Oatmeal this way or that way...

Oatmeal is an excellent whole grain that should be incorporated into your diet. There are many ways you can include it, the old-fashioned hot oatmeal way (see recipe below with some variations), in granola that's both cooked or raw, muesli that's both cooked or raw (see recipe below for raw version), in breads, cookies or other baking when used in place of flour (you can take oat and mix them in a high-powered blender to make your own flour to use in recipes that call for flour).

As for the health benefits, here are a few benefits that Oatmeal is known for:

• Lower cholesterol levels
• Stabilize blood sugar
• Antioxidant benefits like reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease
• Significant cardiovascular benefits for postmenopausal women
• Substantially lower Type 2 Diabetes risk
• Oatmeal with fruit can protect against breast cancer

There are many ways you can prepare/make hot oatmeal. Here's one version that we made the other morning (oh, and parents to young kids, it's cheaper and healthier to make your own, plus it's just as easy and flavorful).

Hot Oatmeal

• Oatmeal (you really don't need the instant one, the normal oatmeal will cook just as fast) - prepare according to directions (which will tell you how much water and oatmeal to use depending on the serving size you want)
• Milk or Almond Milk (I use almond milk, either fresh raw almond milk I make myself or store bought almond milk)
• Apricots (or other fresh or dried fruit - I used dried apricots)
• Raisins
• Honey to taste
• Other variations - cinnamon, walnuts or other nuts

Once the oatmeal is cooked, stir in the apricots (or other fruit), raisins, honey to taste and enough milk to loosen the oatmeal up. I usually serve mine with wheat toast with butter because that's what I grew up on.

Raw Oatmeal Muesli

• Apricot or other fruits (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, apple, banana, etc)
• 1-2 cups of one type or mixed (unroasted) nuts sliced or chopped into small pieces (almonds, brazil nuts, pecans, etc)
• 1 cup of dates chopped into small pieces (could be fresh or dried)
• Raisins
• Optional - coconut flakes
• Almond Milk (try making your own by blending together 1 cup of unroasted almonds with 2 cups of water) - mix until smooth...if you don't like the texture, you could strain through sieve or a special nut milk bag

Mix all of the ingredients above (except for milk), then pour however much milk you want. If you have left-over nut milk, you can store it in your fridge covered for several days and use in smoothies, cereal or this again.