YOU GUYS!!

Homemade Instant Oatmeal 5 Ways…For Back to School | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

I am SOO exited to tell you about today’s post! I mean, I know that you may be thinking this is just another instant oats recipe, but these oats will be your answer to serving a healthy, delicious breakfast on crazy busy mornings!!

OK, and I have a fun little giveaway for you at the end of the post too! Yep, it’s a lively Sunday around here!

But first, I feel like I should ask how everyone’s weekend is going. Are you trying to cram in all things summer before it’s too late? Do you have plans to watch the pre season football games tonight? Are you making a summery dinner or a cozy one?? Are you planning ahead for the week with grocery shopping and meal prep, or are you just winging it? Maybe you’re sleeping in most of the day and then binge TV watching the rest? Or maybe you’re doing just a little of all of the above??

I myself am spending the day planning, cooking and then cleaning. But then I’m totally going to binge watch TV tonight, well at least I hope I am. I also need to have a little chat with Miss Asher about her upcoming birthday. Actually, she told me, that I needed to make time to have a talk with her about her cake, so I’m thinking today is that day. Granted her B-Day is not till the 30th, but you know, the girl REALLY likes to talk about her birthday…even if the cake is the same cake every year. Although, I think I heard her mention that this year she want’s me to decorate it with animal figurines, hmm.

Homemade Instant Oatmeal 5 Ways…For Back to School | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvestHomemade Instant Oatmeal 5 Ways…For Back to School | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

This last week or so, I have been thinking a lot about back to school. Growing up, this was the most dreaded time of year for me. Well, actually I did have some excitement. I loved getting new school supplies, getting organized and of course, going back to school clothes shopping with my grandma. BUT the actual going back to school part? Yeah, that was a most dreaded task for me.

For some reason though, I have always liked the concept of back to school. I think this is because back to school means back to routines, and well, I am a routines kind of girl, without a doubt. I honestly crave having a routine. As I have gotten older, I have gotten better about not being SO crazy about these said routines, and these days I don’t NEED them to survive daily, BUT I still love them, and I love that back to school kind of brings back those routines.

Of course, I am no longer in school, so it really doesn’t matter, but it still feels like the time of year to get organized and planned out, you know?

Because of this, I have been thinking about back to school breakfasts and what my three younger siblings, who are in school, might want to eat that’s actually healthy.

Ahh?? Does that even exist.

Homemade Instant Oatmeal 5 Ways…For Back to School | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvestHomemade Instant Oatmeal 5 Ways…For Back to School | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvestHomemade Instant Oatmeal 5 Ways…For Back to School | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Turns out it totally does!!

See, my youngest brother Red (the one who is currently in New Zealand and then Australia) has basically been eating nothing but Brown Sugar Maple Instant Oats for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Do not ask me why, I did not even know he liked oatmeal, but lately he has been eating the Quaker instant oats like it’s his job (hope the Kiwis and the Aussies serve oatmeal). So I thought and thought, and then was like, “Oh! Red, hey, I can totally make you those same oats, but maybe make them a little healthier, then you can customize the flavors to what you love”!! Clearly I was a little excited. Red? Not so much, he’s skeptical of all non processed food, but I know once he gets back and tries my homemade version of his favorite snack, he will be hooked.

Of course I made him the maple brown sugar flavor, but then I also made four other flavors that I am head over heals for as well.

And guys, it is SOOO easy to do and there are so many fun flavor combos to come up with. You will love this!

Homemade Instant Oatmeal 5 Ways…For Back to School | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

The first thing you’ll start off with are old-fashioned oats. Then you’ll give those oats a toast in the oven and then a run through the food processor. Add a little sweetness and you now have instant oats! Yep, that’s all you need to do, and if you don’t want that toasted flavor, you can totally skip the time in oven, but I love the toasted flavor.

From here, you just stir in your desired flavor combo, add the oats to jars, seal and done. Now you’ll have 12 customizable instant oats ready to go for quick weekday breakfasts.

Awesome right?!? I know, I know!!

Then all you need to do in the morning is add some Almond Breeze Almondmilk, possibly some maple syrup, depending on what flavor you choose, and fresh fruit for topping. So simple, so quick and so satisfying!

