"To-Go" Oatmeal

Going on a grocery shopping fast forced me to become more creative with meals. One “recipe” that developed from this fast was my “to-go” oatmeal jars. I really enjoy eating oatmeal for breakfast, and normally I pair it with Greek yogurt and fruit for a healthy mix of whole-grain carbohydrates and protein. Sometimes I use the yogurt to make overnight oatmeal, and sometimes I just eat the fruit and yogurt on its own. The only problem was that I didn’t have any Greek yogurt or fresh fruit in my kitchen.


I started looking in my pantry and freezer to see how I might flavor my oatmeal and find some protein. For flavor, I found ground flax seed and some frozen berries. For protein, I found some dried milk powder. When reconstituted with water, dried milk powder does not have a true milk-y flavor, so I was a little hesitant to use it. Desperate, I decided to try it anyway. I packed my:


½ c. quick cooking oatmeal
1 T flax seed
1/3 c. powdered milk
½ c. frozen berries


in a jar and took it to work for breakfast. Before microwaving, I added a cup of water. Two minutes later, I dug my spoon into a creamy bowl of warm goodness. The berries broke down into a jam like consistency and the ground flax seed gave the oatmeal some depth. This recipe was a win for my grocery fast, and a win for me in that it has become a new “go-to” recipe.