“Kheer” Oatmeal

 

Kheer-style oatmeal

Oatmeal is filling, nutritious and comforting.

Unfortunately, like so many things that are good for you, oatmeal is also boring.

In fact, I’m pretty sure grocery stores are still selling the same flavors of instant oatmeal that I ate for breakfast when I was living in the college dorms. Cinnamon apple, vanilla… yawn.

Why, when foodies have wormed their way into so many mainstream American foods (Pomegranate soda, rosemary-and-garlic Triscuits, saffron Popsicles and Thai potato chips, to name a few) has oatmeal remained virtually untouched?

 I decided to change that. The other morning, I added some typical Indian dessert flavors (cardamom, ginger, orange blossom water) to oatmeal, along with some sugar, to make it taste like kheer, the delicious rice pudding common in India.

It worked! This oatmeal tastes like a simple dessert, but it is healthy enough breakfast. Or, it can be a healthy dessert after dinner – my husband’s quickly becoming addicted.

Now I’m just waiting to make oatmeal cookies out of this recipe… 

Healthy and sweet

“Kheer” Oatmeal

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup oatmeal

* 1/2 cup milk

* 1/4 cup water

* 1/4 tsp. orange blossom water

* 1/8 tsp. crushed cardamom

* 1/8 ginger powder

* 2 or 3 saffron threads

* Almond slices

* Splenda , sugar or brown sugar, to taste

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in a bowl and stir.

2. Microwave for 90 seconds, stir again.

3. Add brown sugar to the top, if you desire.

4. Top with almond slices.