Breakfast

Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal

I know what you’re probably thinking.

“Seriously? This girl is telling us about oats again?”

Or maybe you’re not thinking that because you’ve never read my blog before, in which case… Welcome! And let me warn you right off the bat that I eat (and talk about) oats all the time. I try to throw in a little variety by eating eggs or cereal some mornings, but honestly, oatmeal is my go-to choice for breakfast. I’d probably choose it over pancakes (but maybe not over French toast). I went through the majority of one semester of college fueling myself on little more than oatmeal, sandwiches, scrambled eggs, and Earl Grey lattes, plus some fruits and vegetables. Looking back, I have no idea how I did that–I tend to love variety, but I suppose I just needed a simple meal routine that semester and couldn’t be bothered to put much thought into it. Do you ever get in a food rut like that where you just eat the same thing over and over again?

Before I get to the cinnamon apple oatmeal, let’s chat real quick about another oatmeal recipe I did for a guest post over at a friend’s blog.

That’s my Sweet Potato Baked Oatmeal, and it’s on my list of things to make again soon. If you’d like that recipe, head on over to visit Hannah at A Life Transformed Blog.

And now, since you’re here to see cinnamon apple oatmeal, I’ll get to the point. I’ve already had this oatmeal three times this week, and I think it’s shaping up to be my favorite oatmeal combo this season. (Over the summer, my favorite combo was oatmeal topped with warm blueberries, vanilla yogurt, and lavender.) My usual habit when I’m making oatmeal is that if the toppings will be sweet, I skip adding sugar to the oatmeal itself. That’s the case with this oatmeal recipe, and I still think it tastes like dessert. There’s some sweetness from the apples, and then I drizzle a little maple syrup on top, but there is no sugar added to the oatmeal itself. If you’re used to very sweet oatmeal (and I consider most packaged varieties “very sweet”), this might not taste sweet to you.  Feel free to add a tablespoon or two of brown sugar to the oats if you want a little more sweetness.

Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal

for the oatmeal

  • 1 cup milk (I used whole milk.)
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1 cup old-fashioned oats
  • 3/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • sprinkle of cloves (less than 1/8 tsp)
  • 1 tbsp salted butter (If using unsalted, throw in a pinch of salt.)
  • 1/2 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • (optional) 1-2 tbsp brown sugar

for the topping

  • 1 medium apple, diced
  • 1 tbsp salted butter
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon

extra toppings I like to add

  • (optional) 1/4 cup walnut pieces
  • (optional) 1 tbsp maple syrup
  1. Add milk, water, oats, nutmeg, cloves, and 3/4 tsp cinnamon to a small pot over medium heat, and cook 8 to 10 minutes. Stir occasionally, and watch to be sure the milk does not get out of control and bubble over.
  2. As the oats are cooking, melt 1 tbsp butter in a separate pan and add diced apple and 1/4 tsp cinnamon. Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Once the oats have absorbed most of the liquid, add the butter, chia seeds, vanilla, and brown sugar. (I leave out the brown sugar, but if you prefer sweeter oatmeal, go ahead and add it.) Stir, and cook for 2 more minutes, or until the remaining liquid is absorbed.
  4. Spoon oatmeal into bowls (for us, this is two servings), and top with cooked apples, walnuts, and maple syrup.

Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal (gluten-free, refined sugar-free) A warm, healthy & nourishing breakfast that is high in fiber and tastes like a sweet treat

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