Oh my goodness, I absolutely adore rainy days!! I’m not sure if it’s because we don’t have very many of them around here or just because, but I always get so excited when it rains because everything smells so fresh, staying inside feels that much cozier, and you have the perfect excuse to dig into a nice hot breakfast or sip a good mug of tea (I love any kind that tastes like cinnamon!).

One of my favorite healthy hot breakfasts is oatmeal! You can make it smooth or creamy, top it any way you like, and it will stay with you for hours, not to mention that it takes a while to eat which leaves you feeling very satisfied. You know, I bet it even lowers your blood pressure-okay, I’m not sure about that, but it might! This morning I topped mine with raisins, small banana chunks, cinnamon, a pinch of brown sugar, and a spoon of Peanut butter. Delish! If you don’t like banana, try apple chunks, blueberries, or strawberries; add any dried fruit you prefer (craisins, apricots, dried cherries) and experiment with different nuts, such as toasted pecans or walnuts for some crunch and healthy fats or different nut butters-almond butter, cashew butter, etc.

And don’t worry, ya’ll, the low-carb craze is over and the nutritional reality is that oatmeal is pretty much a bonified superfood. It’s a great source of fiber, both soluble and insoluble (the insoluble kind has cancer-fighting properties and the soluble kind lowers bad cholesterol levels-ldl), has tons of important nutrients (vitamin e, zinc, iron, magnesium, etc.), and with all that good protein and fiber for few calories, it can definitely aid you in any of your weight loss efforts . . .

. . . in Martha Stewart terms “It’s a good thing.”