Making your own instant oatmeal is as easy as combining oats with your favorite nuts, dried fruit and spices. Fast, healthy and a great cost savings!
Raise your hand if you secretly love maple and brown sugar instant oatmeal. (Raises hand.) Raise your hand if you are hungry 30 minutes after consuming said packet of instant oatmeal. (Raises hand.)
Making your own instant oatmeal is as easy as combining oats with your favorite dried fruit, nuts, brown sugar and spices. Here are a few tricks to making it extra special so that your family will gobble it up:
1) Toast The Nuts: By popping the chopped walnuts and almonds in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes, the natural oils are released and the end result is a warm, nutty and toasted flavor that you wouldn’t get using raw nuts. (This is the same reason I always toast the pine nuts for my hummus.)
2) Don’t Let Raisins Have All The Fun: I love raisins, don’t get me wrong. But why not give a shout out to your other favorite dried fruits? Apricots, cranberries, cherries, dates, figs… go crazy with your dried-fruit-loving self.
3) Sneaky Nutrition: Flax seed meal and toasted wheat germ does a body good and I guarantee your children will not notice it’s in there. I do guarantee their bodies will appreciate the omega-3’s, zinc, protein, B vitamins, fiber and other goodies.
Prefer video? Recently, I had the opportunity to visit my friends from EightWest to demonstrate this recipe on TV! Check it out!
Homemade Instant Oatmeal Mix
Ingredients
- 8 cups old fashioned oats
- 2 cups dried fruit chopped - I used raisins and dried apricots
- 2 cups nuts chopped - I used walnuts and almonds
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup flax seed meal
- 1/4 cup toasted wheat germ
- 1/4 cup cinnamon
- 4 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon nutmeg
- 1/2 tablespoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and spread chopped nuts in an even layer on a baking sheet.
- Roast nuts for 10 minutes or until lightly toasted; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combing all ingredients including toasted nuts. Store in an air-tight container for up to 3 weeks.
- To serve: scoop out 1 cup of the oatmeal mixture and place in a bowl with 1/2 cup water or milk. Microwave for 90 seconds or until liquid is absorbed.
Notes
Wondering what type of salt people are using and if that’s making the “salty difference”? I’m not sure why people can’t tell beforehand if salt or cinnamon levels are going to be too much. If you’re sensitive to it, wouldn’t you know and adjust accordingly up front?
I’m not sure either to be honest. I use Kosher salt. :)
Oh my god the salt. You really should edit this recipe for future users. I wasted all those ingredients, and I can see from the comments section many folks felt the same. This was the worst recipe I’ve ever made from online.
Hi Anon, I am going to politely agree to disagree. The salt balances out the sweetness of the sugar and dried fruit. That said, you’re welcome to make it your own and leave it out!
I just made a batch of this last night and tried it myself today. It is SO SALTY!! I can’t even taste any other flavors! Is there a way to fix this batch, other than making another with NO salt to add to it? My kids might not even eat this and I have already wasted all these ingredients. I’m so bummed-this looked like a keeper ????.
Hi Julie Ann, We make this all the time so i Just want to make sure: did you use four teaspoons? Not tablespoons, right? Just making sure. In general, 4 teaspoons works well with 1/4 cup cinnamon, 8 cups of oats, 2 cups dried fruit, 2 cups nuts and 1/2 cup brown sugar. That said, you can just add more oats and cinnamon and that should fix it!
Home made granola and yogurt or Oatmeal!
How awesome is this!!!