Dinner with Kirsten

Okay, I’ll admit it. A steady diet of Christmas cookies and holiday buffets has made my favorite pair of jeans a little snug. So, I decided to start 2009 right, with a healthy bowl of oatmeal and a banana – mixed together!

It’s a great idea I found from EatingWell.com, and I don’t believe I didn’t think of it on my own. The banana adds so much sweetness and flavor you don’t need to add extra sugar. That would be enough right there, but a small spoonful of maple syrup makes this oatmeal even more amazing, and toasted walnuts add a satisfying crunch.

Since you need to make this on the stove-top anyway, I decided to use old-fashioned oatmeal instead of instant. It only cooks about 4 minutes longer and the heartier texture is definitely worth it.

Banana-Walnut Oatmeal
Adapted from EatingWell

For 2 servings:
1 cup low-fat milk
1 cup water
Pinch of salt
1 cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats
1 ripe banana, mashed up
1 tablespoon maple syrup
A small handfull chopped walnuts, toasted

In a saucepan, heat the milk, water and salt until almost boiling. Add oats and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1 – 2 minutes (or 5 minutes for old-fashioned oats). The oats should look creamy at this point. Take the pan off the heat and add the mashed banana, maple syrup and walnuts. Enjoy!