Strawberry Shortcake Oatmeal

My kitchen tends to be a veganized zone (as long as you don't count my brother's groceries! The cheddar slices and turkey are his, I promise!), so it's not surprising that the majority of my oatmeal recipes follow suit. In general, they use nondairy milks and no eggs, and I only use honey from time to time, usually as an optional topping (like in my favorite grapefruit oatmeal). In other words, if they are not vegan, they can easily be made vegan.

Except this one. And I apologize for that. (UPDATE: Psst....here's a vegan version!)

This recipe is unique in that the bulk of the flavor is happening above the oatmeal, instead of within it. Obviously, many fellow oatmeal lovers have been doing this for ages, but it was my first time. :)

I created a rather neutral-flavored oatmeal, which I found enjoyable to balance out the tartness of the strawberries and yogurt. However, if you try this out, you may find it necessary to add more honey to the oatmeal itself, or even to stir in some of the yogurt so the flavor is more balanced throughout the bowl. It's your breakfast--do what you want! ;)



Anyway, I didn't think I'd like this as much as I did. In fact, I didn't even think I was going to blog it. I sat down at my table and took a slow, curious bite, only to have my eyes bulge in delight. Immediately, I ran outside and snapped some photos (hence the uncreative pictures with a bite taken out of it). I was initially going to title this recipe, "Strawberries, Greek yogurt, and honey on a bed of oatmeal," but after that first bite, I realized "Strawberry Shortcake Oatmeal" was more fitting!

Strawberry Shortcake Oatmeal

by The Oatmeal Artist

Prep Time: 1 min

Cook Time: 5 min

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Ingredients (serves 1)

• 1 cup milk of choice, or water
• 1/2 cup rolled oats (I use Country Choice Organic)
• 1/2 tsp honey (and more for drizzling)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 4-6 fresh strawberries, quartered
• pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Bring milk (I use an equal mixture of almond milk and water) to a boil, add oats, and reduce heat to medium.
2. Once more of the liquid has absorbed, add honey, vanilla extract, a tiny pinch of salt, and cinnamon. Stir.
3. When you're pleased with the consistency of the oatmeal, transfer to a bowl.
4. Top with several globs of Greek yogurt (approximately 1/4-1/2 cup total), quartered strawberries, a drizzle of honey, sliced almonds, and another splash of your milk of choice. Enjoy!

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*If you do not like plain (as in "unflavored") Greek yogurt, or you'd like a more authentic take on strawberry shortcake, you could use vanilla-flavored Greek yogurt...but I dislike flavored yogurts because of their ridiculous ingredients. You could also flavor the plain yogurt yourself with mixing honey and vanilla extract into it before adding it to your oatmeal. Or, you could even just use fresh whipped cream, but then you use the nutritional benefits of the yogurt. *shrug* Do whatever you want! :)

**You can also find hundreds of other oatmeal recipes (as well as tons of other meatless recipes) on my Pinterest account!  You can also like The Oatmeal Artist on Facebook. Thanks!