Recipe for Protein-Packed, Delicious Oatmeal

Here is my step-by-step process to preparing a delicious oatmeal breakfast. Be creative and add your own twist to enjoy a variety of flavors.

1. To start off, I get a gallon-sized storage container and mix in bulk to minimize my prep time in the future.

2. Combine 2 parts oats to 1 part granola. More details on those 2 below.

- European Hot Cereal: I get this from Sprouts, and it is composed of Rolled Oats, Raisins, Dates in Oat Flour, and Sliced Almonds. You can also create your own mix of Rolled Oats with dried fruit and nuts. I just like to buy the premixed product because it saves me time.

- Granola: choose a low-fat, low-sugar, high-fiber mix. I like the Kind brands, and the Cinnamon Oat Clusters with Flax Seeds probably has the best mix of nutritional value.

3. At meal time, scoop 1 cup of the mixture into a microwave-safe bowl. I'm 150 lbs and 1 cup holds me over until lunch.

4. Add a scoop of protein if you need to replenish muscle fatigue.

5. Stir in a raw egg and just enough milk or water for the mix to be saturated. If the egg freaks you out, omit it. But it will be fully-cooked in the microwave later.

6. Top with a handful of berries, peaches, cherries, sliced banana, or any other fruit you think would be tasty. I like to stir my fruit into the oatmeal so the juices mix and soak into the oats.

7. Zap in the microwave for 3 minutes. Enjoy!

You can also prepare your meal and chill it in the fridge overnight. The oats will soak up the liquid to reach their optimal saturation, delivering you a more complete breakfast.

The recipe above packs 600 cal, 9g fat, less than 2g sat. fat, 38 g sugar, 108g carbs, 12g fiber, and 37g protein. Depending on your choice of ingredients, and portion size, the nutritional value can vary.