Creamy Oatmeal with Vanilla Almond Milk, Strawberries and Whole Grain Toast

Glorious Saturday! The air is crisp and the sun is shining here in Northern California. Spring in Petaluma is definitely my favorite time of year! After a great sleep, hubby, the kids and I were in need of some good, wake-me-up kind of food.

Nothing is better than a hearty bowl of creamy oatmeal. If you haven't tried any of Bob's Red Mill products, now is the time. This is certainly one of my favorite things! The actual name is Bob's Red Mill Extra Thick Cut Oats. This oatmeal is made with thick-cut, organic oats not the wimpy, powdery instant variety. It has a wonderful chewy texture and they are just plain delicious! Oats are a great source of insoluble and soluble fiber, they help regulate blood sugar, they are a great source of nutrients and protein and plus they taste great. Oatmeal also keeps your tummy full and satisfied. You may be thinking that everyone knows how to make oatmeal.  Wrong. Folks, most people open the package and pop it in the micro. Who knows what you are getting in this instant type product. What I am talking about is a delicious, warm bowl of REAL FOOD! Nothing instant, nothing with chemicals or fake flavorings. I promise you it doesn't take much longer to make the real thing.

Creamy Oatmeal with Vanilla Almond Milk

1 cup Bob's Red Mill Extra Thick Cut Oats
2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinammon
1/2 cup Vanilla Almond Milk
1/4 cup pecans
agave syrup

Add oats, water, salt and cinammon to a saucepan over low heat. Bring to a very gentle boil and add the almond milk. Add more or less almond milk for desired creaminess. Continue to gently boil the oats until they are a creamy, thick texture, about 5-8 minutes. The oatmeal will thicken as it sits so don't cook too long or it will end up a big lump! Serve up your oatmeal in a bowl and sprinkle with nuts and drizzle with agave syrup.

Add sliced strawberries on the side and warm, toasted whole grain bread spread with Earth Balance and jam. Sit in the sunshine and enjoy!

Ok, truth be told, I eat oatmeal quite a bit. During the week, when we are rushing about, I get it on the stove while I am prepping lunches. It is done in minutes. I toss it into a thermos and eat when there is a free minute. You can also toss it in a coffee cup and put it in the cup holder of your car. It thickens nicely and I take a bite or two at each stop light. When you are busy, it is better to make a healthy meal work rather than stop at the local coffee shop for junk! Your body will thank you for starting your day on such a great note.

Yes, I am starting the blog slowly with basic recipes. When I became interested in a vegan diet, I wanted somewhere to go for beginners, I didn't want to jump into TVP (textured vegetable protein) or tofu. I needed basic recipes to get me going quickly. I wanted someone to answer the question...What do I eat for breakfast...lunch...dinner...snacks? I didn't need a big list of recipes. I wanted the basic "how to" on eating a vegan diet. 

I think the first thing I did was switch to Earth Balance buttery spread. By picking one thing in my diet to switch it became much less overwhelming. Our daughter can tell when I switch milk brands so I was sure she would be the first to pick out the new "butter". Luckily, no one said a word and on top of it Earth Balance tastes great. You can cook with it, spread it on toast, add it to baked goods so it is a true butter replacement.  It is not hydrogenated like many of the other non-butter spreads so please don't think these are in the same league. They aren't! That one small step led to others until the day arrived when my diet was vegan. If you are thinking of trying out a vegan diet or trying to reduce the amount of saturated fat in your diet, this is a great easy way to start.