Many people just don’t like plain oatmeal, although they buy into its health benefits. That’s why the best-sellers include the fruit-flavored, sugary instant oatmeals.

Alas, those packets do not contain healthy food. They’re full of sugar, and many of the nutrients have been stripped in the processing.

Mad Hectic Oatmeal provides a solution. Improving on the concept of those instant oatmeals, Mad Hectic Oatmeal is flavored and alluring. But it’s also organic oatmeal mixed with nutritious whey protein powder and flaxseed meal with Omega-3 fatty acids and lignans (which have antioxidants and fiber).

Antioxidant, nutritious and heart-healthy sesame seeds are also added, topped off with whole freeze-dried berries, nuts and some cane sugar. It emerges hot from the microwave in just 60 seconds. That’s fast and tasty oat nutrition for your mad hectic life (and for you folks who have it easy, too).

Mad Hectic Oatmeal is more like hot pudding (think Indian pudding) than hot cereal. With fruit and nut combinations—and chocolate oatmeal—you’ll be feeling your oats soon after (translation: you’ll be energetic and playful).

Strawberry Pecan Oatmeal lets you feel your
oats in a delicious new way. Photo by
Hannah Kaminsky | THE NIBBLE.

• Read the full review to see how we enjoyed the flavors, and discover the health benefits of oatmeal.

[1] Tart dried cherries store well in the pantry until you need them (photo © King Arthur Flour).

[2] They’re not just for sweet recipes: Toss dried cherries into a pan sauce (photo © Emm Group).

[3] Sprinkle dried cherries on breakfast cereal, hot or cold (photo © Choose Cherries).

It’s easy to eat dried cherries from the bag or bowl, or to incorporate them into a quick trail mix.

But you can also turn your favorite cake recipe—chocolate cake, pound cake, even carrot or zucchini cake—into a cherry cake, just by mixing a cup of dried cherries into the batter.

Or, stir 1/4 cup of dried cherries into the filling or frosting.

Sprinkle some dried cherries atop the icing of cakes and cupcakes. They make a pretty, tasty, and healthy garnish.

Instead of making cherry cheesecake with a cherry topping, stir dried cherries into the batter. (And yes, you can use a cherry topping too).

We love to mix dried cherries into chocolate chip cookie batter, and to use them instead of (or in addition to) raisins in oatmeal cookies.

How about scones and muffins? And as a cereal topping?
 
 
SAVORY USES FOR DRIED CHERRIES

And for savory recipes, make a quick pan sauce for meat or poultry, or toss them into rice or other grains.

Add them to tuna salad and chicken salad. Be adventurous: add them to deviled eggs, cheese omelets…give just about anything a try with these little sweet bites.

Any way you choose, you’ve got a new variation on a favorite recipe, with no more effort than measuring out the cherries.

Health note: Montmorency (tart) cherries are among the highest-antioxidant foods.

Read our review of Chukar dried cherries: Dried Bing, Columbia River Tart (Montmorency) and Rainier Cherries.

They’re certified kosher by KOF-K.
 
 
> The history of cherries.
 
 
> Types of cherries.
 
 
 
 
CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

Nuts are a good protein food. Yes, they have fats, but they’re largely unsaturated, heart-healthy fats. In 2003, the FDA approved the following claim for seven different types of nuts—almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, some pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts:

“Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease.”

We snack on raw almonds (endorsed by nutritionists and physicians) every day, and love them. Buy raw and toasted almonds to see which you prefer. You can also season your snack with your favorite spices: garlic almonds, curry almonds, chipotle almonds, etc.

Almonds are heart healthy. Photo by Maria Li | SXC.

Add a dash of Mrs. Dash to any savory dish.
Photo by Hannah Kaminsky | THE NIBBLE.

Mrs. Dash sodium-free seasoning blends add great flavor to food the healthy way. Regardless of what you choose to prepare for lunch or dinner, there’s a Mrs. Dash Seasoning Blend to make it more flavorful. With 15 different varieties to choose from, you can cook up a month of meals using each blend only twice! (The line is certified OU kosher.)

Grab the Italian Medley to punch up your spaghetti and meatballs, shake some zest onto your bland chicken breasts with Lemon Pepper or reach for the Hamburger Grilling Blend to add some kick to your patties.

Because Mrs. Dash seasonings are salt-free, all-natural mixes of herbs and spices, they help limit salt intake. Since February is Heart Healthy Month, we’ll take a momentary break from writing about all the great foods you can eat to remind you that too much sodium in your diet can increase blood pressure, potentially leading to stroke and heart disease. Kids also need to cut the salt, before they develop bad eating habits.

PRIZE: Mrs. Dash Salt-Free Seasoning Blends

• All the seasoning needs of one person will be solved for the winner of the entire line of Mrs. Dash seasonings. Blends come in 15 flavors, including the four grilling blends, so you can use them for every meal. Approximate retail value: $46.00.
• To Enter This Gourmet Giveaway: Go to the box at the bottom of our Salt, Seasonings, Herbs & Spices Section and enter your email address.Learn more at MrsDash.com.

   

Moon cakes are traditional, but few people would choose them over Burdick Chocolate’s exquisite chocolates and confections, in keepsake wood boxes tied with a red and gold “good luck” ribbon and a gold wax “good luck” symbol.

• Bonbon lovers will relish a special chocolate assortment created for the New Year: ganache infused with the flavors of Asia. Take a bite of Plum Wine Brandy, Lemongrass, Green Tea, Mango, Ginger, Cashew Sesame, Lapsang Souchong chocolates and more. ($20.00 to $63.00)
• For a bit less chocolate intensity, there are chocolate macaroons, which is the gourmet’s version of a moon cake ($24.00) and chocolate-dipped fruit ($22.00 to $44.00).

Read our review of Burdick Chocolate, a NIBBLE Top Pick Of The Week.

Celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year with
special sweets. Photo courtesy BurdickChocolate.com.