January 6, 2008 at 10:31 pm
· Filed under Uncategorized
Of all that’s going on just now with this trying to find fitness - exercising, making healthy choices, etc. - my biggest challenge is breakfast. I have never been a breakfast person. When I was a kid, my frustrated mother tried all manner of creative ways to fix eggs, hoping it would coax me to eat. I was a shy kid with a nervous stomach. What can I say?
But everything I’ve read about a healthy lifestyle says breakfast is crucial. My doctor told me, “You’ve got to break that fast each morning.” And, Leanne Davis, nutritionist at the Wellness Center, says the same. I must eat breakfast.
So, I’ve been making myself eat a bowl of Cheerios with skim milk each morning. Maybe add a few blueberries.
For a change the other day, I decided I would try - once more - to take a liking to oatmeal. I know. It’s good for me. But, I’ve run screaming from it since I was a kid. My grandmother would make it and I loved the way it smelled. I’d take a bite, maybe two, then my gag reflex would kick in and I could do no more. It’s a texture thing, I guess.
A friend told me I might be able to tolerate something called steel cut oats. Quaker now sells them. So, I bought a box at Kroger and decided to give them a whirl. When they were done, I put just a tiny bit of skim milk and a little Splenda. I took a bite. True, the texture was different - more nutty, a bit crunchy. I’ll admit the texture was more palatable. But, it tasted like cardboard. Oh, I’m sure I could have jazzed it up with butter and brown sugar, but that defeats my purpose.
I suppose I’m just not meant to be an eater of oatmeal. Anyone have any suggestions as to how to make the steel cut oats more flavorful without adding lots of fat and calories? I’m open to anything. Until then, I’ll keep enjoying my Cheerios each morning.
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At Kroger you can go to the bread aisle and get Pepperidge Farms mini bagels. I get the cinnamon swirl bagels - 120 calories each. I am not a breakfast person, but I carry one to work and by the time I get here I can have that and fulfill the purpose.
Other good options: Special K fruit & yogurt or SPecial K Chocolatey Delight. 120 calories for 3/4 cup. And if you’re counting calories this site helps out a lot - caloriecount.about.com
You can also log your exercise activity for the day. However, I’ve been cheating for weeks and have avoided this site. Today I’m back in business!
Kim J wrote @ January 7, 2008 at 10:04 pm
I like Oatmeal, but not steel cut - bleck. I was not a breakfast eater for years, but did start when I joined Weight Watchers. All experts say it is a must. Now I am hungry when I wake up. You will get that way too - but only if you eat stuff you like, haha! My favs are a whole grain waffle with reduced fat peanut butter and fruit, Yoplait key lime yogurt with fiber one cereal on top, 1/2 bagel with laughing cow cheese on top, grits with canned diced tomatoe on top - yummy!
CPMYD wrote @ January 8, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Honey??? It’s natural and not packed with high fructose corn syrup but sweet and flavorful.
Have you tried Quaker Oatmeal To Go? I have found this to be a very good alternative to the usual oatmeal. It’s a good, chewy bar, so I can eat it as I drive to work.
What about cream of wheat? Or some sort of warm rice cereal? And, you always have the traditional shredded wheat cereal.
My favorite breakfast is yogurt (vanilla or plain) with granola, honey and fruit. Yum yum. Do you like yogurt?
You could try light maple syrup, fat free preserves/jelly, or honey. Changing up the flavor each day/week would keep you from getting burnt-out on eating oatmeal every day.
Barbara wrote @ January 11, 2008 at 12:12 pm
I use a couple of packs of Splenda and add some cinnamon and vanilla flavoring. Tastes much better to me.
Steve wrote @ January 12, 2008 at 1:08 pm
hi…I add some molly mcbutter to mine which is not so bad healthwise…I LOVE steelcut oats…but BOY, you gotta be careful who you hang out with when you first start eating them cuz they can run off people who aren’t REAL friends.. 
Dave wrote @ January 17, 2008 at 2:50 am
The only way I would eat oatmeal as a kid was to stir in a handful of chocolate chips. But again, I guess that would defeat the purpose!
I LOVE the idea of the chocolate chips! But I believe it would defeat the purpose. However, if they were dark chocolate chips I might be able to make a case for it!
ca wrote @ January 24, 2008 at 9:58 am
Leslie, I’m right there with you on the oatmeal. 3 Years ago when I first started working out/exercising regularly, I started making myself eat oatmeal…suffering through every horrible bite. To this day, I still eat it and don’t mind it so much now. Then again, I put really weird-but healthy- stuff in my oatmeal. I won’t even go there, but I’ll hint that for most people, oatmeal is a sweet food, that is, they put sugar or fruit or sweet stuff in it. Not me.
I’ll leave well enough alone lest I grossbomb everyone out. I will say that I’ve even become friendly enough with the oats to put a raw scoop or two in protein shakes/smoothies or on yogurt.
I also use them raw in making my own protein bars or snack bars (that are better than those protein or “energy” bars in the store that contain a lot of processed crap and HFCS, etc.).
No matter, those oats….they’re strange beasts.
Anna wrote @ February 5, 2008 at 5:44 am
I’m still cheering you onward for continuing your journey to health.
Here’s another great Smoothie recipe:
The Ultimate Power Smoothie
1 cup 1% milk
2 Tbsp low-fat vanilla yogurt
¾ cup instant oatmeal, nuked in water (unsweetened. unflavored)
2 tsp peanut butter (all-natural sugar free)
2 tsp whey chocolate powder
6 ice cubes crushed
Blend until smooth and enjoy.
The crushed ice blended in makes smoothies thicker and even more satisfying.
You can add a banana or berries instead of peanut butter.
When I’m on the go and too busy to cook, I down one of these and I don’t get hungry again for hours.
According to Prevention Guide and the Abs Diet for Women:
“Extra-protein Whey powder contains essential amino acids that build muscle and burn fat. But it’s especially effective because it has the highest amount of protein for the fewest number of calories, making it fat’s kryptonite.” You can get this product at any health food store as well as Stevia instead of Splenda for sweetening.
A tablespoon or more unsweetened, unflavored instant oatmeal as well as unflavored whey powder can be stirred into just about anything – soups, sauces, puddings, yogurts, meatloaf you name it.
Buy plain non-fat or low-fat yogurt and add your own favorite fruits and or flavors.
I “jazz up” my oats with “I Can’t Believe it’s not Butter”, Splenda, and cinnamon. Sometimes sugar-free applesauce and Splenda. Old-Fashioned for me–neither steel cut nor instant can I tolerate!!
taqah wrote @ June 7, 2008 at 8:44 am
I know this isn’t oatmeal–I hate oatmeal too but barley has all the fiber and a bit more protein. I tried this recipe ,very sceptically , and loved it. It’s sweet and nutty and to my taste not like cardboard at all.
http://www.recipezaar.com/134574
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