Now that the summer is coming to an end, we are reaching that weird transitional period of the year where we are unsure whether to break out the shorts or our favorite fluffy sweater. Living in Florida, I of course wear shorts. I know many of my northern friends already see signs of leaves changing, and cooler mornings will follow soon. Late August through September is the ideal time for us to start thinking of some healthy and bulky breakfasts. Growing up in Tennessee, I read children’s stories about breakfast porridge, but no one I knew made it. Of course, I had lots of oatmeal, cream of wheat, and grits in my home. Then I learned that a bowl of oatmeal is porridge. Really by definition, porridge is a hot breakfast cereal made by boiling ground, crushed or chopped starchy plants—typically grain—in water or milk.
So I know now I grew up with several porridges, but my favorite is a bowl of hot oatmeal. It’s a whole grain—something that most Americans don’t eat often enough. It is high in soluble fiber, which may help to lower “bad” LDL cholesterol, and has a healthy amount of protein, both of which will help you feel satisfied till lunch. Plus it’s a low-glycemic-index (GI) food. I personally prefer old-fashioned rolled oats instead of instant. It has so much flavor and texture and really doesn’t take long to cook. Yes, you can buy little packets of instant oatmeal in all flavors. The grain is more processed, there is more sugar, and probably there are even some chemicals you don’t need. For those of you living in Florida, I recommend Publix Supermarket’s Greenwise line of organic oatmeal. I always have a container in the pantry.
As the weather cools a little, we can look forward to warming and hearty breakfasts which will satisfy the stomach all morning. Oatmeal is great with fruit. We’ve all added fruit to our hot cereal. Today we’ll start with hot oatmeal with great fall additions of maple syrup, cinnamon, apples, and dried cranberries. Who doesn’t love that? I love dried fruit-juice sweetened cranberries. If you prefer, you can substitute raisins in your oatmeal. You can cook it on the stove or in the microwave (be sure to use a deep glass or ceramic dish). If you have an apple tree in the back garden this is the ideal place to utilize your fruits, and if not, head to the store and get some in-season fruit for this dish.
Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal With Cranberries
Use organic when available, makes 2 servings
Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal With Cranberries
Ingredients
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oatssyrup1 teaspoon cinnamon1
- 2 cups water
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp fruit-juice sweetened dried cranberries or raisins
- 1 apple peeled, cored, cubed
- Optional 1/2 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
- Optional chopped pecans or walnuts
Instructions
- In a sauce pan, add sugar, syrup, water, cranberries, nutmeg, and cinnamon
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and add oats
- Cook for about 5 minutes until water is absorbed
- Remove from heat
- Optional place sugar, syrup, water, cinnamon, nutmeg, cranberries, & oats in large microwave safe bowll
- Stir & microwave on high for about 3 minutes
- Add apples and butter
- Stir and divide into 2 bowls
- Drizzle with more syrup if needed
- Optional garnish with chopped nuts
- Optional pour cold milk on hot cerea
Finding the time to make breakfast on a workday can be a pretty hard task, and I strongly suggest you take 10 minutes for a hearty, healthy breakfast with lots of autumn taste!
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This looks so good. Makes me yearn for fall and winter. Would be excellent with hot chocolate. 🙂 TFS
oh yes that sounds great!
This would be lovely on a chilly morning and I’d like to try it, but we’re still in summer mode, here. It’s about 90 degrees today. 😎
I love apples and dried cranberries in my oatmeal but you have a couple of ingredients I didn’t think to add, so I will be following your recipe next time. Thanks so much!
That sounds so delicious! We have started having a few cool mornings here and there and I have seen a few leaves already changing colors so I just know fall will be here before I know it! Thanks for sharing with us at Encouraging Hearts and Home. Pinned.
This looks delicious, but I think I’ll leave out the brown sugar and maple syrup. The apples I have are already sweet.
Yummy, pure comfort food!
I am so looking forward to cooler weather – and food like this!
Homemade oatmeal is a favorite breakfast for me and I love it with apples and cinnamon. 🙂 I’m featuring your post on Farm Fresh Tuesdays tonight!
thanks for the feature – fall is such a happy time!