Wild Blueberry, Cranberry and Almond Oatmeal

Guest blogger Rebecca Crump from Ezra Pound Cake shares her recipe.

There’s nothing sexy about the word “oatmeal.” It sounds dumpy, and it doesn’t make you smile when you say it, like “pancakes” or “omelet.” But when the mornings turn crisp, there’s nothing I love more than a warm bowl of oatmeal, especially with fruit and nuts and a cup of coffee the size of my head. The thing is, it’s easy to get stuck in an oatmeal rut, where you’re adding the same things over and over again, like butter and brown sugar or chopped apples and pecans, so I’m always looking for ideas.

A few weeks ago, I’d cooked my oatmeal and remembered we were out of apples, so I grabbed a bag of Wild Blueberries out of the freezer, warmed some in the microwave, and stirred them in. Then I raided the pantry, tossed in some slivered almonds and dried cranberries, and drizzled a little maple syrup over my bowl.

It was sweet and tart, creamy and crunchy.

Let’s be honest, that oatmeal was dead sexy.

The Wild Blueberries made all the difference. Yes, I could have grabbed a container of cultivated twice the antioxidant power of cultivated ones. (The antioxidants are in the skin, and Wild Blueberries have a higher skin-to-pulp ratio.) Researchers believe those antioxidants might have health benefits including helping to prevent cancer and diabetes, keeping our hearts and brains healthy and slowing the effects of aging.

When you have the choice, you should always go Wild.

Even when it comes to your oatmeal.

P.S. Since Wild Blueberries only grow naturally in Maine and eastern Canada, the best place to find them is in your grocer’s frozen fruit section. I’ve found them at Trader Joe’s, but they’re also available at Whole Foods, Walmart and Costco.