Quick and easy microwave oatmeal makes for a super-fast, wholesome breakfast that serves up some serious comfort! It's perfect for busy mornings and you can add your favorite toppings to finish it off.

Oatmeal is a bowl of warm goodness and a great way to start the day.

But I used to think I didn’t like it. I thought it was a texture issue. It was, in part, but mostly it was a taste issue.

See, I would buy one of those boxes of flavored oatmeal packets and try them out. They seemed quick, they seemed healthy, they seemed like a good idea.

They were not. They were not a good idea.

They were mushy and runny and full of weird additives masquerading as apples and cinnamon or undisclosed “berry” flavors.

Finally, I got turned onto real oatmeal. You know, made using just oats.

Hello breakfast!

Plus, it's so quick and easy. It's ready in just 3 minutes and it's so warm and cozy and comforting.

It's also a naturally gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian breakfast. (Make sure you choose gluten-free oats if that is a concern.)

You can certainly make yours on the stove, but we’re partial to the quick microwave oatmeal trick.

It's fast and easy and you can then eat it straight from the bowl that you cooked it in, so you don't have an extra pot to clean up like you would if you made it on the stove.

It's really simple too, but let me offer some tips to ensure you don't end up with a mess in the microwave.

How to make oatmeal in the microwave:

• Oats: Put ½ cup of old fashioned rolled oats (1 serving) into a decent sized microwave bowl. It needs to big enough so it doesn't bubble over and make a mess while cooking.
• Liquid: Add your choice of liquid, about ½ to ⅔ of a cup, depending on if you like it thicker or more runny. You can use all water, all milk (even a non-dairy milk like soy milk) or a combination of them.
• Cook time: Place the bowl in the microwave and set it for 2 minutes, 45 seconds. Also, be sure to reduce the power to 70% to cook the oatmeal. This prevents it from getting too hot and bubbling all over in your microwave. Not fun to clean up.

Note: You can play with the amount of liquid and how long you microwave the oats to get it to your desired consistency.

Voila, mere minutes later, a steaming bowl of comfort is ready for you!

(If you are making more than one serving, I'd recommend doing each one separately. Or else using a really large bowl so it doesn't bubble over.)

Rushing out the door? You can scoop the cooked oatmeal into a cup or mug and eat it with a spoon in the car on the way to work or school.

Oatmeal also makes great baby food. You can add water or milk (breast, formula, etc.) and then puree it to the right consistency. More on that in this batch homemade baby food post, which has you make 5 different baby food purees in just 20 minutes.

My kids now (at 3 ½ and 1 ½ years old) still love oatmeal. J, in fact, usually requires more than an adult-size serving. He's a big growing boy!

Delicious, easy, fast and even portable, microwave oatmeal is the answer to crazy mornings. And breakfast never had it so good.

We're often lazy and go plain with our oatmeal around here. Well, actually, I sprinkle mine with sea salt because I like it savory. Strange, I know, but it hits the spot.

Other times, we want to fix up our oatmeal and load on some toppings.

Here are a few ideas to try.

Oatmeal Topping Ideas:

• Top with a drizzle of honey or maple syrup or a sprinkle of brown sugar. A sprinkle of cinnamon is a nice addition too.
• Add some banana slices or diced strawberries or fresh blueberries.
• Top with dried fruit (raisins, dried cranberries or blueberries, dried apricots, etc.) and chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans or whatever you’ve got). Or toss on some trail mix.
• Apple chips and other fruit "chips" add a fun crunchy topping.
• Stir in a couple spoonfuls of applesauce and a sprinkle of cinnamon. A baby/kid favorite here.
• Stir in a dollop of peanut butter and add some honey or banana slices. Or some mini chocolate chips.
• Top with scrambled eggs and soy sauce. My personal favorite. Strange I know, but don’t knock savory oatmeal till you try it!

Here's a few other oatmeal recipes you might want to try:

• Chocolate oatmeal (sounds indulgent but it's actually wholesome)
• Peanut butter oatmeal with cinnamon and apples
• Savory oatmeal bowl with mushrooms, spinach and a fried egg. Swoon!
• Banana bread baked oatmeal - another kid favorite in my house
• Slow cooker strawberries and cream oatmeal - it cooks overnight!

Bring oatmeal back to your regular morning rotation. You'll be glad you did.

Enjoy!

XO,

Kathryn

P.S. Check out all of my healthy oatmeal recipes for more breakfast inspiration.