One of the cleanest, healthiest breakfast foods we can eat is oatmeal. Oats are whole grains, in their natural state, bursting with fiber and complex carbohydrates to keep up energized and feeling our best. Oats are low in calories and fat yet have the power to fill us up and keep us going all morning long.  Clean eating made simple.

Today is National Oatmeal Day, the perfect time to reflect on simple ways to build more oatmeal into your diet in creative and interesting ways that go beyond adding water to instant oatmeal — boring!

Why not embrace National Oatmeal Day and commit to eating oats more often? Oats are heart healthy and can help lower your cholesterol. Just recently, I wrote a post about a delicious variation on oatmeal that is super flavorful with fresh pineapple, coconut and almonds. Yum!

Here are a few ideas to get you into action:

• sweeten with agave nectar or pure maple syrup, two clean eating sweeteners
• add dried unsweetened fruit like cranberries (but only fruit juice sweetened) or raisins
• toast nuts and blend in for a rich flavor
• add your favorite spices likes cinnamon, nutmeg or ginger
• add a dollop of canned pumpkin for a yummy seasonal spin

What’s your favorite way to enjoy oatmeal and what do you do to jazz it up and keep it interesting? How does eating oatmeal support your health and a clean eating lifestyle?

Filed under: Breakfast, Cholesterol, Grains, Healthy Meals, Oatmeal, clean eating