Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal

I'm working on eliminating the sugar from our mornings.  I love pastries and the two amazing bakeries in Claremont are super tempting.  Add to this my daughter's love of cereal (I don't even buy very sugary cereal but she loves anything remotely sweet - even the Barbara's Puffins), pancakes and waffles and you get the picture.  Right now, my daughter isn't wanting any eggs so we're back to oatmeal as a healthful alternative to the sugary carbs.

If your family likes sweet stuff too, try this oatmeal recipe.  There's no added sugar but it tastes delicious.  Boiling the raisins, apple, juice and cinnamon with the oats is key to good flavor.  I didn't grow up eating oatmeal so I'm not used to the instant packets and they don't appeal to me.  And, let's face it:  old fashioned oats really don't take that long.  If you want less of the natural sugar (or don't care if it's as sweet), use all water and no apple juice.  You can also top with nuts to increase the protein.

What less sugary breakfast foods will your kids eat??

Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal (3 servings)

3/4 cup rolled oats
1 small apple, diced
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. raisins
3/4 c. apple juice (optional)
1 T ground flax seed (optional)

In a small sauce pan, combine the apple, cinnamon, and raisins with 3/4 c. water and the apple juice and bring to a boil.  Stir in the oats.  Reduce heat to medium and cook until most of the water is absorbed and the oats are soft.  Stir in the flax seed (if you want to).  Serve immediately.
*GF if you have gluten-free oats