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Cinnamon Oatmeal With Caramelized Apples & Flax Seeds


Having kids, going out on dates with my husband has become a rare occurrence. I take it as being officially categorized as a family instead of  being a couple. It's normal, you forget how it's like to be a couple when the kids are ruling your life. From the time they open their eyes in the morning until they close their eyes at night, your hands are 100% full. Maybe when they reach the age when they are more independent, then that will be the time when my husband and I can retrace our steps to being a couple again.


There are dinner dates, cocktails and lunches. But for now, we resort to the most relaxed time of the day for ours. Mornings for breakfast dates. When there's no work, after we drop off the kids, we drive to our favorite bar or I prepare a good breakfast. It's snappy and quite odd but that is how we try to hold on to having couple time sometimes. After all, dates don't have to be about dressing up or getting a seat at the best restaurant. It's about conversing and spending quality time together.


Oatmeals ran my mornings when I was growing up, sometimes even for afternoon snacks. I was usually taking it with lots of chocolate and scalding hot even in the sweltering tropical heat. When I started cooking, I experimented with other flavors and combinations. This is one of those successful ones that won my palate. Cinnamon and apples have a certain partnership that blends so well in the mouth and for that, it is one of my favorite combinations. For the oatmeal, it's actually great! And for added nutrition, I topped it with flax seeds. 



Cinnamon Oatmeal With Caramelized Apples & Flax

Ingredients:

Serves 2
  • 1 cup old-fashioned oats
  • 2-1/2 cups water
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon sugar (or more to adjust the sweetness)
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 4 tablespoons water
  • 1 teaspoon butter
  • 1 apple, sliced to wedges 
  • 1 teaspoon rum

Directions:


  1. Over high heat in a medium saucepan, bring the 2-1/2 cups of water, oats and a pinch of salt to a boil.
  2. When it starts to boil, lower the fire to medium. Add the cinnamon powder and the sugar. Cook until the oats are cooked through, about 8 minutes. Adjust the sweetness of the oatmeal. Set aside.
  3. In another saucepan, over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of sugar with 4 tablespoons of water .  Let it cook until it slightly changes color.  Add 1 teaspoon of butter.  
  4. Add the apples when butter has melted.  Add the rum then sprinkle with cinnamon powder.  Cook for about 1 minute on each side.  Set aside.  
  5. Serve the oatmeal in bowls. Top with the caramelized apples and flax seeds.


Location: Rome, Italy