Homemade Instant Oatmeal 5 Ways…For Back to School | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Alright, so here are my 5 flavors.

…Maple Brown Sugar Oats: classic, but absolutely delicious and perfect when paired with fresh figs.

…Cherry Almond Cream: a fun combo for summer, but also fun mid winter when you are craving some cherries!

…Banana Vanilla Flax: like banana bread oatmeal. YUM!

…Toasted Coconut Cinnamon Apple: love this combo, the coconut makes for a nice little twist. Also, bring on those fall apples!

…Cranberry Pumpkin Spice: perfect for fall, cozy warm and so comforting!

I topped each bowl a little differently, but I LOVE adding a little almond milk over top of my warm oatmeal just before serving. It makes for the most perfect bowl of oats!

Homemade Instant Oatmeal 5 Ways…For Back to School | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

And that’s pretty much it for this recipe. Now for the really fun part!! I have a giveaway for you all, and a little survey that I would be SO grateful if you participated in. The survey is to get your feedback. I want to know about the things you like, the things you maybe don’t like. What you enjoy about the brands I work with and the recipes I post for those brands. Basically, this will help me to better understand what it is that you, my readers, love and want more of!

To thank you for participating in the survey, Blue Diamond Almond Breeze and I are giving away a $100 VISA gift card to one reader. To enter to win the gift card, you must take the survey (which will take less than 5 minutes, promise!), answer the question below and then last up, leave me a comment letting me know you took the survey.

Question: What are you most looking forward to in the next three months??

After that you’ll be in the running to win the gift card! The giveaway will end Sunday August 23.

Ok, so here is the direct link to the survey. <–CLICK NOW! 🙂 GIVEAWAY CLOSED.

Homemade Instant Oatmeal 5 Ways…For Back to School | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest Homemade Instant Oatmeal 5 Ways…For Back to School | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest
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5 from 2 votes

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

The Recipe

Homemade Instant Oatmeal 5 Ways...For Back to School!

By halfbakedharvest

Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: banana, cherry, easy, maple, oatmeal, vanilla

The first thing you'll start off with are old-fashioned oats. Then you'll give those oats a toast in the oven and then a run through the food processor. Add a little sweetness and you now have instant oats! Yep, that's all you need to do, and if you don't want that toasted flavor, you can totally skip the time in oven, but I love the toasted flavor.

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 12 Servings
Calories 206 kcal

Ingredients

Instant Oat Base

  • 6 cups old fashioned oats
  • 1/3-1/2 cup [coconut sugar | http://www.amazon.com/Viva-Labs-Organic-Coconut-Sugar/dp/B00ID9VSQ0/ref=sr_1_2?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1439568291&sr=1-2&keywords=coconut+sugar] OR Brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 vanilla bean seeds removed
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2-3/4 cup [Almond Breeze AlmondMilk | http://almondbreeze.com/?navid=328] to make 1 serving of oats + more for topping off each bowl, use your favorite flavor!

Maple Brown Sugar Oats

  • 1/2 cup oat base
  • 1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon depending on your taste
  • 1-2 tablespoons pure maple syrup depending on your taste + more for topping
  • Fresh fruits toasted almonds + cinnamon, for topping

Cherry Almond Cream

  • 1/2 cup oat base
  • 2 tablespoons [dried cherries | https://dev.halfbakedharvest.com/chewy-Cherry-almond-and-cacao-nib-granola-bars/]
  • 2 tablespoons sliced almonds toasted + more for topping
  • 1 tablespoon creamy almond butter
  • Fresh cherries + cacao nibs for serving

Banana Vanilla Flax

  • 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds + more for topping
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened coconut toasted
  • 1/4 cup mashed banana + sliced bananas for topping
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Fresh blueberries for serving

Toasted Coconut Cinnamon Apple

  • 2 tablespoons dried apples chopped
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut toasted + more for topping
  • 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon depending on your taste + more for topping
  • 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup depending on your taste + more for topping
  • Fresh sliced apples OR caramelized apples for topping

Cranberry Pumpkin Spice

  • 2 tablespoons dried cranberries + more for topping
  • 2 tablespoons pepitas toasted + more for topping, shelled pumpkin seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoons pumpkin spice
  • 1/4 cup pure pumpkin puree optional

