You may be tired of oatmeal but I'm not

Introducing the Pierini DIET here

A character named IronMan, a cyberspace fitness brother from a different mother at a fitness forum website where we both formerly served as administrators, wrote a short article almost two years ago about one of his favorite breakfast meals – oatmeal.

I haven’t eaten a lot of oatmeal this year but have resurrected it for breakfast a couple times in the past month with more scheduled servings right around the corner.

Therefore, I’ve decided to copy and paste an excerpt of his oatmeal article, including his oatmeal recipe. Here it is so please enjoy!

IronMan’s Oatmeal Recipe

"The title says it all. I’ve been eating oatmeal everyday for the past 4 years and I’m getting tired of its taste and texture.

Fortunately I’ve stumbled upon a fairly simple solution to my problem. It is a breakfast that is full of oatmeal’s goodness as well as being packed with protein and even some Omega 3’s if I so choose. Best of all the texture is great and this new way of processing oatmeal means I can prepare it a week in advance, pop it into the microwave for 30 seconds, and breakfast is ready to eat. Yum-Oh! (Sorry Rachel Ray, your words are contagious!)

The basic recipe is as follows:

One and one half cup of oatmeal

One and one half cup of egg substitute

1. Combine both in a blender and blend until thoroughly mixed.

2. Preheat a small non-stick pan that has a spritz of Pam.

3. Pour a little more than ½ cup of mixture into hot pan. This size will give a pancake that is easy to flip and should yield 4 pancakes.

4. When the edges start to firm up and take shape it is time to flip the pancake. If there is no added fat or sugar in the mixture then the pancakes will not brown easily. I usually go by feel to tell if they are done. When the center loses its “springiness” the pancakes is ready to be pulled from the heat and placed on a wire rack to cool.

5. To save for breakfast at a later date, wrap in plastic and place in the fridge. When ready to eat, place on a plate, nuke for 30 seconds, and enjoy!

There you have a basic recipe that will yield a pancake that has approximately 160 calories with 13 grams of protein, 22 grams of carbs, and less than 3 grams of fat. But, the best part is the ingredients you can add while cooking!

Need a bit more fat? Add a couple of whole eggs (which are very good for you, especially the Omega 3 eggs) and reduce the egg substitute mixture by the same amount. This not only adds some necessary fats but does make the pancakes brown a bit easier. Walnuts, almonds, pecans are great chopped and placed in the pan first. The nuts add a great flavor and crunch while boosting nutrition. You can even add some flax seeds for the same type of nutritive boost.

Prefer some sweetness? This recipe is so neutral in flavor that you can spread a scant teaspoon of your favorite jam or jelly on top and the sweet, fruity goodness of the spread is just waiting for your taste buds! This also works well with peanut butter – or my favorite – Nutella. Using such small servings help keep the calorie count low while getting the most out of your chosen flavors.

You can even add a tablespoon or two of syrup to the mixture before cooking. It will permeate through the pancake and add more depth to it. Again, adding sugar will help with browning too. Any flavor will work - real maple syrup, blueberry, boysenberry, strawberry, and whatever flavor you can find in the store.

Can you add fresh fruit while cooking just like you could with a regular pancake? Absolutely. The only thing I’ve found is I prefer to eat them fresh. I’ve kept them in the fridge for three days with fruit added and did not notice any degradation of flavors or textures, but I just think this style of cooking lends itself to freshness. But is no reason not to top them with fresh fruit!

Well, there you have it. A new, quick and easy, make ahead breakfast anyone can enjoy. Loaded with nature’s perfect protein (the egg) and her powerhouse carbohydrate – oatmeal!"

IronMan, thank you so much for this recipe. I hope all is well with you and your family. You may be tired of oatmeal but I’m not.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum