CONGRATULATIONS!! We have two winners
Cate from Budget Confessions
Tamar from Starving Off The Land
please email me your mailing addresses asap – denise@chezus.com
You may only think we eat dinner around here as I seldom write about breakfast; but, we cannot live on dinner alone. Breakfast is a big part of our day. If it was not for that first cup of steaming espresso with frothed milk and a bite to eat, we would never make it through a morning of calls, emails or that weekend bike ride (or market run in my case). Now don’t get me wrong, there is an occasional slip up, where we don’t get a bite first thing and those are the mornings where we both sit in our office, staring blankly at a computer screen and grumpy. As well it usually means we will over indulge rest of the day. Breakfast really helps make our day a better one.
Keep reading this long post … something fun at the end!
One of our goals for the new year was to make sure we had breakfast every day. Since there are times where we don’t have time before catching the train or jumping on the scooter, we decided to keep Quaker Oats at the office. It makes not missing breakfast even easier. We just bring a basket of berries or a little container of pumpkin puree or an apple to mix in with the oatmeal. When we are at home we like to have a little more fun with our oatmeal by mixing the oatmeal packet with warm milk and hot water and then tossing in fruit, nuts, pumpkin puree, or fresh berries. A drizzle of honey and an extra drizzle of warm milk is also a great addition.
Quaker recently contacted us and asked us to participate in a fun event about how we start our day. By doing so, they also introduced us to their new digital application CrEATe Your Day. You have to check it out as it really is fun. You get the choice to CrEATe a bowl of oatmeal for yourself or for a loved one. The application will walk you through a series of fun questions in order to CrEATe Your Day. At the end the site will give you a recipe idea as well as a coupon for a $1.00 off. You can then share your day with a friend or even on FaceBook. I love the site as it is easy to use, it is bright and cheery and the animated steam rolling off the bowl of oatmeal makes me hungry. To sweeten our breakfast morning Quaker sent us an oatmeal starter kit that includes Quaker Oatmeal and a place setting for our breakfast table. The best parts of this program is that Quaker will donate $1 to Share Our Strength (SOS) for each Oatmeal Creation to help fight childhood hunger. The original goal was to raise $25,000, which they exceeded, so Quaker has upped the donation to $50,000.
So how do you CrEATe Your Day with Quaker Oatmeal?
Quaker is also providing two oatmeal starter kits for us to giveaway to two randomly selected readers. They (as well as us) want to help inspire you to make your own breakfast creations in your kitchen (or your office). The kits include Quaker Oatmeal and a place setting for your breakfast table.
The CrEATe Your Day Rules:
- Leave a comment on this post telling us what your favorite way to prepare oatmeal is? Do you like to add anything to it? Or eat it plain? Comment on THIS post by 11:59 pm PST March 28, 2010
- 2 random winners will be announced March 29, 2010
- Open to US and Canada residents only.
Extra Entries: Additional entries can be earned by doing any of the following. There is no limit to how many times you can do either of the extras. Leave a separate comment on this post for each of your entries.
- Go to quakeroats.com/createyourday and make a custom creation. In the comments tell us what the creation was.
- Tweet about this giveaway. Include @chezus and a link to the giveaway in your tweet. Leave the link to your Twitter post in a comment on this post.
Recipe: Pick Me Up and Get Me Out the Door Oatmeal
* 1 serving
2 packets Quaker Oatmeal Maple Brown Sugar
1/2 cup hot water
1/2 cup warm milk
1 banana
handful fresh blackberries
handful of pecans, crushed
Use two packets for each serving. Follow the directions on the packet of oatmeal using 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup milk. Thinly slice banana over the oatmeal. Sprinkle the blackberries and pecans over the top. Drizzle a little warm milk over the top. Serve. Eat.
* Disclosure: TO PARTICIPATE IN THE QUAKER OATMEAL CREATE YOUR DAY PROGRAM, I WAS COMPENSATED FOR WRITING THIS POST REGARDING MY EXPERIENCE. I WAS NOT TOLD WHAT TYPE OF CREATIONS I SHOULD MAKE NOR DID QUAKER REQUIRE ME TO USE ANY SPECIFIC INGREDIENTS.
15 comments
I am a huge fan of sweet oatmeal, but was also recently turned on to the simple, Scottish version of oatmeal. I use steel cut oats (love ‘em!), some cream, and salted butter. Sometimes add a dash more sea salt. You really must try it!
I like it al dente and plain. Thanks!
Slow-cooked with fresh-ground peanut butter and bananas cooked in, then drizzled with honey. MM! The perfect mix of carbs, protein, healthy fat and deliciousness.
The absolutely, positively, best way to make oatmeal is with about 1/4 cup of pumpkin (per 1/2 c. oatmeal — and canned pumpkin is fine), a sprinkle of nutmeg, and maple syrup.
I just tweeted but how does one link a tweet?? Ah, technology.
I like to bake mine with apples and golden raisins and a little maple syrup, then serve with some thick yogurt (or cream if I’m feeling naughty). Their Apples & Cinnamon were always fought over when I was a kid!
the way I usually eat oatmeal is preparing the oatmeal rugularly. Then adding milk, a spoon of flavoured yogurt, flaked coconut, Dried cranberries, walnuts (if I have some) and sometimes if I’m really ithe mood for sweetness, I’ll add honey or maple syrup. Its super filling too, so just a small portion is eaten
the oatmeal quaker made for me was Cinnamon Pecan topped with pecans, yogurt and granola. Yum!
With the brown sugar flavor, I put water and I add dried raisins. Then I let oatmeal and dried raisins to soak the hot water. Finally I add some slices of banana.
Usually, I put what I have on hand, no discrimination for the ingredients
I make homemade oatmeal often for my girls. They love it. I love it! I love this post. Thank you.
I love making oatmeal during the colder months in the following manner: a dollop of pumpkin puree, spoonfull of brown sugar, a few pecans, and made with lactaid milk instead of water. Don’t forget the dash of cinnamon and cloves!
I love Irish Oatmeal (or just plain old fashioned) with a mashed banana and a splash of cream. Your oatmeal looks great.
Yum, your oatmeal looks great.
I also made a custom creation at Create Your Day–it gave me raisins and spice with apples, blackberries, and bananas.
Oh, I love oatmeal! My favorite way to prepare it is very simple: milk, oatmeal, cinnamon, and brown sugar. My husband’s favorite is milk, oatmeal, a splash of heavy cream, white sugar, and some dried blueberries. Yum!