Lemon, Thyme, and Honey Oatmeal

The more I experiment with savory oatmeal, the more I accept that I prefer recipes that are "half savory." The Greek Oatmeal and Pizza Porridge recipes are both great...but I'd much rather have the sweet, velvety texture of Butternut Squash Oatmeal or the perfect flavor pairing of Sweet Potato and Soyrizo Oatmeal.

I suppose that's why I've somewhat recently been inspired by dessert recipes that feature herbs, like this sorbet recipe. It allows me to combine my love of fruity oatmeal with flavors that are associated with more savory dishes.

I'll be the first to admit that I was shocked by how much I enjoyed this recipe. During the cooking process, I had my doubts.

 As I was cutting up the thyme to add to my oatmeal, I started having second thoughts. "Maybe I should just have a lemon and honey recipe," I thought. The thyme smelled amazing...but with lemon? And sweet oatmeal?

But I had to persist. I had to trust all the other food bloggers in the world who were making this flavor combination. If it were terrible, so many people would not be making lemon, honey, and thyme recipes and sharing them online. What did I have to lose?

So I added the thyme.

Afterwards, I wished I had added more. If you're nervous about the thyme, start with TWO sprigs minimum, I swear. Let me be the first to tell you that you'll barely detect one sprig. If When you decide you like the thyme, you can add more. If you already know you'll love the thyme, start with at least three, and add more as you see necessary.

C'mon, you know you're curious. Give it a try. :)

Lemon, Thyme, & Honey Oatmeal

by The Oatmeal Artist

Prep Time: 2 min

Cook Time: 5 min

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Ingredients (serves 1)

• 3/4 cup milk of choice, or water
• 1/4 cup quick cook steel-cut oats (I use Country Choice Organic)
• 1 very ripe banana
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp lemon extract
• pinch of salt
• 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme
• honey for topping

Instructions

1. Bring milk (I use 1/2 c almond milk and 1/4 c water) to a boil, add oats, and reduce heat to medium. (If you'd like to add a teaspoon of flax or chia seeds, do so now.)
2. Once more of the liquid has absorbed, mash banana thoroughly and add to oatmeal, along with lemon juice and extract and salt. Stir.
3. When you're pleased with the consistency of the oatmeal, add about half of your thyme leaves and stir gently. Then, transfer to a bowl. Top with remaining thyme and a drizzle of honey. Add a splash of your milk of choice and any other additional toppings (pistachio, other nuts, sea salt, etc.).

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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!