Healthy Eating Blues - The Oatmeal Edition, Part 2

Week Two of the oatmeal extravaganza has commenced. I actually had oatmeal for breakfast for four days last week.

I added more honey to my too-bland oatmeal and it improved, but not by much. Perhaps I did not buy a good quality of honey, which is why it is so ineffective. I got it on sale. Oh well.

This week I am trying something new. It has promise. It has not been perfected yet, but if I stick to this “healthier eating” thing (no pun intended), maybe I will get much closer to having yummy oatmeal without it being an oxymoron.

This time when I made my pot of oatmeal, I added two heaping tablespoons of brown sugar, a huge dollop of creamy peanut butter, a generous amount of ground cinnamon, a splash of vanilla extract and an overly enthusiastic amount (i.e., think the tincture of tenderness Professor Weirdo added to the making of Milton the Monster) of unsweetened ground cocoa. When I reheat it to eat, I add some chocolate soy milk to loosen it up.

Okay, definitely too much cocoa powder. Now, I do not ascribe to the belief that there is such a thing as too much chocolate. I mean seriously, what is that about? That is just an anathema to me. But in this case, I spilled so much cocoa powder in there that the oatmeal has a grainy texture that is not pleasing. Also, because of my previous lack-of-sweetness experience with honey, I added extra brown sugar and then some honey on top of it. Surprise! My oatmeal is much too sweet.

Next time (yes, there will be a next time…hello, Week Three!), I will skip the honey, lessen the brown sugar a tad, not spill the cocoa powder and I hope to have something much yummier and palate pleasing.

I think the peanut butter is a nice addition. Oatmeal is already filling, but the added fillip of fat (not to mention the great taste) of peanut butter really makes it a hearty and satisfying breakfast.

I think those Hot Pockets may last a little longer in my freezer.