How to Spruce Up Your Oat Meal?

Good ideas are often discovered by accident.

This morning, I prepared oatmeal for my breakfast and found out my milk was outdated.

Pondering for a second, I saw a box of blueberry yogurt in the frigerator, placed 3 tablespoons of it in my dish of cooked oatmeal had a wonderful breakfast.  Simple and Easy!

What a wonderful dish! It really didn't need any sweeteners as I'm trying to stay away from the sugar.

There was a little oatmeal left in the pan and I tried it with a tsp of 100% Maple syrup and found it to be delicious even without the milk. My options are expanding!

You can try the various favors of yogurt in your oatmeal. Oatmeal provides great fiber you need in your daily diet.  The Yoplait I used is 99% fat free, high in calcium with active yogurt cultures including L. Acidophilus- for a healthy digestive system.

Hot Cooking Tips!
1. Soy Milk have a longer shelve life.  You are not likely to run out of it as fast as milk.

2.  Don't store your seasonings or spices and food items above your stove.  Overtime,
it take out the nutritional value of those items.

3.  Always watch your expiration dates and donate it you're not using it.
     I use address labels  to date leftover foods and leave notes to myself-such as on my hand bag if it's something very important.
     You can place address labels into your child's garment for a day with at least a contact number in case he/she get lost in the mall or separated somewhere. Just be careful of being in crowds of people. There's items you can purchase( I saw on TV the other day I believe on the Racheal Ray show) about  a gadget you can use as a gps system to place on your child-looks like it can be used on you pet as well.  I'll try to review that show again and get a link to the company. If anyone have the link, please send it to me in the comment area on this blog or my e-mail address.(thelmaharcum@yahoo.com)

 4.  While I'm on the subject, allergy bracelets are something to consider.
      My 3 year old grandson have been tested for allergy to peanuts. (Be alert to read all candy labels for their candy wrapper messages-even though the candy don't have nuts in it, that the candy is made with the the machiney to make candy without peanuts in it. Two of my grandchildren are allergic to Penicillin.  I will speak with their
parents about perhaps getting something they could wear on the wrist or on the ankles.  Keeping an update list of what your children, grandchildren and other children who in your care. Place the list on the refrigerator or a place of our choice for reference and for others to see.  Tell your child what they are allergic to because, children will remember it because it is something about them! Believe me, they will tell you! 'I can't eat that'.

PS: I just called my daughter at her job(there's schedule changes this week)for an update about her children's allergies and I just found out the youngest child, Kyle, is not only allergic to Penicillin and peanuts, but dirt, pollen, grass, and cats.  There go the nature walk I'm planning.  Somehow, he survived it last year.  Epinephrine, used to counteract an allergic reaction, could be my friend.
   Make sure you have access to emergency medications from the child's doctor if  the parent is away for an extend period of time and know how much to give and how to store it-attention to place in a safe place away from children. 
  In any emergency situation, always call 911 even though you have the medication to counteract an allergic reaction because the person still needs to be accessed by a doctor.

   Have a wonderful day! Enjoy your Cooking!
Thelma Harcum


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