Ginger-Plum Oatmeal

Oatmeal gets a bad rap because, to be honest, it can look a little like the gruel they serve orphans in Oliver Twist. But oatmeal is one of the healthiest and easiest breakfasts a person can eat. Even if you don’t use instant oatmeal, it cooks rather quickly. And it has a lot of the soluble fiber that lowers cholesterol, as well as those good slow-burning carbs that provide energy for your body over a long period of time. We started combining our oatmeal with some spices and seasonal fruit and found that this ginger-plum combination is our favorite by far.

Bring 4 cups water to a rolling boil over medium heat. Add the oats, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Stir occasionally to prevent the oats from sticking to the pot. While the oats are cooking, in a blender, combine one of the plums, the brown sugar, ginger paste, and cinnamon, and puree. Stir this puree into the oats and continue to simmer until the oatmeal is tender to your liking.

Slice the remaining plum. Serve the oatmeal hot, with a few plum slices and a pinch of brown sugar on top of each bowl, if you like.