They say, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day," and they ain't lying. I don't know about you but just about the only thing that gets my sluggish sloth self out of my perfectly plush cloud of a bed is the thought of my delicious breaky that awaits me. I'm not sure if it's the fact that I usually eat an earlier dinner, or that I'm simply obsessed with breakfast foods, but it's not uncommon for me to be rudely awoken to the rumbles of my hungry tum. Like actually…I wake up to that exact sound; sans my obnoxious iPhone alarm. As I roll my limp body off the bed and drag my legs to the kitchen, I know better than to grab some mediocre excuse for my prized morning meal. My ultimate breakfast must be piping hot, satisfyingly filling and each bite disappears into the next as I lose myself in the sweet ecstasy of artfully combined ingredients. A bit extreme? You might be wondering if I'm referring to actual food or…an illegal substance (?) Do not fret my friend, for I am most definitely referring to food. And not just any old food, but one of the best choices to make for your breakfast: oatmeal, or as I like to call it: the glory grain. Is your mind blown yet?

Oatmeal deserves such praise because it truly is a transcendent go-to product that can be played up in many ways I bet most people could not even fathom. I'm not just talking your basic oatmeal with some banana thrown in and a scoop of brown sugar like the Quaker commercials will show you. I'm talking about taking advantage of this incredibly nutritious grain by using it as an open canvas to infuse just about any and every one of your favorite flavor combinations. As you read this article on some of my greatest ideas ever, challenge yourself to rethink your understanding of oatmeal and it's value to your life. You may just find this is the eternal cure for those morning blues, those heart-aching questions of “what should I eat?" or those rushed moments on the eve of a big exam when you need maximum brainpower. So, toss that useless bowl of cold, sugary cereal and invite your taste buds on an exciting culinary adventure with our friend, oat.

Sweet Potato Oatmeal

As a college student with a passion for cooking, I always find myself exploring the grocery store in search for diverse yet affordable ingredients to enhance my dishes. I absolutely hate wasting food, and since I try to buy fresh produce to avoid processed foods, I become chained to the clock, because those fruits and veggies will quickly start to rot. While I stared into my fridge of leftover scraps from the past week's meals, I noticed a bunch of scattered ingredients, which would build the foundation for this oatmeal variation that honestly reminds me more of a dessert than anything. Sweet potatoes are amazing on their own as they provide an irresistible natural sweetness that develops beautifully when roasted in the oven. I combined a plain bowl of steel cut oats with my mashed up sweet potato along with syrup, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, a dash of salt and some crunchy pecans, then BOOM. You've essentially got yourself a five-minute breakfast equivalent to your Thanksgiving sweet potato pie. This kept me full for hours and hours on my busiest day, and it was a snap to put together.

http://minimalistbaker.com/sweet-potato-pie-oats/

Giada's Oatmeal

I didn't bother coming up with a savvy title for this oatmeal, because, in all honesty, I learned it all from my girl, Giada de Laurentiis. If you aren't familiar, she is a world famous celebrity chef best known for her cooking shows on the Food Network channel. When everyone diverts their attention from her overt cleavage, milky polished mani, and her endless onomatopoeia food descriptions that make you salivate, they realize she's quite the cook. Her gourmet California inspired recipes are always quick and easy. Another more savory option to switch up tradition, Giada hits all the important nutrients with this oatmeal. You get fats from your evoo*, greens from dried or fresh thyme herbs, vitamin C from the orange and lemon juice, then protein from almonds and the oatmeal itself, of course. An unexpectd grouping of ingredients, this is one of my favorites.

*acronym coined by chef, Rachael Ray; aka Extra virgin olive oil

http://www.tastebook.com/blog/breakfast-rehab/

Do ya want S'mores Oatmeal?

If you don't like s'mores, then please get out. The combination of gooey marshmallow, crunchy graham cracker and velvety chocolate together creates a symphony on the palette. Who says you can't indulge in the same flavor profile for breakfast? As always, start with a bowl of plain cooked oats of your choice. With this recipe, I prefer old-fashioned rolled oats because they have a thicker texture that will measure up nicely to the decadent ingredients. Because I weight train, I always have chocolate flavored whey protein powder on hand and I will use about ¾ of a scoop to my oatmeal. To achieve the chocolate flavor, I would also recommend using a basic cocoa powder or even hot chocolate mix. The moist starch from the cooked oats will warm up and melt the powdered chocolate nicely, creating a pudding like chocolate porridge. Next, I add a scoop of my calorie-free marshmallow dip (or use a few normal mallows), crumble in some almonds or classic graham crackers for crunch and devour this campfire snack.

http://www.busyinbrooklyn.com/smores-oatmeal-recipe/

Sriracha Muchacha Oatmeal

My roommates and I are obsessed with dousing all of our foods in hot sauce, and I don't discriminate with oatmeal. I like to call us the Sriracha muchachas, which is what this next rendition is named after. Sometimes eating something spicy first thing in the morning seems to help me wake up a little faster, and it also adds body to whatever I'm eating so that I fill up faster and become satisfied with less food. I draw a generous squiggly line pattern over the top of my plain cooked oatmeal with a dash of salt and either other seasonings and call it a morning. If time allows, I'll use this as a base for some lovely eggs to sit on. In this way, my oatmeal is substituting the usual toast, bagel or hash brown side you'd normally pair along with eggs. Incredibly delicious, especially when you add a bit of cheese or some pickled red onion* on top to contrast the rich creaminess of the starch. Say hello to your new breakfast bowl.

*How to marinate onions: cut up onions and soak in either a bath of vinegar (apple cider or balsamic) or lemon juice along with some salt and any additional spices you prefer.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/28/sriracha-oatmealrecipe_n_2200627.html

PB&J Oatmeal

Transform this classic sammy into your new breakfast by adding peanut butter and a complimenting jam or preserves spread to a warm bowl of oatmeal. As with every other recipe, I always like to add that dash of salt, which cuts through any excess sweetness and helps to bring out more flavor. If you're torn on what butter, you have many options:

-PB2 (probably the healthiest alternative; this is powdered peanut blend that has extracted all the fat out. Combine with a little water, and you get the perfect consistency of a naturally tasting peanut butter for a fraction of the calories)

-Smooth peanut butter

-Crunchy peanut butter

-Cashew butter

-Almond butter

http://simplytaralynn.com/2014/01/26/go-to-breakfast-for-running-pb-j-oats/

Granola Oatmeal

This makes an excellent choice if you can't spare the time to use a microwave. Gather a few ingredients the night before and bake up some homemade granola. Although you most likely will eat this granola cold, it tastes wonderful warmed up and added to milk as you would with cereal or atop chilled Greek yogurt. However you choose to eat this, it will automatically be an upgrade from that cereal we booted out of the equation earlier. It's heartier, has more protein, and lacks the unneeded sugar. Granola is also fun because just like every other recipe, its completely customizable so you can add as many interesting ingredients as you'd like. I personally love to bake my granola along with walnuts, almonds and pecans for nuts, unsweetened coconut flakes for their tropical toasty flavor, and the warmth of ground cinnamon. Granola can last for up to months too if you store it properly in an airtight container.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/homemade-granolarecipe.html