I can count on two hands the days in the past year that I haven’t had oatmeal for breakfast. No joke. Some people can’t get moving until they’ve had their morning cup o’ joe; I am useless without my oatmeal!

Waking up, I am one hungry, hungry hippo.  Cold cereal, eggs, toast, leave me hungry by 930,  oatmeal is the only thing that can go the distance with me, filling me up for the whole morning.

For those (crazy people!) who are grossed out by the look of oatmeal, porridge, whatever you want to call it, I have a few info-bits that may change your mind.

• Oatmeal is a good source of fibre and protein,
• It has a low glycemic index (won’t spike your blood sugar – it burns steady through your system)
• It takes only minutes to make (you can even prepare at night for it to be ready the next day),
• It is a blank slate for an endless combination of add-ins, and
• It’s cheap! A kg bag goes for about $3.50 and can last a single person months.

I never, ever bother with the single-serving packages of oatmeal because the flavoured ones are just brimming with all sorts of weird dried ‘fruit’, sugars, dyes, and other unpronounceable ingredients. Not my cup of tea. Do yourself a favour, and buy a bulk Kg of oats from the grocery store, and kiss all those hungry mornings you’ve had goodbye.

The past few days I’ve been swirling some of my Spiced Carrot Butter into my oats. It instantly carrot-cake-orizes your breakfast! Canned pumpkin is another favourite of mine. Add a few shakes of cinnamon, nutmeg, a bit of vanilla soy or coconut milk, and walnuts and you have just whipped yourself up a bowl of pumpkin pie, sans guilt.

This recipe is no doubt, the one I eat most often. Two ingredients that the average person may not have in their pantry, but are definitely worth getting, are flaxseed and chia seed (aka salba). I add them to every version of oats, because both of these seeds are nutritional rockstars!

Chia seeds are an amazing source of fibre, protein, vitamin C, antioxidants, and help keep you full because they absorb liquid and increase in volume when added to foods.

Flaxseed is a great source of omega fatty acids, fibre, and adds a great nutty flavour to soups, salads, smoothies, whatever! Flaxseeds are sold ground or whole. Their benefits can only be reaped if they are ground up before consuming, so if you buy the whole seeds at the grocery store (organic/bulk section) be sure to bust them up in your blender, food processor, even coffee grinder. Keep them in the fridge, ideally in an opaque bag. They stay freshest that way!

So flax and chia seeds – love these little guys.

On to breakfast!

Banana Bread Oatmeal 

Serves 1

• 1/3 cup quick oats (I prefer no name or Presidents Choice Organic brand)
• 2/3 cup water or milk (for added protein/cals)
• 1/2 ripe banana, chopped
• 1 tbsp flaxseed
• 1 tbsp chia seed
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp chopped walnuts
• Drizzle maple syrup (optional)

Cook oats according to instructions, using water or milk. Halfway through cooking time (approx 1.5 minute in the microwave for quick oats), add chopped banana and continue cooking until all liquids are absorbed. Stir in flax, chia, spices and vanilla until combined. Top with walnuts and a drizzle of maple syrup if you like!