Sarah Caron, Fit Fare and Cucina Bella - Oatmeal is so, so good for you. It’s a grain that is rich in fiber, which is great for digestion. Oprah turned me onto steel-cut oats, which are the tops for nutrition, but I am still a really big fan of rolled oats. What’s so good about oatmeal? Well, oatmeal is rich in a type of fiber called soluble fiber. Soluble fiber isn’t digested by the body (neither is insoluble fiber) but it does turn to a jelly-like substance that binds to fatty compounds and moves things along. You know, as in out. It’s good for lowering cholesterol (including so-called “bad cholesterol” - LDL cholesterol) and also regulating blood sugar (particularly important for people with diabetes) ...

A good resource that explains the differences between the types of fiber can be found here.

Oatmeal is also a good way to fill up in the morning if you are trying to lose weight, which I will be soon enough. But if you are like me, then you probably prefer flavored varieties to the bland canister one. Fortunately, it’s not hard to transform plain oatmeal into a flavorful delight. This recipe is great because it’s very fast and easy (particularly if you have a nifty apple corer like me . . . what an awesome purchase that was!!!).

1 cup apple cider
1 cup water
1 tsp lemon juice
1 medium apple, peeled, cored and cubed
1 cup quick cooking oatmeal
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
sweetener such as honey, white sugar, brown sugar or Splenda, to taste (optional)

In a small saucepan, combine the apple cider, water, lemon juice and apple and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Add oatmeal, cinnamon and salt and stir together. Reduce heat to medium and cook for about 2 minutes, until thickened. Remove from heat and let sit for 3-5 minutes before serving.

Add in sweetener, if desired, just before serving (this oatmeal is sweet already, so you may not need it — Will and I like ours a little bit sweeter though).

Potential add-ins:

• raisins - add 2 tbsp-1/4 cup when oatmeal is added
• pears - substitute a pear for the apple
• strawberries - add to the water mixture or substitute for the apple
• blueberries - same as strawberries
• almonds - add 2 tbsp when oatmeal is added

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