Oatmeal: Apple

In my mind, oatmeal is like ice cream. Good on its own, better with mix-ins, best with mix-ins AND toppings.

Being wholesome, mushy, and somewhat time consuming to prepare, oatmeal has a bad reputation. I fell in love with it more than six years ago when I trained for a marathon and found a bowl of oatmeal and a banana to be the best combination of foods for me before a long run. I started looking forward to getting up so I could make my breakfast and add new foods, spices, and milk to my oatmeal. My mix-ins and toppings.

Before I start my list, I should say I like all kinds of oatmeal (rolled, old-fashioned, and quick) because certain mix-ins work best with certain base oatmeal types. I use water, not milk, and I always add a pinch of salt.

Here is my list, in alphabetical order, of what I like in my oatmeal.

A is for Apple.

Diced apple. Good.
Diced apple with cinnamon. Better.
Diced apple with cinnamon and sugar. Perfection. Like pie for breakfast.

A is for Agave Nectar.
This is controversial and expensive. Agave nectar doesn't have a strong flavor (like honey) and lightly sweetens up a bowl of oatmeal. I don't use it everyday, due to the expense. However, it's quick, simple, and I like it.

A is for Apple Butter.
Nutritionally empty(as are apples, according to my husband). Faster than dicing an apple.

A is for Apricots.
Dried apricots. Honestly, I've never had fresh apricots.

A is for Almonds.
A is for Almond Butter.
Chopped almonds in oatmeal are good but the almond butter melts and makes it especially delicious. Some people like crunch, I like melted streaks of nut butter.

A is not for Almond Extract.
Adding almond extract to oatmeal is a bad move. Just avoid.