Cold Oatmeal: Filling and Hearty All Year Round

Ah, winter. Time for hearty, sustaining foods that get us through long dark days. Ironically, it’s the time that I turn to one of my favorite breakfasts, cold oatmeal. I’ve never been a fan of hot cereal – something about the warm, gluey texture just puts me off. But I discovered I do like oatmeal served cold, with plenty of fruit.

By adding yogurt, the slimy/gluey texture is transformed into a thicker, richer yogurt taste. Making this ahead of time takes a few seconds while I’m preparing dinner or waiting for my evening tea to steep. And in the morning I can grab it quickly on the way to work.

Make the day ahead. Serves 1.

Ingredients

1/4 cup Scottish oatmeal (more finely ground than steel cut oats)
1/2 cup milk (dairy, soy, almond, coconut…)
1/3 cup yogurt*
1/2 apple, cut into chunks (or fresh fruit of your choice)
Handful of dried, sweetened cranberries (raisins, dried cherries, dried apricots, even dates would be nice)
Walnuts or almonds, roughly chopped (optional)

*I prefer a slightly sweetened yogurt such as Green Mountain Creamery maple or vanilla. Or use an unsweetened yogurt and sweetened milk, or add a little honey or maple syrup to taste.

Preparation

The night before, combine the dried fruit, milk and oatmeal in the dish that you’ll be eating out of, and place in the refrigerator. The next morning, cut up the apple and add that to the oatmeal, along with the yogurt and nuts. Stir again and enjoy!