BY STEPHANIE NAVARRO (Special to the Morning News)

Though eating organic is expensive, healthy food in general can be light on the calories and light on the wallet. The key is to know what you need and what flavors will entice you to eat. Take plain oatmeal oats, which can be purchased for less than 10 cents a serving. Oatmeal is an excellent source of protein and fiber which helps you feel full longer. Also, plain rolled oats are better than the flavored oatmeal packets because you can control the amount of sugar and calories that are added to the oats. So, not only is it a low-cost item, it is a healthy choice that fills you up and gives you energy to start your day. Flavoring the oats can be a lot of fun because there are so many low-cost options.

Light on Our Wallet Oatmeal

Ingredients:

• Rolled Oats ($2.29 for thirty ½ cup servings)
• Vanilla Almond Milk ($2.49 for eight, 1 cup servings)
• Frozen Fruit ($2.29 for ten, 1/4 cup servings)
• Honey ($2.99 for 25 Tablespoons)
• Cinnamon ($.99)
• Almond Slices ($2.99 for twelve, 1/8 cup servings)

Total: $15.68 or $1.96/serving for the first eight servings

(Items listed above were purchased at Aldi)

AND… because the oats, fruit, honey, cinnamon and almonds all outlast your initial eight servings, as you continue to eat oatmeal, your breakfast becomes more cost-effective!

Instructions:

1. Mix 1/2 cup of oats with 1 cup of vanilla almond milk. Cook in the microwave for 2 – 3 minutes.
2. Tip: If you like your oatmeal watery, remove at 2 minutes. If you like your oatmeal thick, leave it in for the 3 minutes. Remember, the oats will continue to soak up the liquid after you bring them out of the microwave.
3. Let the oatmeal sit for 1-2 minutes after you remove it from the microwave to allow it to thicken.
4. Mix in 1/4 cup frozen fruit (the hot oatmeal with thaw it out)
5. Top with 1 Tablespoon honey, 1/8 cup almond slices and cinnamon to taste.

Other alternatives:

If you use regular milk, add vanilla extract and a little stevia to boost flavor. Or add in some pumpkin puree.

Try cardamom, nutmeg or other savory and sweet spices as well as any variety of nuts or seeds like chia, pumpkin or walnuts.

Mash a ripe banana at the bottom of the bowl before you make the oatmeal. You’ll get a creamy, banana flavored oatmeal with a kick of potassium.

Need extra protein? Add a tablespoon of regular peanut butter (avoid low-fat peanut butter, it has more sugar) or whisk in an egg before you put your oats and milk into the microwave (your oats will be fluffy)

Enjoy!

 

Read the story at SCNOW.com!