I was the little girl whose dad had to constantly remind her, “Honey, you can’t have everything.” It heavied my idealistic heart — not out of entitlement, but out of a “can we really not find a solution for this?” optimism.
As an adult, I yielded to harsh reality: You can have it cheap, fast, or good, but you can only pick two of those pleasures at a time. Trade-offs are inevitable in life, and rarely, if ever, do you have the luxury of getting all three from anything. But then this culinary unicorn appeared, and the little girl inside me can’t help feeling like she’s got one up on adulting!
My brother’s family was visiting last weekend to celebrate my nephew’s birthday when we woke to a gift from Mother Nature on Sunday morning—a sunny, almost-60-degree day in late February. When you live in Massachusetts, where it’s basically winter until May, and there’s a promise of spring in the air, you get outdoors! The kids had already had breakfast and my sister-in-law, Anne, was prepping a fruit-and-veggie platter when I announced I was going to wipe down the deck furniture. Soon we were all outside, some of us in down vests, some in beanies, some even under a blanket, enjoying coffee and snacks in the glorious sunshine.
V and I were the only ones who hadn’t had actual breakfast yet, so I slipped back into my (microwave-less) kitchen and emerged just a few minutes later with two mugs of healthy, delicious oatmeal complete with seeds and dried fruit. Anne was intrigued by how I’d made it so quickly, so I gushed over my recent discovery in detail. I was pretty excited to geek out over a breakfast hack, but I hadn’t realized she would be, too!
She texted me a week later. “I’ve been having ‘La Ain’t Got Time for Stovetop Stirrin’ Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats’ every morning, and I love this expedited shortcut! All the goodness, none of the time. It’s a wonder! Why have we never done this before? Where is your blog post on this?!”
And wonder oats got their wings.
Oatmeal isn’t the sexiest breakfast food, but it’s the one I find most satisfying and hearty enough to carry me through to lunchtime.
Whole-grain oats are naturally gluten-free and packed with tons of important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They’re high in fiber and protein, and studies suggest that eating them three to five times a week can help you maintain a healthy weight while reducing your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers.
The nutritional hierarchy of oatmeal goes like this: Steel-cut oats, “old-fashioned” rolled oats, quick rolled oats, and instant rolled oats. Steel-cut oats are the least processed and therefore offer the highest nutritional value, but with a cooking time of 20 to 40 minutes, they’re rarely my go-to. Quick and instant oats are, well, quick or instant, but they’re more processed — and the convenient individual packets are more expensive and often contain artificial ingredients and lots of added sugar. For these reasons, “old-fashioned” rolled oats are my preferred choice and why I’ve been standing in front of the stove cooking them for years.
The trouble is, I find this 10- to 12-minute process of cooking and stirring oatmeal on a busy morning akin to the plight of the avocado: not ready, not ready, not ready, ready, dang—too late. An untimely toddler potty run or laundry-pile search for my *other* black bra can ruin the entire effort.
I love to cook and appreciate the time and attention that creating a meal takes, but not on a weekday morning, and definitely not over oatmeal. C’mon, now! I was so hopeful when overnight oats became a thing, but they’re cold the next morning. And unless you want to eat something chilly from the fridge at 6 AM on a winter morning (no, thank you!), you still have to take the time to heat them up. Hmph. Always a trade-off.
Unicorn, enter stage left.
A few weeks ago, I was boiling water for tea in my favorite French kettle when it hit me: Why can’t I just add this water to my oats and let them sit and soak?
So I tried it.
And fiveish minutes later (or the time it takes to feed your dog, dress your kiddos, or take a quick shower), they were perfect. Like Anne said, “All the goodness, none of the time!” And no more messy pot to wash from missing the mark.
Wonder Oats Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this tasty oatmeal:
- Organic Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats – Bob’s Red Mill is my favorite brand.
- Super Seed Mix – A powerhouse pantry staple. My super seed mix is equal parts chia seed, hemp seed, and flaxseed.
- Cinnamon – Its sweet, woody flavor adds spice to the oats and provides many nutritional benefits.
- Raisins or Dried Cranberries – A sprinkle adds a pop of color, sweetness, and tang.
- Boiling Hot Water – Just enough to cover the oats. I use fresh-filtered water from our Berkey filter.
- Optional Add-Ons – A swirl of organic honey or maple syrup.
For a heartier meal, I add fresh fruit like blueberries or strawberries or pair it with an organic mixed-berry or tropical green smoothie.
See the full recipe below.
Another great thing about this oatmeal: You can enjoy it under so many different circumstances. On weekdays, V and I make ours in mugs with handles so we can eat it while we run around and get ready. If you love to sit for a leisurely breakfast, try it in a bowl, like Summer does. And if you commute to work via public transportation, enjoy it on the go in a travel mug or mason jar.
Still not quick enough?
I’m sure there are a few of you whose morning schedule is so jam-packed you don’t have one more scooping second to spare.
If that’s the case, you can save even more time by combining your weekly serving of the dry oats, super seed mix, and cinnamon in a large mason jar and storing it in the fridge. I would wait to add the raisins or dried cranberries until you’re making a serving. Personally, I store my oats and dried fruit in my pantry and my super seed mix in the refrigerator, so I prefer to combine them all the morning of. But you can store oats in the fridge as long as they’re in a properly sealed container, so you should be fine.
Wonder-Full.
A bowl of wonder oats will help you start your day strong. With just a few minutes of effort, you’ll have a simple, delicious, super-healthy breakfast that will keep you feeling good all morning. I know you’re going to love this oatmeal, and I guarantee you have time for it!
Print
Wonder Oats
- Prep Time: 3 Minutes
- Cook Time: 5 Minutes
- Total Time: 8 minutes
- Yield: 1 Serving 1x
- Category: Breakfast
Description
This fuss-free, feel-good oatmeal has all the goodness of whole-grain, cooked oats with none of the time or cleanup.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Bob’s Red Mill Organic Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
- 1 teaspoon super seed mix (equal parts hemp, chia, and flaxseed)
- dash of cinnamon
- sprinkle of raisins or dried cranberries
- ¼ cup boiling hot water to cover
- optional: swirl of organic honey or maple syrup
Instructions
- Bring fresh-filtered water to a boil.
- Add oats, super seed mix, cinnamon, and raisins or dried cranberries to your bowl or mug of choice.
- Add just enough boiling hot water to cover dry ingredients and stir. (This can be adjusted to your liking. Add more water for a creamier texture and less water for a thicker texture.)
- Let sit for 5 minutes. (Go shower, dry your hair, feed the dog…)
- Your feel-good healthy breakfast is ready!
I’m listening to:
Resources:
Kilner Jar: Kilner Clip Top Square Jar 51-Ounce
Wide Ceramic Mugs: HomeGoods (Similar to shown.)
Latte Bowls: Anthropologie (Similar to shown.)
Ball Mason Jar: Ball Wide Mouth Pint 16-Ounce
Plastic Storage Caps: (Unless you’re canning and need the metal lids and bands that come with the glass mason jars, these plastic caps are the best for easy access.)
Measuring Cups & Spoons: Williams-Sonoma (Similar to shown.)
Trivet: The Pioneer Woman Vintage Floral Braided Trivet
Dish Towel: Hearth & Hand with Magnolia (Similar to shown.)
Beautiful! I don’t know if this…blog?…website?…earns you money but I hope it does! You do such a beautiful job! Pictures. Artistry. Links. Recipes. And well written content. Loverly!!!
Thank you, Christian! So happy you’ve found it helpful. 💛