Spiced Nectarine Topped Oatmeal

Last week the weather transitioned from warm summer days to cool autumn nights in a what seemed like a span of twenty-four hours.  Since then, the weather is definitely fall-like with leaves begining to change colors from shades of green to dark tones of purple, brown, gold, and copper.  Gray, wet days have become the new normal for the new season, along with a new schedule that includes school, soccer, and a host of other activities.  Good-bye to spending entire days at the beach and hello homework.  Fall is here and I'm loving it. Waking up to noticeable chill in the air has its privileges.  For instance, instead of holding the handle on my coffee mug I grab the mug itself for the warmth it radiates to my hand.  It provides additional heat to counter the cold tile floor as I move around the kitchen barefoot getting breakfast ready for the family.  During the fall and winter months I try to feed my kids a hot breakfast when I'm able to.  I have no logical reason for doing this... I just like to.  I do my best to prepare simple dishes with lots of flavor with the least amount of preparation time, like these Egg Muffin Sandwiches. With stone fruit easily available in grocery stores, I love incorporating them into warm meals on cold days.  Today I am happy to share with you one of my newest ways to eat oatmeal using nectarines that takes only five minutes to make.  Best of all, this recipe is very easy and quick to prepare but feels almost too fancy to eat for a weekday breakfast... almost. This Spiced Nectarine Topped Oatmeal recipe is perfect for cold autumn mornings.  I use the microwave to cook the fruit along with some spices, orange juice, and a little sugar.  This makes any ordinary bowl of oatmeal quite extraordinary and so much better than any oatmeal you could buy at the store or even a restaurant.  It's okay with me if you decide not to tell your children the added health benefits of eating oatmeal.  Instead, let them believe you're just spoiling them with an awesome way to start their day.  Enjoy! [print_this] [/print_this]