Copycat Quaker Oats Maple Brown Sugar

A little something to start off the week. When the kids were little, oatmeal was one of the breakfast foods I would serve them. As they (and I) got older, it became less of a thing in our house.

I am a big egg fan and for the most part that is my usual breakfast go-to. DH, however, loves oatmeal and on occasion I will eat it too. Now he is not fussy but I confess I am. In order to make it yummy but not ingest more chemicals than a truckload’s worth, I wanted to make a copycat of the version I like best (though even that too is too sweet) and that is those cute packets of instant oatmeal that Quaker Oats makes.

The prep for it is quite simple and takes relatively little effort and you can even make some in advance and put in little ziplocs to take with you wherever you have hot water and a microwave (like most offices).

Since both DH and I love the maple brown sugar the best, I took a teaspoon and a half of brown sugar, a drizzle of pure maple syrup (don’t chintz, it makes a big difference!) cinnamon and salt. For years I would leave salt out of my recipes in a health food effort but it has such an impact on flavor that unless you really shouldn’t have salt for health reasons, it should be added. It balances the sweet and really you just need a pinch.

The oatmeal I use is the quick kind, not the instant which is better for you and has more body to it than the instant. This cooks in the microwave in 1 minute, I kid you not! The proportion is easy enough, a regular serving of oatmeal is 1/3 cup of oats to 2/3 cup of hot water. Or if you want a really big bowl, 1/2 cup oatmeal to a cup of water. This is a lot, be warned!

It is a satisfying, comfort food that’s infinitely better for you than the packets and starts off your morning with sugar and spice and everything nice!

Copycat Quaker Oats Maple Brown Sugar

1/3 cup of quick oats (yes, Quaker is excellent)

2/3 cup of hot/boiling water (the hotter the water the less time in the microwave)

1/2-1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 and 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar (you can go with light or dark as your preference)

a drizzle of maple syrup- approximately a teaspoon

a pinch of salt – don’t overdue, 1/8-1/4 of a teaspoon

Directions:

Put the oats in a microwaveable bowl. Add the cinnamon, brown sugar, maple syrup and salt. Pour the hot water over the oatmeal and stir.
Put in the microwave (A word about oatmeal and microwaves. Sometimes the oatmeal can rise over the bowl in the microwave. Thus, really check at intervals – if it seems nearly ready, peek at it more often. Nothing is more annoying than having it run all over the microwave. ) and zap at approximately 15 second intervals (peeking at it and stirring if need be), and shortening the intervals of peeking till done, approximately 1 minute’s worth altogether depending on the microwave. Eat and enjoy!