Winter Fruit and Nut Oatmeal

I don't know about where you are right now, but it's definitely oatmeal whether in my neck of the woods - cold and stormy, with seemingly no end in sight. And while the rain pours down and the wind whips through the trees, all I want to do is curl up on the couch with a blanket and a hot cup of tea, and watch movies all day. Of course, my almost-four-month-old has other ideas. No leisurely watching movies and lounging around for this tired mommy. But I am still in need of a little cozy, so that's where the oatmeal fits in.

I've always been a huge fan of oatmeal, especially during the cold winter months, and there are so many things you can do with it. I love to add fruit like apples, bananas, and berries; different kinds of nuts; and sometimes I'll toss in flax or chia seeds. It always makes me feel really healthy and fueled for the day. I call this particular concoction my "forage porridge" because it stemmed from literally throwing into the pot what I could find left over in the fruit drawer. I had never put pears in oatmeal before, but it was so good, and now I don't like to make it without them. Depending on how long you cook it, the pear kind of becomes one with the oatmeal and adds a great consistency, along with adding a lot of volume to really fill you up.

Getting Started

You've probably all made oatmeal at some time or another, so I'm sure you don't need much explaining here. If you're not sure, simply follow the directions on the back of the container - just make sure to add a small pinch of salt to the cooking water before adding the oats! It will make the oatmeal taste a million times better. In fact, if you've ever had really bland and nasty oatmeal, it's likely that the person cooking it did not add salt. I used a quick cooking oatmeal for this, but feel free to make it with steal cut oats or whatever you prefer/have time for.

Now comes the easy part! All you have to do is make your oatmeal according to package directions. Right before it's done, toss in your pear, and cook until desired consistency. I cook mine at a little higher temp than what's recommended because I like my oats to be a little chewier, but do what works best for you. Once it's done, add the rest of your yummy toppings and eat it while thinking of warmer days to come.

Ingredients

1 serving quick cooking oatmeal
1/2 bartlett pear, cut into medium sized chunks
Handful of blueberries
Handful of blackberries
2 Tbs walnuts
Pinch of salt for cooking water (about 1/8 tsp)
Dash of cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg
Milk if desired
Sweetener if desired

Servings: 1 lonesome serving


Looking for other oatmeal topping ideas? Check out my Figgy Oatmeal with Cinnamon and Nutmeg recipe!

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