DIY kitchen series: instant oatmeal // 3 ways

Lately, life has been crazy- in a good way. We are coming up on our busiest time of year at work, which means Summer is just around the corner. Our house will be going on the market towards the end of May, which is a scary and exciting time all rolled in one. Little side projects, both personal + professional have been popping up all over the place.

I like to save time anywhere I can, even if it's just shaving 5-10 minutes off of my morning routine. During my teenage years I was a breakfast skipper, actually, I was a terrible eater in general (hello Swedish fish, Pizza Hut bread sticks + Little Debbie snacks for lunch!). Growing up I have learned to appreciate and look forward to breakfast. During the work week I rely on quick and easy breakfasts, instead of buying pre - mixed instant oatmeal which can get a little pricey, I have learned to make my own. Today, I am going to share with you my three favorite mixes, they take very little effort and gives you a quick breakfast for the week.

I have a secret addiction: Amazon. I love buying anything and everything on Amazon.  Seriously, the UPS Man is at our House if not everyday, every other day. I purchase all of my "Super" Foods on Amazon, they are typically sold in packs of 2 for a lot less than my area Health Food Store. 

Goji berries are one of my favorite oatmeal add ins - they add nice texture, are pretty in color.

Goji berries are one of the most abundant sources of antioxidants, and they're also a good source of protein, vitamin A and vitamin C. Goji berries provide diverse nutrition - with 20 minerals and vitamins including zinc, iron, phosphorus and riboflavin (B2) and beta-carotene.*

You can never add to many extras into your instant oatmeal // chia seeds, hemp hearts, maca powder, ground or whole fax seeds all have a home in my oatmeal.

Maca Goji Oatmeal is the most simple out of the three, a great one to introduce those new to oatmeal.

Fun Fact: I had never tried oatmeal until I met Justin, when I was younger (and actually ate breakfast) we were more of a cereal + milk family with donuts and "Big" breakfast on the weekend.

Chocolate for breakfast- heck yeah! You can have your chocolate for breakfast with healthy benefits at the same time. Cacao is so amazing- it took me a little while to warm up to cacao nibs, but now I am so in love. They add an awesome crunch and the cacao powder hits you in the face with chocolaty goodness that makes your taste buds dance. Not everyone is familiar with Maple Sugar, it is a special indulgence that I buy specifically for this oatmeal. Maple Sugar has a delicate sweetness and almost softness to it.

Raw cacao is one of the most plentiful sources of antioxidants and magnesium, and it also contains a plentiful amount of fiber and essential minerals including iron.*

Do you ever find yourself with a smattering of random pantry ingredients that you just had to have/buy. I find myself in this situation every time I go to Target - seriously, I have no self control in Target or Trader Joes. 

This one time, at Target, I laid eyes upon freeze dried fruits- ahhhh so cool!  Bought them, then they sat at the back of my baking pantry for what felt like ages. Then one day I added a bit of freeze dried pineapple to my oatmeal - yeah! It was so good, love at first bite. Chewy, sweet and very tropical - I felt like I was in the Islands.

Macadamia nuts , hemp powder + a super seed mix round out this mix. There is just something about this oatmeal variation that just makes me smile.

Hemp is one of the richest plant sources of protein, omega-fatty acids and fiber. Hemp powder contains 50% protein, featuring 66% edestin, which are amazing proteins similar to those found in the human body that are pre-cursors to components such as hormones, hemoglobin, enzymes and antibodies. Hemp’s edestin content is the highest in the plant kingdom.*

I hope you found this post helpful and inspires you to shave a little time off on your morning routine.

What tips do you have for saving time during your day - I'd love to hear your time saving tips!

Instant Oatmeal // 3 ways

makes 2 1/2 cups of each

you will need:

for the maca goji

1 1/2 cups gluten free instant oats

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp maca powder

2 tbsp chia seeds

2 tbsp ground flax seed

6 tbsp dried goji berries

2 tbsp raw hulled sunflower seeds

for the maple cinnamon cacao nib

1 1/2 cups gluten free instant oats

2 tbsp maple sugar 

4 tbsp raw cacao powder

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

2 tbsp ground flax seed

2 tbsp chia seeds

4 tbsp cacao nibs

for the pineapple macadamia

1 1/2 cups gluten free instant oats

4 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp hemp powder

2 tbsp yacon root powder

4 tbsp super seed mix

  (whole flax seed, raw hemp hearts, chia seeds)

1/2 cup freeze dried pineapple // breaking apart larger pieces

1/2 cup roughly chopped raw macadamia nuts

assembly:

process is the same for all 3 instant oatmeal mixes

Measure + place ingredients in a large mixing bowl (I used the same bowl each time when making all three mixes )- with a wooden spoon mix until well blended, breaking up the clumps with your hands. Spoon mixture into an air tight container. Repeat for each kind of instant oatmeal.

To prepare, place a 1/2 cup of instant oatmeal mix into a bowl - add about 1-1 1/2 cups of hot water + stir. Allow to sit for a minute or two prior to eating. 

For added creaminess + goodness, when you add in the hot water, stir in a tablespoon of your favorite nut butter

(cinnamon raisin peanut butter is my fave!)

Enjoy!