Cinnamon Berry Oatmeal

Until a few months ago, I had never had oatmeal in my life. But during the process of becoming vegetarian, I did a lot of reading on healthy, meat-free eating and came across oatmeal as a breakfast staple again and again- and after I finally gave in I realized why. It's high in fiber and protein and low in calories and keeps you full, satisfied, and cravings-free until lunch. Since oats are basically flavorless, they are extremely customizable and you can add in different fruits, spices, sweeteners, nuts and nut butters, and other ingredients for a completely different-tasting breakfast every morning (or stick to the same things over and over again like I do!) In the short time since I tried it, oatmeal has become one of my FAVORITE things to eat for breakfast! I realize oatmeal is extremely basic for most people, but all the delicious-sounding recipes I found online are what pushed me to finally try it for the first time. This is one way I like to make my oatmeal:

You will need:
1. Oats (Whether you use the instant or old-fashioned kind is up to you- I usually use old-fashioned but the instant kind was all I had on hand)
2. Berries- either frozen or fresh (Fresh berries will melt into the oatmeal, allowing you to stir them in and add flavor and color to the entire mixture. Frozen berries usually don't melt unless you reheat the oats after adding them, but tend to thaw completely and warm until they are a nice mushy texture, but still whole. They cool down your oats so you don't have to wait as long to eat them.)
3. Sweetener of your choice (Truvia is my favorite, but you can also use Splenda or whatever you have on hand. If you're not vegan, honey is really good too.)
4. Cinnamon
Optional: Almond milk

The rest is pretty self-explanatory. Prepare the oats according to the package directions; it is up to you whether you want to make them in the microwave or on the stove. I usually make them in the microwave because it's faster, but on weekends when I have more time I like to make them on the stove and mash a ripe banana into the pot while the oats are cooking. When the oats are done cooking, add a little almond milk if you like them soupy and dump in your berries, sweetener, and cinnamon; The amounts are all up to you. Now just sit down and enjoy your fruity warm cereal. I love to drink iced almond milk coffee with mine!