Oatmeal with Apples, Hazelnuts, and Flaxseed

• 1/4 cup hazelnuts
• 3 cups fat-free milk
• 1 1/2 cups regular oats
• 1 1/2 cups diced Granny Smith apple (about 1 medium)
• 1/3 cup ground flaxseed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 350°.

Place hazelnuts on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes, stirring once. Turn nuts out onto a towel. Roll up towel; rub off skins. Finely chop nuts, and set aside.

Combine milk and next 5 ingredients (through salt) in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir in vanilla. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until thick. Sprinkle with hazelnuts, brown sugar, and almonds.

Serves 6 (2/3 c.); 258 calories.

VERDICT: This is a lot of work in the mornings, even without taking the skins off the hazelnuts, a step I skipped. It's also hard to scale down to one or even two servings. It tastes like candy, but it's also kind of a small serving. Toss.