Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Baklava Oatmeal

I've had baklava once. Just once.

I was eating lunch with a beloved professor of mine on a visit back to my college town. She had ordered a slice of baklava, and she offered me a bite. I remembered detecting such incredible flavors: the honey, cinnamon, and pistachio. I never had it again, and after going vegan, I didn't think I ever would.


This is far from a flaky phyllo slice of heaven, but the flavors are there. Don't skimp on the cinnamon; trust me, you need the whole teaspoon! As for the banana? It's completely optional. The honey sweetens it enough on its own; the banana just adds nutrition and texture.


This is certainly a decadent dish, but nutritionally, it's not all that bad. It has less than 400 calories, more than 7 grams of fiber, and a healthy dose of potassium. It's high in sugar, but at least the fiber will help balance that out. :)

Baklava Oatmeal

by The Oatmeal Artist
Prep Time: 2 min
Cook Time: 5 min
Ingredients (serves 1)
  • 1 cup milk of choice, or water
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats (I use Country Choice Organic)
  • 1 tsp flax meal (optional)
  • 1/2 a banana (optional)
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp honey
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 drop lemon extract (optional)
  • pinch of salt
  • handful of pistachios
Instructions
  1. Bring milk (I use 1/2 c almond milk and 1/2 c water) to a boil, add oats, and reduce heat to medium. If using flax, add now.
  2. Mash banana thoroughly and stir into the oatmeal.
  3. Once more of the liquid has absorbed, add cinnamon, honey, lemon juice and extract, and salt. Stir.
  4. When you're pleased with the consistency of the oatmeal, transfer to a bowl. Add a handful of pistachios, a drizzle of honey, and another dash of cinnamon. Finish with a splash of your milk of choice and any other additional toppings.
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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!

8 comments:

  1. Are you still a vegan? Honey is not vegan...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am aware! I actually self-identify as "plant-based," not "vegan," and my lifestyle is motivated by health reasons. Obviously I limit my consumption of all added sugars in general, but I strongly believe that honey is not toxic to my body. There may be a day when I decide to avoid honey, but for now, I just make sure to buy my honey at farmer's markets from local farmers. This answer may not satisfy you, but I hope it at least clarified my decision for you.

      Delete
  2. The Recipe List hasn't been updated in a long time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I work 80 hours a week teaching. It's miraculous that I even post three recipes a week!

      Delete
  3. You read my mind! I totally had the same idea earlier today. I'll definitely try this as soon as I get my hands on some pistachios.

    ReplyDelete
  4. what can be used in some recipes in place of bananas, I am allergic ;(

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi, great blog with lots of inspiering recipies! Just a quick question here... if we say that a vegan eats honey (can't stand the debate around this, so lets leave it at that), what's not vegan with baklava? I think you can eat it without problem :)

    ReplyDelete

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