Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Berry Cream Cheese Baked Oatmeal

My roommate Allison pulled a tub of strawberries out of the fridge. It was the robin's-egg-blue-colored, recyclable cardboard crate that they give out at farmer's markets.

"Will you make me strawberry cheesecake oatmeal in the morning?" she asked. "My mom bought me these strawberries and I need to use them up."

I hesitated. My mind recalled all my failed attempts at that very recipe from earlier this year. Maybe it just needs a little lemon juice. Less lemon juice. Maybe some apple cider vinegar will help. More cream cheese. More yogurt. Less yogurt. I eventually came to the conclusion it was an impossible feat, yet she was requesting me to attempt it once more. This time, however, I wouldn't have to jump the hurdle of making everything nondairy, and that could be cure. Sorry, but Tofutti sucks.


I knew from the moment I set the ramekin in the oatmeal that I had failed to replicate an actual cheesecake, but I remained hopeful that I was providing a suitable alternative. I presented the baked creation to Allison, who was sitting eagerly on the couch in her pajamas. "Berry Cream Cheese Baked Oatmeal," I titled it.

"Ohhhhhhhh my GOD!" Allison exclaimed after her first bite. I don't know if I'll ever have success at making a cheesecake oatmeal, but for the time being, I know I can make a hell of a cream cheese baked oatmeal. :)
Berry Cream Cheese Baked Oatmeal

by The Oatmeal Artist
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 20 min
Ingredients (serves 1)
  • 1 rounded tbsp (or 1 oz) cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup milk of choice
  • 2 tsp honey
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats (I use Country Choice Organic)
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 3-5 strawberries, diced, or a handful of blueberries, or a combination of the two
  • pinch of salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and spray a single-serving ramekin with non-stick spray.
  2. In a large bowl, mix first four ingredients with a whisk or a fork. If possible, you can also use a blender or immersion blender.
  3. Add in dry ingredients: oats, baking powder, and salt. Stir until combined.
  4. Stir in diced strawberries.
  5. Transfer to the ramekin and bake for 18-21 minutes.
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*Vegans! You can certainly try this recipe using your favorite brand of vegan cream cheese. However, as I explained above:  there's a reason I haven't already posted a recipe like this with vegan cream cheese. I've literally made half a dozen attempts at a vegan cheesecake recipe, and the vegan cream cheese just does not meet my expectations. Other than that, if you feel satisfied with the quality of Tofutti and the like, give this recipe a shot (sub the honey with agave or maple syrup) and let me know how it turns out!

**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!

8 comments:

  1. So, whenever I have an ingredient that I need to find something to do with, for whatever reason it just about ALWAYS shows up in your oatmeal posts and I am always like wow how timely!.. I needed to do something with that! Whether it be a grapefruit, orange, kiwi, or in this case cream cheese, it never fails. I have a bit of cream cheese left that I need to use and decided earlier that perhaps I would try baking it into the zucchini baked oatmeal post you have since I used to slather zucchini bread with cream cheese when I was younger. But nope, here comes your post with cream cheese in the ingredient list :) so I'll do this for breakfast tomorrow instead! The fact that this has happened so many times is 1. the reason I decided to finally comment on it and 2. both a tad bit creepy lol but mostly incredibly awesome and convenient haha.

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    Replies
    1. :D The zucchini idea sounds good, too! You should try that!

      Thanks for your kind words!

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  2. I have had good luck making cheesecake pseudo-overnight oatmeal. I start the cooking the night before, add the cream cheese, yogurt, and whatever else I am using, and transfer to a bowl in the refrigerator. My morning, it wonderfully resembles a personal cheesecake!

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    1. That sounds wonderful... I'd like to try that.

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  3. This was AMAZING, definitely in my top 10, along with PB cookie and PB&J baked oatmeals. I can't wait to try it with all different kinds of gorgeous summer berries fresh from the farmer's market. Thank you SO much for your hard work and your awesome recipes.

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  4. I absolutely love these recipes!!! I loved oatmeal, but was so bored with the same thing... this is wonderful! Thanks for sharing!

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  5. After pinning this recipe months ago, my kids finally woke up with a hankering for oatmeal this morning. I quadrupled the recipe for my family of 4. Sadly, I was out of cream cheese but I was able to substitute Greek yogurt mixed with a couple of eggs and it turned out great! Both kids are enjoying their second bowl right now :)

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