Orange Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal

I came up with this oatmeal combination quite by accident. I was growing tired of my usual cinnamon raisin oatmeal fair, and wanted to try something different. The cranberries and orange zest just shouted "cozy fall deliciousness". The walnuts added just the right amount of crunchy goodness. I add unsweetened coconut flakes mostly because I can and I absolutely love them. All of these ingredients were actually supposed to be part of other recipes. None of them--and when I say none, I do mean NONE of them--came out as great as this oatmeal did. Yes, it is THAT good. If you aren't a fan of oatmeal, you will be a fan after trying this recipe.

A few notes...

• This recipe can easily be vegan by using a non-dairy milk. I love using unsweetened almond milk for this because there is already such sweetness in the orange zest and cranberries. Which leads me to...
• If at all possible, try to find dried cranberries that do not have any added sugar. For those who are counting calories, it will help in your calories for this recipe. I tend to eat this on my treat day. 
• While I use Splenda Brown Sugar blend to sweeten this even more, definitely feel free to use sweeteners that will work better with your current diet. You might not even need it. I have a pretty big sweet tooth.
• Take the time to whisk the spices into the milk so they will infuse the milk with flavor. Sprinkling them on top and stirring them in at the end won't do the end result justice. Trust me. 

Orange Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal
Serves 1

Ingredients

1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup milk of your choice (I used unsweetened almond milk)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon fresh orange zest
1 teaspoon brown sugar, maple syrup, or your favorite sweetener (I used Splenda Brown Sugar Blend) or to taste
1/4 cup chopped dried cranberries
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
sprinkle of unsweetened coconut flakes (optional)

Preparation

Over medium high heat, in a small saucepan, add milk, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and ginger. Whisk the milk gently until spices are incorporated. When the milk is warm, but NOT boiling, add the oats to the milk and prepare according to package directions, stirring frequently.

Just before taking the oatmeal off of the stove, add the fresh orange zest and stir into the oatmeal for about 10-15 seconds. Pour oatmeal into your bowl. Add sweetener of choice and stir to combine. Top with cranberries & walnuts (& coconut if desired).

Lemon & Ginseng Green Tea & Orange Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal...
a match made in my kitchen! :)

How do you make your oatmeal? What toppings do you use? Let me know...I love trying new oatmeal combinations. If you want to know the calorie count on this recipe, try out My Fitness Pal or the SparkPeople Calorie Counter.