How to Make All Natural and Easy Flavored Oatmeal

Last Updated on May 13, 2014 by

I love oatmeal but rarely do I eat it plain.  Usually I throw in raisins, cinnamon and brown sugar but that gets a little old after a while.  I go to the grocery store and I see tons of boxes of flavored oatmeal with questionable ingredients.  Peaches and Cream flavored oatmeal probably has no actual peaches and some sort of weird dehydrated cream in it.  So NOT what I am looking for in a healthy breakfast!  So, I decided to get creative and see if I could find a way to make flavored oatmeal without all the artificial stuff you find in the store bought kind.  It is incredibly easy!  I will provide you with a sort of 'master recipe' and you can adjust the flavors, add ins, and sweeteners to suit your own personal taste.  Here is what I did to make all natural flavored oatmeal this week (and since they are stored as ice cubes in the freezer, I will have flavored oatmeal for months to come!)

 

All Natural and Easy Flavored Oatmeal

Step One:  Choose your fruit.  The possibilities are limitless....use whatever is seasonal or growing in your yard or whatever you find on the 'over ripe' table at the grocery store. Put two cups of this fruit (peeled, washed and cut into smallish chunks) into a food processor.

 

Step Two:  Choose a liquid for pureeing if needed.  Strawberries are fairly juicy and you won't need any other liquid.  Bananas and apples are dryer so you might use a bit of apple juice.  If you are using a tropical fruit you can  use pineapple juice or just add water if you are short on anything else.  Only add a splash or two to your food processor.  You want a relatively thick puree.  Turn on the food processor and puree till smooth.  Transfer puree to a large bowl.

 

Step Three:  Add something creamy.  I used heavy whipping cream but you could also use almond milk, coconut milk, or whatever else sounds good.  Might try this with some goats milk from the CSA next week! Add ¼ cup of this to your fruit puree and stir gently.

Step Four:  Choose a sweetener.  I used an all natural cane syrup but other options could be maple syrup or honey.  You could also make a simple syrup using real sugar (or brown sugar) and water.  You will want to add about ½ to ¾ cup of liquid sweeter depending on how sweet you like your flavored oatmeal.  Stir until combined.

Step Five: Toss in add ins or flavorings.  A tablespoon of vanilla, a few teaspoons of cinnamon, a handful of shredded coconut etc.  The possibilities are endless!

Step Six: Pour this mixture into a glass measuring cup and fill ice cube trays with it.  Freeze until solid and pop out of trays and store them in a large zip to lock bag or plastic container in the freezer.

To use:  Make your oatmeal.  I use whole oats and water in a glass bowl and microwave it until all the water is absorbed...about 3 minutes.  Drop in one or two of your sweet and creamy fruit cubes and stir.  Now you have fruity and delicious flavored oatmeal that is just the right temperature for eating.  The best thing about it?  Not a single questionable ingredient in there!  Check out Confessions of an Overworked Mom for more ideas on how to make flavored oatmeal!

 

Recipe ideas:

• Pureed strawberries, cane syrup, heavy cream and vanilla.
• Pureed pineapple, coconut milk, and shredded coconut.
• Apples pureed with a touch of apple juice, almond milk, and cinnamon.

 

Oh, the possibilities are endless! What do you think?  Are you a fan of flavored oatmeal?  Ever tried making it from scratch?