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?

I didn't forget. The truth is, I've been experimenting with different nondairy yogurts. Here's what I discovered: nondairy yogurts do not taste like yogurt. If anything, they taste like pudding. Some of them even taste like bad pudding.

Here's my analysis:

• Soy - Disgusting. Tastes like sour soybeans.
• Coconut - Decent. Thicker texture, but kind of gritty. Tastes like coconut.
• Almond - Great texture. Flavor is much more pleasant, but has a strong "almond" aftertaste. 

The almond is probably my favorite! The texture is so yogurt-like! I like the taste of the coconut yogurt, but it's kind of off-putting in some recipes. After all, coconut doesn't mesh with just anything. Almond, on the other hand, is much more versatile. The Almond Dream brand (shown above) is probably the cheapest option, and I will admit that it "tastes cheap," too. It was a wonderful consistency, but the flavor has a strange "faux almond" aftertaste. The Amande brand is probably the highest quality, and almost tastes like cow's milk yogurt!

This yogurt was a great match for my vegan strawberry shortcake! You could use plain or vanilla varieties. I like plain because it doesn't have the extra sugar.

Strawberry Shortcake Oatmeal, Veganized

by The Oatmeal Artist

Prep Time: 2 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 chia seeds (optional)
• 2 tsp maple syrup or agave
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• about 1/4 cup nondairy yogurt (I used almond)
• handful of strawberries, chopped

Instructions

1. Bring liquid to a boil, add oats and chia seeds, and reduce heat to medium.
2. Once more of the liquid has absorbed, add maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt. Stir.
3. If you'd like to add any extra ingredients (coconut oil, dried fruit, nuts, sunflower seeds), do so now.
4. When you're pleased with the consistency of the oatmeal, transfer to a bowl. Top with yogurt and strawberries.

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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!