As the mornings start to get chillier, swap your summertime smoothie for a warm, comforting bowl of fiber-filled oats!

Hearty, old-fashioned rolled oats in the morning will keep you satisfied until lunchtime. Raisins add a bit of natural sweetness with no added sugar.

Makes 2 1-cup servings

Ingredients

4 cups water 
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 
1/2 cup raisins 
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
fortified vanilla soy or rice milk (optional)

Directions

Combine all ingredients, except nondairy milk, in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until cooked to your liking. Serve plain or with vanilla soy- or rice milk, if desired.

Variations:
• For Cinnamon-Apricot Oatmeal, replace raisins with 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots. Cook as directed.
• For Cinnamon-Apple Oatmeal, reduce water to 3 1/4 cups and replace raisins with 1 apple, peeled and coarsely chopped. Cook as directed.
• Omit raisins, cook as directed, and top each serving with a dollop (about 1 teaspoon) of fruit-sweetened jam or jelly

Per serving: 210 calories; 2.6 g fat; 0.5 g saturated fat; 11.3% calories from fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 7 g protein; 41.7 g carbohydrates; 11.1 g sugar; 4.8 g fiber; 155 mg sodium; 38 mg calcium; 2.2 mg iron; 0.5 mg vitamin C; 0 mcg Beta Carotene; 0.3 mg vitamin E

Source: Breaking the Food Seduction by Neal Barnard, M.D.; recipe by Jo Stepaniak; © Jo Stepaniak 2005, published by permission.