You may add fresh fruit other than apples. Berries, in season, are great. Bananas, pears, peaches, apricots are all good choices. Fresh fruits may be added after the oatmeal cooks. I cook the apple with the oatmeal in Winter so it’s more like baked apple in flavor and consistency. In summer I add fresh currants, raspberries, blackberries, gooseberries, plums, or mulberries (because this is what grows in my garden). My apples don’t ripen until Autumn…so in summer I’ll used canned or dehydrated apples from the prior season. In Winter I may used canned peaches or apricots. Apples store well so I do get to enjoy fresh apples all Winter long.

Nuts and seeds are rich sources of fiber, Omega 3’s, protein, etc.

As to milk…I once read that using cows milk with oatmeal creates a combination that binds the calcium in each so that it isn’t available to the body. This is why I use a non-dairy milk.

Sweetening such as honey, molasses, real maple syrup, agave syrup, rice syrup…and sugar make things extra tasty, although with raisins it’s really sweet enough. I like agave syrup because it is very low on the glycemic index, meaning your body digests if first rather than shooting it straight into your bloodstream. Agave syrup also has a mild flavor similar to maple syrup, but lighter. It’s good in coffee and tea, as well.

3 May 2012 — this was good, I put about about 1/8 tsp of cayenne instead of the red chili powder — I served with WW Naan

Instead of 1 1/2 cups APF, use 1 cup APF and 1/2 cup White Whole Wheat; instead of 3/4 cup brown sugar, use 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup date sugar —cook for 15 minutes