So last January, I shared my recipe for Healthy Oats + Berries with you all. While I still make that recipe occasionally, what I really am digging right now is steel-cut oats with cinnamon. Here’s why…
See, I’ve been on a Cheerios with a banana kick for quite some time. I love it. But, lately, like many people, I absolutely over-indulged around the holidays – mainly in the sugar department. Which is my weakness. It’s not the fatty foods, it’s not the salty snacks. It’s the sugar for me. The more I eat of it, the more I want. I know that in order to get off of my “sugar high,” I have to scale back. Or else it will spiral out of control and cause headaches and blood sugar spikes + drops that I’ve experienced several times in my life. I’m not Diabetic, no (and yes, I’ve been tested). I just binge on sugar sometimes and it really can cause some problems.
I don’t like to think of “New Year’s resolutions.” They seem stressful and unrealistic. But what I am into is being more cognizant of a few things – with this year including being more aware of the amount of sugar that I’m eating. I’ve already bought Sarah Wilson’s popular book, I Quit Sugar, to start educating myself on smarter alternatives.
I wanted to share this year’s updated version of my oatmeal with you here today. The berry compote that I added to my oats in last year’s post is uh-mazing and looks super pretty, but it’s loaded with sugar. Good sugar, but – sugar – nonetheless. And I already add honey – which is a natural sweetener. By taking the fruit out of the recipe and adding a few sprinkles of cinnamon, I’m adding great flavor without the sugar. Plus, cinnamon actually helps stabilize blood sugar. Which is great around 10:30 AM.
HEALTHY + EASY OATMEAL WITH CINNAMON RECIPE:
Ingredients:
– 1/4 cup steel cut oats
– 1 cup almond milk (reduced sugar)
– 2 tbsp. ground flaxseed
– 2 tbsp. honey
– a few sprinkles of cinnamon
Directions:
Combine oats + almond milk + flaxseed, heat on medium high until boiling. Reduce + simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat add a few sprinkles of cinnamon.
I would love to hear from you! What are your favorite healthy, go-to breakfast recipes?
I just tried to comment and got an error – so I’ll try again! If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought I wrote this post myself 🙂 I have the same problem with sugar. It really is addictive! I always want dessert, but even if I just want something small, once I start eating, I just want MORE. I also agree about the new years resolutions thing. I’m not much of a goal setter in general. This oatmeal looks simply perfect and I love the addition of ground flaxseed. My go-to breakfast for a few months now has been a slice of whole wheat toast smeared with peanut butter, a drizzle of honey, and a banana on the side. If I’m super hungry, I’ll add a cup of greek yogurt too.
Brittany – yes so addictive. I grew up always having to have something small + sweet after I have dinner and I still am in that mode. It’s super hard to break. I would love your breakfast!
I make this exact recipe quite often! I find it best to make a big pot of this on Sunday and divide it up in to portions for the week. Then I just reheat a bowl in the morning and it’s a quick, nutritious breakfast! I also like to alternate what I put in it. A great alternative to cinnamon is pumpkin pie spice (and it also has cinnamon in it!). I LOVE the flavor this adds to oatmeal! I’ve also found 2 alternatives to flaxseeds that work great in oatmeal as well – chia seeds and hemp hearts (both are delicious!).
Oooh Kelly! Thanks for reminding me about pumpkin pie spice! I have some in my cabinet I need to find and use! The pot on Sunday is just a fabulous idea. Sometimes I’ll do this with quinoa and it really saves time throughout the week plus encourages me to have something healthy. I have chia seeds + hemp hearts and will have to try them in the oats next time too! Thank you!