Instructions

Instant Oat Base

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. *
  2. Spread the oats in an even layer on 2 baking sheets and toast in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Add the oats to a food processor or blender and pulse the oats until they are coarsely chopped. The more finely you chop them, the smoother your oats will be. I prefer to leave my oats on the large side since I like the texture. Add the oats to a large bowl. Add the sugar (I used 1/3 cup coconut sugar), salt, vanilla and cinnamon, toss well to evenly combine. Divide the oats into 12 (1/2 cup) portions, placing them in ziplock sandwich baggies or 8 ounce glass jars. Add the stir ins as directed below.

Maple Brown Sugar Oats

  1. Stir the oat base and cinnamon together. Store in a sealed container until ready to eat.
  2. To make 1 serving of oats. Add 1 portion of instant oats to a bowl. Add 1/2-3/4 cup [Almond Breeze Almondmilk | http://almondbreeze.com/?navid=328] (use your favorite flavor!) add the maple syrup. Microwave on high for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove and stir, place back in the microwave for another 1-2 minutes or until the oats reach your desired consistency and temperature. Top with fresh fruit, toasted almonds and a sprinkle of brown sugar + cinnamon and or maple syrup.

Cherry Almond Cream

  1. Stir the oat base, dried cherries and almonds together. Store in a sealed container until ready to eat.
  2. To make 1 serving of oats. Add 1 portion of instant oats to a bowl. Add 1/2-3/4 cup [Almond Breeze Almondmilk | http://almondbreeze.com/?navid=328] (use your favorite flavor!) and microwave on high for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove and stir, place back in the microwave for another 1-2 minutes or until the oats reach your desired consistency and temperature. Stir in the almond butter. Top with fresh cherries, toasted almonds and a sprinkle of cacao nibs if desired.

Banana Vanilla Flax

  1. Stir the oat base, ground flax and toasted coconut together. Store in a sealed container until ready to eat.
  2. To make 1 serving of oats. Add 1 portion of instant oats to a bowl. Add 1/2-3/4 cup [Almond Breeze Almondmilk | http://almondbreeze.com/?navid=328] (use your favorite flavor!), add the mashed banana and the vanilla. Microwave on high for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove and stir, place back in the microwave for another 1-2 minutes or until the oats reach your desired consistency and temperature. Top with fresh blueberries, toasted coconut and a sprinkle of ground flax if desired.

Toasted Coconut Cinnamon Apple

  1. Stir the oat base, dried apples, toasted coconut and cinnamon together. Store in a sealed container until ready to eat.
  2. To make 1 serving of oats. Add 1 portion of instant oats to a bowl. Add 1/2-3/4 cup [Almond Breeze Almondmilk | http://almondbreeze.com/?navid=328] (use your favorite flavor!) add maple syrup. Microwave on high for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove and stir, place back in the microwave for another 1-2 minutes or until the oats reach your desired consistency and temperature. Top with fresh or caramelized apples + maple syrup and a sprinkle of cinnamon if desired.

Cranberry Pumpkin Spice

  1. Stir the oat base, dried cranberries, pepitas and pumpkin spice together. Store in a sealed container until ready to eat.
  2. To make 1 serving of oats. Add 1 portion of instant oats to a bowl. Add 1/2-3/4 cup [Almond Breeze Almondmilk | http://almondbreeze.com/?navid=328] (use your favorite flavor!) add the pumpkin puree. Microwave on high for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove and stir, place back in the microwave for another 1-2 minutes or until the oats reach your desired consistency and temperature. Top with cranberries, pumpkin seeds + maple syrup and a sprinkle of cinnamon if desired.

Recipe Notes

*If you would prefer, you can skip toasting the oats. I just like the toasted flavor! **If you find your oats are too thick after removing them from the microwave, just add more almond milk to thin a bit. ***Any flavor of [Almond Breeze Almond Milk | http://almondbreeze.com/?navid=328] will work great with these flavors of instant oats!

Homemade Instant Oatmeal 5 Ways…For Back to School | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

And now? Now you really need to go make this homemade instant oatmeal!

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Homemade Instant Oatmeal 5 Ways…For Back to School | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest