berry pomegranate oatmeal

There is nothing quite like having a day off smack dab in the middle of the week...

...and then waking up at 8:30AM. Oh well, let the day begin! Naturally, I was hungry, so I whipped up (one of my) favorite breakfasts.

My mom just (re)-started Weight Watchers and was recently asking me for some breakfast ideas that she could try. And this was one that I told her about. Honestly, I do not actually measure the ingredients every time because half-awake-Patti can't handle that kind of nonsense in the morning on a work day. However, for the sake of blogging and for science, I've humored y'all with exact portions and nutritionals. Above? Our lovely cast of characters for this delicious matinee:

Nonfat plain Greek yogurt (any brand will do)
Low or nonfat kefir (again, any brand will do but I'm currently in love with Trader Joe's pomegranate kefir)
Flax seeds
Oatmeal (instant works best in this recipe)
Berries (again....please pardon my TJ's obsession, but they make a good Very Cherry Berry Blend in the frozen section that has blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and cherries...OMG, TALK ABOUT YUM!)

Let's talk a little about kefir. A co-worker of mine frequently brings in single serving containers of kefir, and it looked delicious so I thought I'd give it a whirl. What does it look like, what does it taste like, you ask? Basically, if milk and yogurt were to have a baby, it would be kefir. Its mouth-feel is similar to yogurt that has been thinned out with a little milk, like a drinkable yogurt.

Except!!! It's magical because it's fermented.

This is great news for those with lactose intolerance since the lactose has been broken down. Fermented products also tend to have a longer transit time in the gut which means it takes looooooonger to be digested, and therefore, more easily tolerated by those of us with lactose woes. Not to mention, kefir has lots of yummy probiotics that our gastrointestinal tract loves to eat up...omnomnomnom.

On another note...please date your perishables with the date you opened them, for the love of the Food Safety Gods. Try to eat up your Greek yogurt and kefir 7 days after opening for ultimate yummy freshness.

Look how pretty and good that looks! Here's the "recipe", but feel free to improvise as you desire.

Berry Pomegranate Oatmeal

1/3 cup dry instant oatmeal

1/3 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

1/3 cup lowfat pomegranate kefir

1/3 cup berries

1 tsp. flaxseeds, ground (grind 'em up to get all those omega-3s released so you can absorb them!)

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Devour!

Yes, this is a cold oatmeal recipe, but it's delicious. One bowl of this bad-boy will give you 233 calories, 16 grams protein, and 6 grams fiber.

Time to clean up! Have a lovely day!