakfast treat.
Makes 1 serving
½ medium apple (Granny Smith or Golden Delicious), peeled and chopped
1 ¼ cups water, divided
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons no-calorie sweetener (or 3 packets)*
½ cup old fashioned oats
pinch of salt (optional)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1. In a medium-size microwave-safe bowl, combine the apple, ¼ cup water, cinnamon and sweetener, and stir.
2. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Remove and add the apple oats, salt if desired, remaining 1 cup of water, and vanilla, and stir.
3. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Remove and stir again.
* If you prefer to use a sugar/stevia baking blend (like Truvia or Splenda Naturals), as directed on the package use 1/2 as much (or 1 tablespoon for this recipe).
Nutrition Information Per Serving: Calories 200 | Carbohydrate 38g (Sugars 9g) | Total Fat 2.5g (Sat Fat 0g) | Protein 6g | Fiber 5g | Cholesterol 0mg | Sodium 10mg Food Exchanges: 1 1/2 Starch, 1/2 Fruit | Carbohydrate Choices: 2 | Weight Watcher Smart Point Comparison: Green 4, Blue 3, Purple 3
