Hi all! I’m starting to actually enjoy this blogging thing. Who knew? Right now I’m on a big food kick, so I guess I’ll continue on with the trend. As I was writing about carbohydrates in an earlier post, I realized I can even go one step further and give some examples of great complex carbs. It always seems to be that while you know you should be eating something specific, when it comes to identifying it in the grocery store, it can be a whole new challenge. So here is a small list of some great complex carbs to add to your diet.

• oatmeal
• sweet potatoes(the orange ones)
• whole wheat pasta
• beans(or legumes, however you want to say it)
• lentils
• quinoa
• brown rice
• vegetables

All of these are great examples of complex carbohydrates that will not only fill you up, but carry you through the day.

The easiest one on the list to add to your diet, in my opinion, is oatmeal. Now, some of you don’t like oatmeal, and I understand that. It’s probably because you’ve bought the instant variety, just like I have, and over or undercooked it and it turns into a soup or a paste that Superman couldn’t swallow.

So, because I don’t like that type of oatmeal that much, I’m creating a challenge for myself to make my own oatmeal.  I know, that quaker oatmeal can just popped into your mind, the one with the man with the white bob haircut and black sunhat on it. Forget it. I’m going to try steel cut oats.

Steel cut oats are less processed than the instant and quick varieties and therefore are not the same rolled oats that you find in those packages. They are more like pearls of oats that apparently get better over the course of the week. I’ve honestly never tried them before and I may hate them and go back to my paste. But, I’m determined to try.

I’m excited because after some research and looking at these three different recipes, did I realize how tasty oatmeal could get. I’m going to try and make a different oatmeal each week, and with any luck document and share them with you. After those recipes, some other flavors I’m hoping to experiment with are…

• banana and cinnamon
• hazelnut and chocolate
• cranberry orange
• cranberry almond

I’m thinking if I stick to pie and scone flavors I should be able to come up with some pretty good results. Of course, I will be also trying to find ways to make sure the fat and sugars aren’t too high. I like a little sweet for breakfast but too much and I might as well be eating a banana split and save myself the trouble.

Anyway, I hope you can follow me on my journey and if anyone has any suggestions, I’m all ears.

Here’s my first success

Cranberry Almond Steel-Cut Oats 3-4 servings

1 Tblsp butter

1 cup steel-cut oats

4 cups vanilla almond milk

1/4 cup lt brown sugar

1/2 tsp almond extract

couple pinches kosher salt

dried cranberries

sliced almonds (toasted)

*As  a sidenote, I made this the night before so it would be easy to heat in the morning.

Start by melting the butter in a large sauce pan over med high heat. Once melted, add the oats and toast them in the butter, about 5 min or so until lightly browned.

Add the almond milk, brown sugar, almond extract, and salt, and bring to a boil. Put a lid on it all and turn off the stove. Go to bed. In the morning, throw the stove on medium to medium low heat and rewarm the oatmeal. Top with dried cranberries and the toasted almond slices. Voila, tasty, creamy oatmeal!