I don't mean to be contentious, and I'm not on Quaker's payroll, but this is NOT UNHEALTHY

I don't want to be contentious either but:

1) Oatmeal and brocolli are very different carbs. Even though a whole grain, oatmeal is a more concentrated carb, and the fiber to carb ratio is much higher in broccoli. Not to say they are not both healthy in their own ways. But very different. On the plus side oatmeal has some protein.

2) Oatmeal itself is healthy. And a little maple syrup probably does no harm. And a little dried fruit does no harm. But when you put the three together you are starting to get pretty carbtastic. Especially since dried fruit takes something already sweet and concetrates it more. Dried fruit was sugar before we had sugar. I think maybe substituting fresh fruit for the dried (in the morning)and keep the maple syrup and you would be fine. (I'm assuming in all cases dairy or soy or almond or whatever milk to make a complete protein).

Whole wheat toast is pretty healthy (real whole wheat not mostly-white-flour whole wheat). But if I made a whole wheat sandwich with raisins and maple syrup, and drank a half glass of milk with it. don't think anyone would pretend it is especially balanced. Oatmeal is healthy and nutritious. But what you have with it determines whether the meal based on it is balanced and healthy or not.

All this talk about oatmeal reminds me that I bought some TJ's steel-cut oats a few months ago and have yet to open it, mostly because of the protein issue. I was talking to my sister today and realized that I really need to add more fiber to my diet for various reasons. She suggested picking up some fiber gummies at Target, but maybe I'll start making oatmeal and adding protein powder to it, like Teppy. I might give that a try tonight!

Thanks for the recipes for overnight cooking, everyone!

Oatmeal is healthy and nutritious. But what you have with it determines whether the meal based on it is balanced and healthy or not.

I can understand calling it not balanced, as it's v. low in protein. But I simply don't agree that it's not healthy.

Tep, what kind of protein powder do you use in your oatmeal, flavored or unflavored? I've got both strawberries and cream flavor powder and some unflavored, and am wondering which I should add.

My issue with oatmeal is that even though I feel full after eating it, I will be hungry in about an hour.

That's my issue too. Well that and not having time to cook myself oatmeal most mornings. But the other day I made TJs quick cook steel cut oats and they were delicious and didn't take too long, so I'll probably do that more often.

I've taken to bringing nuts to work with me so I can munch on them if I get hungry before lunch.

I eat a peanut butter Atkins bar for breakfast every single freaking day. [link] I don't like breakfast, but I can scarf one of these at my desk and it has lots of protein, so I am not hungry until lunchtime.

Tep, what kind of protein powder do you use in your oatmeal, flavored or unflavored? I've got both

I use TJ's vanilla flavored whey protein powder. Dissolves well, taste isn't cloying, proteins me up for a few hours. Altogether decent.

Burrell - if you have easy access to TJ's, look for their frozen steel cut oatmeal. A quick zap in the microwave and NUMMY goodness follows. Each box has 2 servings and I recall the price as being quite reasonable. It is one of the things I miss most about not having a TJ's out here.

And why the heck am I awake. I took my sleeping pills a couple of hours ago and I'm WIDE awake. Not cool.

You are all making me hungry. It is not fair to talk about breakfast at night.

I gutted it out through performing tonight, despite totally not feeling it, and it was fine, but took a shit ton of energy. Plus there was lots of jumping around just on general principle, and there was a gigantic group of high schoolers in the audience, so just high energy all around. So I came home wiped, and ravenous. I inhaled the SO's giant bowl of popcorn (it was okay, he was already asleep) but I'm still starving reading all this. A big hunk of cheddar cheese would go a long way, since I am, as always, Kat. But I don't have a big hunk of cheddar cheese. I have Gouda, but somehow that's not the same, plus the SO would wonder what happened to it. I do have regular oatmeal, not steel cut, so I could have some nearly instant gratification, except that it's over there and I'm over here...hmph.

Oo that's a good idea, Suzi. I have a TJs right up the block. Kinda dangerously close.