Lately, we have been enjoying eating oatmeal for breakfast. Oats are a very wholesome & hearty cereal grain. They are an excellent source of dietary fiber and are thought to be beneficial in naturally lowering cholesterol levels & also help to reduce the risks of cardiovascular disease. Oats are also supposed to enhance the immune system, stabilize blood sugar & significantly decrease the risks for type 2 diabetes. Oats are also rich in antioxidants, minerals & various nutrients. With their origins being in Asia, oats have been domestically cultivated for more than 2000+ years. Oats are also the only known grain to contain natural protein!

My Indian Spiced Oatmeal is true comfort food & a great way to start any day! The variations to this dish are absolutely endless, so feel free to add your family’s favorite toppings & garnishes to this dish.

Now I actually used Bob’s Red Mill “5 Grain Rolled Cereal” which is made from a super healthy & nutritious combination of oats, rye, rolled whole wheat, flaxseed, barley and triticale (a hybrid product of wheat & rye). If you cant find this particular product, simply use whole rolled oats or even steel cut oats will work well but just don’t use the instant variety.


INDIAN SPICED OATMEAL

Ingredients:

1 cup multi-grain rolled cereal (or whole rolled oats)
1 cup whole milk

1 cup water

2 tbsp golden raisins
¼ tsp ground cardamom powder
¼ tsp ground cinnamon powder
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground allspice powder
pinch of ground cloves
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
2 tsp flax seeds, finely ground (optional)
pinch of salt

METHOD:

In a medium size saucepan on medium heat, combine the whole milk & water together. Next, add in the raisins along with the spices (ground cardamom powder, ground cinnamon powder, ground allspice powder, ground ginger,
ground cloves, nutmeg & salt). Stir well & bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Then stir in multigrain cereal (or rolled oats) along with the flax seeds & cook on low heat for about 10-12 minutes (follow your package directions) while stirring every so often. The oatmeal should be thick & creamy.

Serve in individual bowls & top with your favorite garnishes – enjoy immediately ☺.


VARIATIONS:

Suggested toppings & garnishes: maple syrup, various honeys, brown sugar, jams/preserves, heavy cream or toasted almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, coconut flakes, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds/pepitas or raisins, cranberries, apricots, dates, granola, apples, bananas, berries…

Instead of milk, try almond milk (or vanilla almond milk). You can even add thin coconut milk for a delicious coconutty taste. This is a great substitute for vegans.

Feel free to add ½ tsp vanilla extract or your favorite flavor of extract.

You could also add a cup or so of canned pumpkin puree for a delicious & unique treat ☺.



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