Awesome! Next time someone looks at me like I'm high for eating my oatmeal that way, I'll tell them it's a European Delicacy. Then I'll flip them off. Isn't that European too? :devil:

Also, I really don't know if it's the CORN or STARCH part that supposedly causes a problem in some people, but someone mentioned ground flax meal as an alternative to corn starch. Other more-common-than-they-used-to-be starches are potato and tapioca. I know that the Bob's Red Mill brand are available at every grocery store I shop at. Sometimes in the baking aisle, sometimes in the health section. I haven't tried them myself, but there are some health nuts I know that use them instead of corn starch. I remember Alton Brown talking about the differences on an episode of Good Eats once, but damned if I remember.

mmmm now I want oatmeal :)

I completely understand getting more bang for your buck. more oatmeal, minimal amount of increased calories!

Hey Thighs -

I do best when I eliminate wheat & corn - I thicken up my oat bran with a bit of psyllium. Works just like the cornstarch, and the calories are negligible. And if you're just using a tbsp or so, I also second the flax meal option - it's only 30 cals for a tbsp, which is hardly higher than your 15 cals of cornstarch, and a lot better for ya!

Due to limited calories especially when adding berries, bananas and other goodies is the exact reason I eat oatmeal! lol... I love the conrstarch idea and I think I'll have to try it.

Does is change the taste at all?

I can't help with the cornstarch (sounds not-good to me, but I don't know why). I had 1 tbsp of PB in mine this morning and it was very creamy. Of course, it also added 90 calories!

Even tastier (and lighter in cals) is what I put in oatmeal a few days ago -- a largish square of a dark chocolate candy bar I added for 45 calories. I also have squares that are 40 calories. Wow, was it good.

I'm always up for more oatmeal ideas ... so far I've done those and pumpkin (1/4 cup for 20 extra cals) and a similar amount of cranberry sauce (the most delicious so far, but added 105 calories and I'd better make cranberry sauce a different way if I want to do that again).

You know, the first couple times I had oatmeal, I wasn't even sure if I liked it (or believed that it was 150 calories for a 1/2 c of rolled oats -- felt like twice that to me). But damned if it isn't one of my favorite things already. Forget breakfast; if it weren't for my husband I think I'd be happy to eat it for dinner most nights.

You could also try and add in PB2 - it has a lot less calories than peanut butter, and they have chocolate. Mmmm!

i love me some oatmeal for breakfast too (or any other cooked grain for that matter. just this morning i had some banana, coconut, and raisin with a hint of nutmeg. on days i'm craving sweets i add in a T of choco chips and some unsweetened dried cherries and it's bliss. i wasn't a breakfast eater for years and years but have always like oatmeal. for the past 6 weeks now a grain BF has been something i can easily prepare and stomach after just waking up. i'm quite suprised i haven't tired of it yet- though i think that's due to adding different flavors/spices/extracts.

anyone do quinoa in the a.m.? was thinking of slightly sweetening with honey and a touch of milk...

Well I guess I have the easiest way to fix oatmeal.

In a glass bowl put 1/2 cup oatmeal and add about 2 TBS of both Wheatgerm and Ground Flax seed (you could do the same thing with just oatmeal) to it and then I will send 1 cup of water through the coffee maker (to the 2 line on the coffee pot) I pour the hot water in the bowl with the oatmeal mixture then either put a lid on the bowl or some plastic wrap over it and in 10 minutes it is ready to eat. No cooking required the hot water does all the cooking for you.

I usually add cinnamon and 1/2 cup of all natural no sugar added apple sauce after it is done I avoid sugar but my Mom will eat it with a couple of TBS of Brown Sugar and a tsp of Vanilla she says it's good.

This makes it not to thin or not to thick but if you like it thicker or thinner just change the mount of water.

Continued from post above (Oops forgot some stuff LOL)

I travel 5 days a week and I will put the oatmeal, wheatgerm, flaxseed and cinnamon together in ziplocks one for each day I'll be gone then I put them all in a pyrex bowl with a tight fitting lid then I can just toss it in my suitcase along with some of the individual applesauce cups (they have 1/2 cup in each little cup)

Every hotel room has one of the mini coffee makers so this gives me no excuses for not sticking with my diet while traveling.

Oh, great idea about using the coffee maker! I hate instant oatmeal, but this is a great way to do the regular stuff. I usually do mine the microwave, using 1/3 cup oatmeal, a bit of salt, and 2/3 cup water. I have a new microwave that cooks very fast, but in my old one I did it for 2.5 minutes. You need to use a big enough bowl so it doesn't boil over. Basically you use a ratio 1 part oatmeal to 2 parts water (or milk).

My DH eats his oatmeal uncooked as well.

Look at this blog for all sorts of ways to cook oatmeal, and stuff to add it (not all of it low cal :lol: ) Tribute to Oatmeal

Crockpot steelcut oatmeal is my favorite. Just toss it in the night before, and presto, breakfast is ready when you get up. You have to cook more than one portion this way, but you can nuke the extras later, or add them in if you like to make bread.

jlady Quinoa is awesome anytime! Add anything to it that you would add to oatmeal. I would suggest dry roasting it for a few min. before you make it. We had millet this morning...total yum! I like frozen blueberries and almond milk. Dunno why, but the almond milk adds a sweet note even though it is not sweet. And a whole cup of it has 50 cal and 2.5 g fat. I bet it would be awesome with cranberries, too...I'll have to give that a go.

I have never been a bfast eater, and I still have coffee and then fruit and actually have breakfast for my snack most days, kinda bass ackwards, but it gives me a chance to have some really yummy whole grains that I wouldn't always eat otherwise.

There's a 7-grain product locally here called "cream of the west" for hot cereal and they have a website where you can order it. Just google it...it's made in Montana. It has incredible texture. I will be buying the 5 gal bucket this summer!

Barb

I have oatmeal every morning - i love it so much, and I fluff it up too.

Weekdays, at my office, I make it as follows:
1/2 c. oatmeal
2-3 c. tea (I use Good Earth Original Tea - this way no need to bring loose spices to the office; any flavor of tea would work)
3 grams ground flax
3 grams chia seeds (these are AWESOME - the make a gel like texture when exposed to the hot water, so it adds volume)
1 small apple cut up (about 3/4 c. of fruit I would estimate)
and sometimes another 1/4 c. of blueberries or blackberries
stevia to sweeten
The hot tea does most of the cooking, but I nuke for an additional 4 minutes, and it ends up cooking the apples too. so good!

My weekend oatmeal is done on the stovetop:
1/2 c. oatmeal
1 banana broken up into chunks
3 g flax
3 g chia
sometimes I'll add some dried Goji berries, or more fresh fruit
Top with 1 tbs of coconut butter, Cashew butter or almond butter

This is my "splurge" oatmeal. I wait for it all week!

I cook mine in water then add milk to thin it out. Then add brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon.