"real" oatmeal is something that didn't appeal to me for a very long time. the closest i got to eating oatmeal were those strawberries and cream quaker oats insta-packets that you microwave, which naturally i loved because they're chock full of sugar. but in the interest of finding some healthier and more grown-up breakfast options (this one is by no means sugar or fat free...but it's better) i started to look into real oatmeal. and what i found wasn't very inspiring.

i know the overnight oats craze is big among meal planners and healthy eaters everywhere but the look of those grosses me out big time. i'm a little picky about food texture and soggy, mushy, cold oatmeal is exactly what i don't want first thing in the morning. and as for adding greek yogurt? i have a hard enough time choking that stuff down without the addition of spongy oats.

thankfully in response to all of this yuckiness i stumbled upon a tip for making hot oatmeal fresh in the morning, which honestly takes all of five minutes and is infinitely better tasting with much-improved texture. the big secret is to toast your oats lightly in butter (calm down - most of it cooks off) before adding a modest amount of milk, which gives the oats a nice flavor and they hold their texture better - the end result being closer to warm cereal than the mush mush formerly known as oatmeal. most people may prefer to simmer their oats a little longer in milk for a softer texture, but i prefer mine a little drier. to each their own!

you can also experiment with flavor additions - i like a pinch of cinnamon and brown sugar with a splash of vanilla and blueberries or strawberries, but you can add any combination of the crazy stuff you normally would put in overnight oats such as maple syrup, raisins, shredded carrot, bananas, chocolate chips, coconut flakes, etc. etc.

| ingredients |

1 tbsp butter
1/2 -2/3 cup old fashioned oats*
1/4-1/2 cup milk**
brown sugar
cinnamon
vanilla extract
blueberries, or other fresh fruit

| method |

*adjust depending on how big a portion you would like - this serves 1-2 people.
**adjust for "mushiness" preference. more milk = softer oatmeal.

start by melting your butter in a skillet over medium heat. add the oats and saute for a couple minutes, until the oats are toasty and smell...oaty. turn down heat and slowly add your milk. simmer for a minute or two until thickened to your liking. (i don't add much milk so this step doesn't take very long. if you prefer softer oatmeal add a little more milk and simmer for an extra minute or two.)

transfer to a bowl and stir in a pinch of brown sugar (or more, depending on how healthy you're aiming to be that day), splash of vanilla, sprinkle of cinnamon, and blueberries or other fresh fruit.