Tropical Oatmeal

Oatmeal is an integral whole grain food and a complex carbohydrate and it's an excellent breakfast choice. 

Here are a few of the benefits:

• Oatmeal is great for diabetics; soluble fiber helps stabilize the blood glucose levels by decreasing the absorption of sugar in the blood. 
• It is full of dietary fiber which breaks down gradually in your body, keeping your blood sugar stable and giving you slow energy release.

•  It has a high content of vitamins, - A and B - and minerals - iron and calcium - and it is high in fiber. Fiber in oatmeal helps with weight loss by being low in calories.
• Oatmeal can eliminate your bad cholesterol without affecting your good cholesterol. Oatmeal sticks to the bad cholesterol in your blood and takes it out of your body.

In one word, Oatmeal is good for you and should be included in your breakfast menu.

Here is an easy, one of my hubby's favorite breakfast recipe. Feel free to try other dried fruit, that you and your family like best. Good choices are chopped dried apricots, cranberries, dried cherries, dried blueberries or raisins. You can experiment and find the ones that work best for you. 

Dried Fruits and Almond Oatmeal with Wild Berry Syrup 

Ingredients:

1 cup water

1 cup milk

1 cup Quaker Oats 

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1/4 cup chopped dried mangoes

1/4 cup chopped dried figs

1/4 cup chopped dried dates

For topping;

Wild Berry Syrup (or Maple Syrup)

Cinnamon, optional

Place water and milk into a medium size pot.  Bring to boil.

Stir in oats and cook for 5 minutes. Add almonds and dried fruits. Cook for 8-10 more minutes until thickens and oatmeal is done.

Serve with Wild Berry Syrup or other fruit syrup or maple syrup, poured on top, and a sprinkle of cinnamon, if you like.

Serves: 2