Looking for something different to try for breakfast? I just dug up this old recipe…Vanilla Spice Oatmeal! It is delicious, and if you want, you could make a larger batch to save and reheat the next morning too .

Vanilla Spice Oatmeal

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, optional*
• 2 cups old-fashioned oats (or, try steel-cut oats for a heartier oat. I like Bob’s Red Mill steel cut oats)
• 1/2 cup raisins, dates, or figs
• 1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped (pecans are good too)
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, plus more, to taste
• 1 cup lowfat milk, divided (can substitute soy, coconut, or almond milk)
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

In a medium saucepan, bring the water and salt to a boil, then stir in the oats and raisins.  Reduce heat to simmer, stirring occasionally, uncovered, for 3-5 minutes (a bit longer for steel cut oats).

When the oats are cooked, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and nutmeg. Add the brown sugar and serve in bowls. Pour 1/4 cup of milk on top of each bowl, and top with toasted nuts and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Serves 4.

I have a new obsession: my morning bowl of apple-walnut oatmeal. Love it, love it, love it. It is low-sugar, high fiber, and boasts a respectable amount of protein. It is a delicious, winter breakfast that, 1) keeps blood sugar levels stable, and 2) provides oodles of energy for your morning workout. Oh, and this is all “home made,” not out of a box. Here’s the recipe so that you can try it too:

1/3 cup Bob’s Red Mill 5 Grain rolled whole grain hot cereal (a mix of whole grain oats, wheat, rye, barley, triticale, and flaxseed). I sometimes add an additional tablespoon of ground flaxseed, just for kicks ;0)

Soymilk (low-fat, plain), but certainly low-fat or fat-free milk would work. I like my oatmeal thick, so I add enough to cover the oatmeal, nuke it in the microwave for about 1 minute, and continue to add soymilk and re-nuke until I get the consistency I like.

1 organic apple, chopped, any variety will do

1-2 tablespoons crushed walnuts

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

The exact calorie count will vary depending on the amount of milk and walnuts you use, but Bob’s Red Mill 5-grain cereal has 120 calories per 1/3 cup serving, 1.5 g of fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 mg of sodium (yay), 24 g of carbohydrate, of which, 5 g is insoluble fiber and 1 g is soluble fiber; and finally, 5 g of protein.

You’ve heard the saying, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” right? It is true. Eating a nutritious breakfast prepares the brain for optimal cognitive function, revs up your metabolism and, if prepared properly, helps maintain stable blood sugar levels throughout the day, reducing the tendency to snack on sweet treats.

To help you start your day with an energy-boosting blast of nutrients, I’ve compiled a list of easy-to-make, “out of the box,” nutrient-dense meals that will fuel your tank for a long day ahead.

• Select a whole grain cereal with 5 grams of sugar or less per serving, and add low-glycemic fresh fruit, such as blueberries or apples, a dash of cinnamon and soy or low-fat organic milk.

• Toast 1/2 of a sprouted-grain muffin (I love Ezekiel, http://www.foodforlife.com/ – and no, they don’t pay me to promote this stuff), with 1 tbsp I.M. Healthy Soy Nut Butter, http://www.soynutbutter.com/, (again, I just love this stuff, no paid endorsement involved), and a dash of cinnamon; an orange; and 1 cup soy milk or low-sugar yogurt.

• Sprinkle whole grain cereal (I like Nature’s Path Organic Smart Bran), 1/2 apple, 8-10 whole, raw almonds, a dash of cinnamon, and soy milk. If you like a thicker, Muesli-like cereal, use Greek yogurt rather than milk or soy milk.

• “Steel-cut” oatmeal with diced apples, berries, a handful of nuts and a glass of organic milk or soy milk.

• Buckwheat pancakes (2) with soy nut butter and low-glycemic fruit*.

*Consuming low-glycemic fruit in the morning will help stabilize blood-sugars.