Simpli Oatmeal

I recently received a box of Simpli Apricot Gluten-Free Instant Oatmeal to try. I'm personally quite fond of oatmeal, and it's not always easy to find certified gluten-free oats. There are five single-serving pouches in the box, so I figured that would be a few breakfasts I wouldn't have to think about.

  

Simpli oats are grown in Scandinavia, using sustainable business practices and no genetically modified anything. Their gluten-free oats are grown, harvested, processed, and packaged in fields and facilities dedicated to oats to avoid contact and contamination with other grains. Their full line of products are all-natural, and for anyone not worried about avoiding gluten, Simpli offers three flavors of dairy-free OatShakes: Chocolate, Wild Berries, and Tropical Fruits.

  

Well, let me just say that this is more than just apricot-flavored instant oatmeal. Although it is quite tasty when made as such, as well as super quick and easy. Just pour on boiling water, let sit for a minute, stir, and it's ready! This is the perfect solution for busy mornings.

But that's not all you can do with this stuff. On the box is a smoothie recipe that uses a pouch of the oatmeal. I quite like smoothies, so of course I had to try it. Just take 2 cups of orange juice, 1 cup of frozen strawberries, a banana, 6 ounces of yogurt, a pouch of Simpli, and 1/4 cup of rice protein powder (optional).

 

Mix it all up in a blender until smooth, and it's ready to enjoy! This makes 2 servings of a very filling smoothie--it's definitely more like a meal replacement shake, so it's ideal for breakfast of an afternoon snack. I really liked it. The oatmeal adds a nice texture, and the apricots give it a rather subtle tang.

  

I tried the smoothie both with and without the protein powder, as I was afraid it might add an aftertaste, but it turns out I actually prefer the smoothie with the protein powder added. There is a slight hint of an aftertaste, so I can certainly tell it's in there, but it works well with the other ingredients and isn't overpowering.

As part of researching the product, I took a good look at the Simpli company website, where they have another smoothie recipe using their instant oatmeal, as well as a recipe for gluten-free pancakes posted. My kids love pancakes, and I don't normally get to enjoy them due to the gluten factor, so I had to try out that recipe, but I'll share it in another blog post.

I ended up making the smoothie recipe and the pancakes twice, so I really only got a single bowl of oatmeal out of the box. I've never had apricots in my oatmeal before, and it was fun to try something new. I'm hoping Simpli comes up with other gluten-free instant oatmeal flavors and more recipes. I'm sure there are muffins out there that would benefit from a pouch of instant oatmeal added to their batter.

I received a box of Simpli Apricot Instant Oatmeal for free in exchange for my honest review.