10 minutes.
Sometimes it’s forever. Waiting in traffic for 10 minutes, listening to a baby cry for 10 minutes (this FEELS more like 20 minutes, I’m certain), standing at the grocery store checkout for 10 minutes. 10 minutes at the DMV is a minimum. In fact, you need snacks for that trip because we all know it will be more like 60 minutes.
Most of the time though, the 10 minute increments that make up my day have the opposite problem. I look at the clock, and I’ve already lost 3 of them. Oh and there goes another 5. Instagram steals way, WAY too many.
On the more sunny side, 10 minutes is just enough time to get some really great stuff done. That workout that’s only 10 minutes long? Way better than nothing. Taking 10 minutes before bed to read a good book? An excellent way to unwind and encourage sweet dreams. Pulling faces for a certain nine month old in exchange for fits of giggles for 10 minutes? My very favorite 10 minutes.
10 minutes is all you need to show yourself some love by making this jam-swirled oatmeal with salty honey butter for breakfast. 10 minutes to salty-sweet, cholesterol-lowering, so-satisfying breakfast (even less if you use nuts that are already roasted and salted). Both honey and jam… really? Yes. A resounding yes. If you want to use a little less of each to lower the sweetness you can, but please don’t completely go without either. You would miss them. But what you won’t miss is your typical Special K with skim milk. Amazing what you can do with just 10 minutes.
Jam-Swirled Oatmeal with Salty Honey Butter
Ingredients
- 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon roughly chopped nuts
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon butter, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon honey
- sea salt, to taste
- 1 tablespoon jam
- milk (or cream!), for serving
Instructions
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To toast the nuts, heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chopped nuts. Cook until the nuts are toasted, a bit browned, and smell wonderful, about 3-5 minutes. Add a small pinch of salt to the nuts and remove from the pan.
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In the same saucepan over high heat, bring the water to a boil, stir in the oats, and lower the heat to medium. Let the oatmeal cook until all the water has soaked in, about 5 minutes. You'll want to stir it occasionally so the oats don't stick to the bottom of the pan.
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While the oats cook, make the honey butter by vigorously mixing the butter, honey, and a good pinch of salt in a small bowl. If your butter is straight from the fridge, 10 seconds in the microwave should do the trick.
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Assemble the oatmeal by swirling the jam into the oatmeal, sprinkling the nuts over, and adding the dollop of honey butter on top. It will melt and create the most delicious pool of honey goodness. Serve with cold milk. Enjoy and repeat the next morning!