All of your favorite oatmeal toppings and mix-ins are stirred together dry and then stored in the pantry for easy breakfasts that the kids can make on their own. I don’t know why it never occurred to me to try microwaving our oatmeal before now, but this is one seriously kicked up instant oatmeal. Ready to eat in just a few minutes, we ate this Homemade Instant Oatmeal for breakfast three times last week!
If you aren’t a fan of microwave cooking, this is also a great shortcut for stove-top oatmeal. I use about 1 1/2 cups of water for every cup of the oatmeal mix when cooking it on the stove. Having all of our favorite oatmeal mix-ins already together and waiting in the cupboard is a great timesaver whether we use the microwave or the stove.
Check out all of our Oatmeal Recipes!
- 8 cups old fashioned oats
- 2 cups chopped nuts
- 2 cups chopped dried fruits
- 1/2 - 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt
- Optional: 1/4 cup flaxseed meal and/or 1/4 cup toasted wheat germ
- Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.
- To serve, place 1 cup of the oatmeal mixture in a glass bowl along with 1/2 - 3/4 cup milk or water. Microwave for 90 - 120 seconds, stir and then let rest for at least 2 minutes before serving. *
- * Adjust the liquid and the cooking time according to your preference. I like my oatmeal more chewy than mushy, so 1/2 cup and 90 seconds works for me. My boys like theirs a little more mushy, so 3/4 cup and 120 seconds works for them.
I used a combination of sliced almonds and chopped pecans, but any nuts you love will work well here. For the dried fruits, I used a combination of raisins, golden raisins or sultanas, and dried cranberries. Again, any combination of fruits would be great in the mix. Adjust the sugar according to your preference, I found that the dried fruits made it plenty sweet for our tastes.
Roasting the nuts for 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven will bring out a warm, nuttiness in the oatmeal. It isn't required, but it does create a special flavor that isn't there with raw nuts alone. I have made this both with and without roasting the nuts and we happily eat it either way.
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