Piping hot oatmeal is often a hallmark of winter. Hearty add-ins, like milk, maple syrup and dried cranberries, also complement cold weather. Do you shed oatmeal during spring and summer, just as you would your winter wardrobe?
Reconsider. The king of superfoods is amiable to seasonal adjustments, which not only guarantee nutrition, but surprising — and easy — gourmet taste treats as well.
That's because, when it comes to oatmeal, the delicious rearranging can come from not only toppings, but also often less tampered with parts, such as add-ins and the liquids used for cooking.
Oatmeal packages often call for preparation with milk or water, but that could be fully or partially replaced with flavors of the season, such as strawberry or peach nectar or brewed passionfruit or tropical tea.
Instead of heavy toppings, like raisins or walnuts, lighter choices that perk up the flavor could include flaked sweetened coconut and chopped macadamia nuts.
Add-ins of the season really sweeten the pot, such as in the Fruit Salad Oatmeal that follows. All ingredients within the ideas below are to taste. Follow package instructions for the total amount of any liquid you use.
FRUIT SALAD OATMEAL
Use half pineapple juice and half coconut milk for the liquid. After cooking, carefully stir oatmeal, and gently stir in blueberries and these chopped fresh fruits: nectarines, strawberries and bananas. Reheat just slightly until warm again. Before serving, top with raw sunflower seeds and preferably orange blossom honey.
HERB GARDEN OATMEAL
Use half bottled green vegetable juice and half brewed green tea for the liquid. After cooking, carefully stir oatmeal, and gently stir in shredded fresh basil and mint. Reheat just slightly until warm again. Before serving, top with toasted pine nuts and freshly ground black pepper.
CITRUS SENSATION OATMEAL
Use half fresh tangerine juice and half almond milk for the liquid. After cooking, carefully stir oatmeal, and gently stir in bite-sized pieces of fresh orange and grapefruit. Reheat just slightly until warm again. Before serving, top with crumbled store-bought powdered sugar-topped lemon cookies.
TEA TIME OATMEAL
Use half brewed lemon-ginger tea and half brewed Earl Grey tea for the liquid. After cooking, carefully stir oatmeal, and gently stir in blackberries and bite-sized pieces of fresh apricots. Reheat just slightly until warm again. Before serving, top with crumbled fruit scones and a dollop of whipped cream.
AFTER-WORK GOURMET COOKBOOK SHELF
Dried fruit manufacturer Sun-Maid's founders couldn't have dreamed that a century later more than 50 recipes, including photographs and bits of historical text, would be available for download for iPad or iPhone or via pdf in the company's 100-th anniversary eBook. Favorite baked items are there, of course, as well as other vibrant choices from the decades, such as Cuban Rice, Beans and Raisins. The eBook is free and can be downloaded at www.sunmaid.com/book or by scanning marked product boxes.
Lisa Messinger is a first-place winner in food writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the author of seven food books, including "Mrs. Cubbison's Best Stuffing Cookbook" and "The Sourdough Bread Bowl Cookbook." To find out more about Lisa Messinger and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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