Chilled Summer Oatmeal

Breakfast is a problem for me. Truth be told, if a chocolate cake was permanently parked next to the espresso machine, I'd be okay. However there isn't and really for figure(?) conservation it's best that way. More often than not I find myself away from home at 1pm and realize I've eaten nothing at all.

I love oatmeal and it's convenience. A pot of steel cut oats on the stove ready to warm up on cold winter morning is cozy. But in the summer? Thank goodness for Chilled Summer Oatmeal. With a quick mix (and no cooking) of a few ingredients - which are most likely in your pantry - you can have a whole week of healthy breakfast. Interested?

Oats. They have to be old-fashioned. If you really love your family and aren't greedy with the beautiful locally-grown oats use those.

Nuts add a bit of crunch and extra nutrients not offered by a chocolate cake breakfast.

One of the other best parts is the ability to make this all about your summer faves. Fresh peaches, nectarines, blueberries are all at home in a cool bowl of this stuff.

I put all the ingredients in one of those nifty glass containers with the sturdy, plastic tops and stir it up.

Voila - it's breakfast!

This is one of those recipes you can modify however you like with whatever you have. Different yogurts, nuts, juices, spices and seasonal fruits. Think about enhancing it further with a sprinkle of flax seed? Ooohhhh - healthy. The possibilities are endless.

I think you could put flax seeds in chocolate cake, too.

Just sayin'.

Chilled Summer Oatmeal
This is the basic recipe but I've experimented with just about everything.


8oz. vanilla yogurt
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (TJ's toasted are nice)
1/2 cup peach nectar
1/2 cup skim milk
1 large peach, grated
1/2 cup blueberries (I usually toss these in before I eat)
3 T. chopped almonds
Pinch of cinnamon and cardamom

Mix all together, cover and chill overnight.

In the morning spoon into a bowl and sprinkle with a bit of cinnamon, if desired.

Save the cake for lunch.