Last year when I started Weight Watchers, I was inspired by the Tribute to Oatmeal on Kath Eats Real Food. Kath takes oatmeal and raises it to glorious levels. Seriously. Just check it out. You'll see.
So I started making her essential oatmeal recipe, which she calls Whipped Banana Oatmeal. It was good. Really good. Creamy, banana-y deliciousness. But this year, I'm just too lazy in the mornings to stand by the stove, whipping up bananas in my oatmeal. So I created a microwave alternative. If you ask me, it's just as good, and it's done in a quarter of the time. I also tweaked the recipe to take out a few extra points. Water, instead of milk. Less oatmeal. You get the picture.
Speaking of pictures, that cute tin with the sleepy teddy bears is the one that we have kept oatmeal in for as long as I can remember. Don't laugh. It's a family thing.
Microwave Banana Oatmeal
Serves: 1
Points per serving: 4
- 1/4 cup quick cooking oats OR 1 packet instant oatmeal, unflavored
- 1 banana, broken into 4 or 5 chunks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Water (see below)
- 1 sprinkle cinamon
- 1 teaspoon honey (if desired)
- 1 tablespoon Almond Butter (Found in the healthfood aisle. Expensive treat, but sooo worth it! Peanut butter would work fine too.)
- Empty oatmeal packet or measure into a microwave-safe bowl. Make sure it has pretty high sides, because your oatmeal will bubble up while it's cooking.
- Break up banana into 4 or 5 pieces, and drop on top of oatmeal.
- Add enough water to the dish to cover oatmeal and bananas, if you like soupy oatmeal, like me. I don't measure. If you like thicker oatmeal, try adding enough to come halfway up the bananas. It might take a few tries to get the perfect consistency for you.
- Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Keep your eye on it the first time, because the oatmeal will bubble up and out of your bowl if the sides aren't high enough. I use a bowl that is two times bigger than necessary so that I don't have to watch it. 3 whole minutes is a LONG time in the morning for me. Especially since I'm usually racing the clock.
- Remove oatmeal from microwave and stir vigorously to combine bananas and oatmeal. If necessary, nuke the mixture some more to get your desired consistency.
- Stir in honey, vanilla extract, and cinamon.
- Stir in Almond Butter, or do like I do and just plop it on top.
- Enjoy.
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Kelly - I absolutely love oatmeal (not the quick cooking oatmeal) and have it every morning. I, too, use the microwave and lately I have been getting the McCain whole oats and doing it in the crockpot. I add ground flax seed, cinnamon, dried cranberries and either chopped almonds or walnuts. Top with frozen blueberries, or bananna, a little pure maple syrup and non fat milk. The ultimate in comfort food and good way to start the day! Barb Hoekstra
ReplyDeleteI will have to try this. I really like Oatmeal in the morning, but need a new way of making it!
ReplyDeleteBarb, that sounds delicious! I really like the idea of topping the oatmeal with different things to make it more interesting, and to round it out a bit.
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