The hombrecito is at the stage where he really wants to “help Mommy cook” – and by “help” I mean sit on the counter and mess with stuff. The hubs isn’t thrilled with this idea, but it’s a pretty deep counter and there’s only a few deadly items within arm’s reach. (I kid, people.)
One thing we like to make together is our weekday breakie, oatmeal. He loves to pour all the ingredients into the pan and stir (and yes, I take over once we hit the scalding-hot, open-flame stove part). And what makes this oatmeal so delicious, you ask? Besides the loving mother-son bonding contained therein?
Well, first off, it’s the oatmeal. We use this yummy organic, gruesa oatmeal (or thick, as in how it’s ground vs. fine) from the most amazing health food store/natural café, La Esquina de las Flores, which just so happens to be three blocks from our place.
And secondly, it’s my secret ingredient: mashed banana. I know, thrilling, but it’s a great way to sweeten the oatmeal without adding sugar and it gives it a nice creaminess. I also use ground chia seeds, which you can read all about here. They’re a great source of omega-3s, which can be hard to come by with a vegetarian diet (or any diet, really).
And then we get to the toppings part, when the kid really goes to town. It’s pretty much open season for whatever we feel like tossing in. I’ve included some suggestions below — just watch out for runaway blueberries and flying coconut. Good times.
Serves 2 (the ratio of oatmeal to liquid is 1:1, so you can adjust accordingly)
Oatmeal
1 cup oatmeal, preferably organic
2 tablespoons raw sunflower seeds
1-1/2 tablespoons ground chia seeds
1 cup, plus a splash more of milk and/or water (you can use all milk [cow, soy, almond], all water or whatever combination you like)
1 tablespoon dry, flaked coconut (optional)
Handful of almonds or other nut (optional)
Fresh fruit
Combine the first 5 ingredients in a pan and cook over very low heat for about 3 minutes or until the liquid is almost absorbed, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.
In the meantime, mash one banana with a fork and add half to each bowl.
Add cooked oatmeal to bowls, sprinkle with coconut, mix and top with nuts and berries or whatever fruit is in season. A dollop of plain yogurt wouldn’t be terrible.
In winter, I like to toss chopped apple in with the oatmeal at the beginning of the cooking process to soften it up a bit, and then top with a dash of cinnamon.
