Breakfast of Champions

On days when you've been running around all day, it can be pretty tempting to grab a quick lunch from the deli, or order in dinner rather than taking the time to make a home-cooked meal. Breakfast, however, is a meal that I can count on making at home every morning.

Because really, the thought of making myself look presentable to the world early enough to go out and buy breakfast? Not an attractive idea.

Today I'm going to share with you my favorite breakfast recipe that is affordable, healthy, and super easy to make. It is oatmeal, and the secret? Melted bananas. 

The Penny-Pincher's Morning Oatmeal

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup of oats (quick-cooking preferred) 
• 1/3-1/2 cup of water 
• 1/3 cup of milk of your choice (dairy or non-dairy)
• 1 small banana, or 1/2 a large banana (sliced)
• cinnamon
• vanilla (powder or extract) 
• 1 tbsp nut butter (peanut, almond, etc.)

Optional:

• 1 tbsp of flax seed
• blueberries (fresh or frozen) 

Instructions:

1. Combine water, milk, and oats in a saucepan over low-medium heat. 
2.  Once oatmeal begins to simmer, add banana. 
3. Stir banana into oatmeal (very exuberantly) so that banana melts into oatmeal. The banana won't melt entirely, but try to make the chunks disappear. 
4. Once the liquid has been absorbed to your desired consistency, remove pan from heat.
5. Add a generous dash of cinnamon, and a small amount of vanilla. 
6. If desired, melt in frozen blueberries. You could also add fresh berries as a garnish. Add flax seed.
7. Pour oatmeal into bowl, and stir in the nut butter. 
8. Enjoy!

Melting bananas into oatmeal makes it taste like dessert (the riper the banana the sweeter the oatmeal). A standard package of oats should last you over two weeks, as should the nut butter. Bananas are cheap, as are most frozen blueberries (especially from Trader Joe's). This recipe is really filling, so you'll be good to go until lunch! 

This picture is my roommate's version of the same recipe. She added sunflower seeds, chia seeds, and a little bit of chocolate (who can blame her). The basic recipe lends itself to a lot of combinations. Experiment with different garnishes but keep in mind that the more ingredients you add, the more expensive it will become. 

I would love to hear your own versions of this oatmeal, should you choose to make it. I'm not going to lie, it's just as delicious when eaten at lunch or dinner, especially if you're craving something sweet!