Choco-Banana Sauce

Here's an easy and pretty-darn-healthy topping for you. It's not attractive, but...

I used it to top some peanut butter oatmeal, but you could use it as "hot fudge" in Banana Split Oatmeal, or heck, just use it on a regular banana split! :)

Chocolate Pear Upside-Down Cake Baked Oatmeal

I hate when my recipes have long names...oh well!

This is another oatmeal idea that appears to have a double identity; it can't decide whether it's breakfast or dessert! I actually baked this on a Sunday afternoon, and then let it wait for me in the fridge until Monday morning. It was so painful having to wait that long!

Cranberry Almond Oatmeal

It's been a little quiet this week, for which I will not apologize! I enjoyed the break. I came down with the flu last weekend, and it set me back quite a bit. I had recipes to post, but I felt pretty tired, busy, and lethargic the rest of my week. It took me heap-loads of ambition to drag myself out of my funk this morning, but I'm finally back.

I recently received an Amazon gift card for Christmas. Being a very strange person, I decided to buy groceries with it. Like anyone who eats freakishly strange but healthy food, some products (e.g. chia seeds!) can be expensive and/or hard to find, and Amazon is a beautiful place to find these things. What did I buy with my earnings? KIND bars.

Top 5 Peanut Butter Recipes!

Last week, I happily binged on some peanut butter, licking it off a spoon to my heart's desire. Earlier this week, I did it again. Why is peanut butter so GOOD? Creamy or crunchy - I do not care. I'll even take the flavored varieties from Peanut Butter & Co. (Cinnamon Raisin, anyone?)

As frequently as I create and post recipes on here that include peanut butter, it should be no surprise that it's my favorite ingredient to use in oatmeal. Here is a round-up of my favorite recipes that feature PEANUT BUTTER!

5. PB&J Baked Oatmeal

I'm tired of defending my love for PB&J sandwiches. I have no patience for those
who don't understand the brilliance of this combination.

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4. Zucchini-Nut Bread Oatmeal

It has the earthy spice of zucchini bread with a tantalizing smear of peanut butter in every bite. Mmhmm.

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3. Anything involving banana + pb + chocolate.

Is this one a cop-out? Well, it's my blog, so I make the rules. ;)

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2. Nutty 'Nana Berry Oatmeal

It's kind of like PB&J, but it gets its sweetness from real berries, not sugary jam.

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1. Peanut Butter Cookie Baked Oatmeal

I don't have to say anything; just read the comments. :) I think it's my most commented recipe!

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**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!

Overnight Tea-Steeped Oatmeal

Coffee or tea?

Six years ago, I would have responded, "Neither." I started drinking tea toward the final months of my senior year of high school as a way to calm my ever-tormented digestive system. I wasn't crazy about it at first, but I learned to tolerate it. Now, I drink a glass of tea almost every day. (I've also learned to like coffee, too, but that's beside the point.)

Savory Butternut Squash Oatmeal

It's been a while. I haven't posted a savory oats recipe for months. I've been meaning to do it for a long time, too. Every time I update my recipe index and see that one wimpy savory oats recipe, I feel a surge of motivation to give it a companion, but alas, it would never surmount to anything.

Until now!

Have you ever had butternut squash risotto? That's what this reminded me of. It was pleasantly creamy, yet savory. The oatmeal was an excellent vehicle for the butternut squash, which is truly the star of the recipe.

Pecan Pie Baked Oatmeal

I have another confession to make, guys. I've never had pecan pie before. Just like I had never had sweet potato pie or a gingerbread latte before I made those into oatmeal recipes!

But as usual, I made sure to study "classic" recipes before I made my recipe. You will find no corn syrup or eggs in this recipe, but you WILL find a (un)healthy dose of maple syrup! Forgive me; it's not my most nutritious recipe. :) However, if this isn't something you're willing to try for breakfast, I think this oatmeal could make an equally appealing dessert! By dessert standards, it's truly quite healthy!

Sauteed Pear Oatmeal

I've gone pear crazy. The strange thing is, I don't even LIKE pears that much! I won't go into that...I've explained it before. However, I've recently discovered that their relatively mild flavor and texture lends well to unique oatmeal recipes.

For this particular recipe, it's okay for your pears to be slightly under-ripe. If it's too ripe/soft, it may turn to mush when you saute it. If that's what you WANT, then go for it. :)

Pear & Almond Baked Oatmeal

Like a pear and almond tart...

Fluffy...flavorful...sweet...

Tip: Going Dairy-Free

I started making oatmeal about the same time that I started using almond milk. Even when I was still drinking cow's milk, I was making my oatmeal with just water. Because of this, I never really developed a need to use  dairy in my oatmeal (as you can see from my recipes). 

However, I can understand why some people might have an acquired taste for oatmeal made with dairy. Of course, I highly recommend using nondairy milks, as a personal preference, but here are some tips for mimicking the taste of dairy products in your nondairy porridge!

1. Add extra salt.

Because it happens so rarely, when I do have oatmeal made with cow's milk, the first thing I notice is how salty it is. Adding a little extra salt to your nondairy oatmeal can give it a milky, buttery taste. Don't go overboard, obviously; I wouldn't go over 1/8 of a teaspoon per serving!

2. Use coconut oil.

Coconut oil adds a certain richness to your porridge. It's not as flavorful as butter, for example, but it definitely adds a butter-like quality!

3. Stir in nondairy yogurt. 

If you add a few spoonfuls of nondairy yogurt (I like almond or coconut-based yogurts), it will make your oatmeal extra creamy, but without the tang of actual yogurt, so it tastes as if you just stirred in heavy cream! I like the plain or vanilla varieties. Also, this is how I flavored my Coconut Cream Pie Oatmeal (below).

4. Earth Balance

Okay, this one is kind of cheating. It tastes exactly like butter. :) But if you're hooked on the taste of butter in your porridge, this might be your key to transitioning! I personally never got in the habit of "buttered oatmeal," but I understand the appeal; I personally grew up on Cream of Wheat with butter, sugar, and cinnamon! Mmmm...nostalgia.

5. Opt for flavorful oatmeal recipes.

Your best bet might be to steer clear of the simpler recipes. For example, if you were comparing a basic bowl of oatmeal made with cow's milk to a basic bowl with almond milk, you would absolutely notice the difference. On the other hand, if you were comparing two bowls of Almond Joy Oatmeal or Chocolate Strawberry Oatmeal (shown below), would wouldn't notice (or at least mind) the difference. The more seasoned or flavored the recipe is, the less of a role the dairy will play!

**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!

Strawberry Shortcake Oatmeal, Veganized!

Do you remember several months ago when I posted a recipe for Strawberry Shortcake Oatmeal? At the time, I said I was unsatisfied with the nonvegan-ness of the recipe. :) I made a pledge to veganize it...someday.

Well, it may have taken a while, but...here it is!

I bet you thought I forgot about it, didn't you?

Apple Cider Reduction Sauce

Want to appear super impressive with little work? Top your oatmeal with THIS:

I always thought that any recipe with the word "reduction" automatically sounds gourmet and fancy. I've never actually made any sort of reduction before, so that's probably why I thought it was so complicated! As it turns out, this was one of the easiest (but time-consuming) things I've ever done.