Product: Modern Oats Apple Walnut Oatmeal – $3.50+
It feels like a frozen tundra outside, so my favorite things to eat right now are warm, hearty, and comforting. This includes casseroles, soups, and yes…oatmeal. And while I’ve been preparing refrigerated overnight oats since…the weather warmed up, I guess…when the windchill dips down and makes the air hurt my face, the last thing I want is cold meal. I don’t mind…but once I’m chilled, I’m chilled to the bone. So something that is warming is always welcome.
And, it seems like I’m on a current oatmeal kick. And who, honestly, can blame me. There is nothing better in life than a steaming bowl of gluten-free oatmeal. I’ll take it flavored or plain or with fruit or nuts or however. As long as it tastes good, you have won me over. Seriously. Growing up I hated oatmeal. I think it was a texture thing…and the fact that my dad would overcook it so it got lumpy and just…meh. And I upheld that I disliked oatmeal up until a few years ago. I started bringing in little packets with me to work for lunch. They were perfect. And they weren’t all bad. Some where. I won’t lie. But I discovered some that were actually rather tasty.
And then…BAM…the diagnosis of being a Celiac. I could find gluten-free oatmeal at my natural food stores…but I was having a hard time finding decent ones that wouldn’t break my already very fragile (and about to get more expensive) budget. I purchased some, for sure, but eventually just moved onto making overnight oats with almond milk, gluten-free rolled oats, chia seeds, honey, fruit, cinnamon and Greek yogurt. It was easy to make and really tasty. But, when winter kicks you in the teeth…you fight back with heat, yes? I know I do.
Back in August, my Cuisine Cube featured quite a few products that I’m still getting to try. I travel a lot, so sometimes this means things get put into my pantry and I get to them…when I get to them. And as I am sent a new box of goodies each month by Cuisine Cube…I sometimes get a bit backlogged. But…this is not a complaint. I always get to a product in the end. I know I’ve talked a lot recently about Cuisine Cube, but let me share some more with why I love this service so much. For a small fee (ranging from $34.99 (1 month) to $29.99 (six months)), a perfect cube filled with small business and lesser-known gluten-free products will be delivered to your door. It’s yours to enjoy and then…do all over again the following month. I love this because it is giving me the opportunity to try products and brands that I never heard of or would know about otherwise. Sometimes the items come from local bakeries…and sometimes they might be something you have seen at a natural food store, but isn’t a widespread gluten-free corporate giant for sure. It’s nice to try full-size (not sample sizes) products that are new to me or that I am unfamiliar with. Every month, it’s like Christmas all over again. At least 5-6 products in every Cube…and I never know what to expect inside.
I was very lucky to have not gotten through some items I received back in August because it meant with the cooler weather, I now had a warm treat for lunch. And that treat was Modern Oats Apple Walnut Oatmeal. I was not familiar at all with Modern Oats, so I was pretty excited to have a new gluten-free oatmeal to try. Modern Oats was founded in 2013 with the simple goal of changing people’s perception of ‘old fashioned’ oatmeal. You know…people like me…who either disliked or felt that oatmeal was boring. They decided to only work with small farm, non-GMO, gluten-free rolled oats. They next began to craft artisanal, delicious blends of fruits, nuts and seeds to produce the perfect, healthy, modern meal that can be enjoyed anytime…anywhere. It’s a modern take on fast food…only better for you!
Modern Oats offers six varieties of their oatmeal. The Cuisine Cube contained a single container of the Modern Oats Apple Walnut Oatmeal. I love everything about this flavor. I love apples. I love walnuts. Therefore…this should be a WIN with me, yes?! Well…only one way to find out.
It’s Thursday and I’m rushing to get things done at the office before heading to Charleston, South Carolina this weekend. YAY!! Vacation. A very short vacation, but a vacation. The more I can be at my desk, working on what needs to be done, the better. And the easy and quick preparation for this oatmeal definitely made it the best thing to bring with me this week. Nothing could be easier. Give the little container a shake, then pour boiling water over all the oats so they are covered. Then, cover the container and allow it to sit for 3 minutes. Uncover, stir, and devour. Easy-peasy! And quick. I let mine steep and cook up while I got some work done. And when the three minute time window was up…it was lunch time. Sort of. I might have added too much water…so I let it sit for another 2 minutes. THEN…it was lunch time.
One bite. And at first…I wasn’t too sure. What I did notice was that it wasn’t abundantly sweet, despite containing 17 grams of sugar. I’m assuming that some of that is the dried fruit. At least…that’s what I am hoping. On my second bite…I got it. I mean, I really got it. I had a little bit of everything. The oats…the nuts…the seeds…the fruit…it was one magical bite. I loved the different textures that were prevelant throughout the entire container. This made each bite different from the one that came before it. And that, my friends, is a fantastic thing. I love that it wasn’t too sweet…nor was it bland. And the best part was…it didn’t turn to mush. Not at all. The oats stayed al dente…in a good way…the nuts and fruits brought their own flavors and textures…and it was just one great bite after another. I ended up eating this way faster than I usually would. I liked it. I liked it a lot. I’m even happy to overlook the astounding (for oatmeal) calorie count, under the impression that much of that comes from the naturally good for you seeds and nuts that are inside. Oh yeah…this was a big win! And SO easy to make too! Shake, pour, wait, devour!
Let’s discuss what goes into Modern Oats Apple Walnut Oatmeal. This oatmeal is made from certified gluten-free whole grain rolled oats, organic cane sugar, walnuts, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, dried apples, golden raisins, chia seeds, cinnamon, and natural flavors. Real ingredients. And while the second ingredient is sugar…not bad as to what all goes into it. And, as a bonus, these ingredients are non-GMO. This oatmeal, in addition to being gluten-free, is also cholesterol free and sodium free.
As for nutritional information, I will preface this by saying I was a little reluctant to dive into a small container that would give me over 300 calories for my lunch. I’m not used to that. But, I had to tell myself to remember that what I am eating is all-natural and real food. A lot of these calories were coming from healthy ingredients, like the seeds, fruits, and nuts. So…with that in mind, I hesitated no longer. A serving of the Modern Oats Apple Walnut Oatmeal is 1 container. This serving provides you with 310 calories and 7 grams of fat. Much of that fat content will be the naturally healthy kind that you find in nuts. This serving, however, does dish up a whopping 17 grams of sugar. YIKES! I’m trying to cut back on my sugar intake, so I’m chalking this figure up to the dried fruits…despite that second ingredient being organic cane sugar. I am thinking positively. One container of these oats will also serve up 7 grams of fiber and 9 grams of protein. Oh yeah…you’ll definitely feel full after eating this!
For the record, of the six flavors (Apple Walnut, 5 Berry, Goji Blueberry, Mango Blackberry, Chocolate Cherry, and Nuts and Seeds), the calories range between 250-310, depending on the variety you choose to feast on.
I love finding out what products Cuisine Cube has discovered and decided were worth to share with those of us who subscribe. This little container from Modern Oats boasted big flavors and big promise. It is one mighty meal indeed, and you will feel satiated and warmed all the way through. Nicely done, Cuisine Cube. Now, I have yet another gluten-free oatmeal option…and that is no bad thing! If you can’t find Modern Oats at any of your local stores, you can certainly order online!
The Celiathlete 
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