Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Strawberry White Hot Chocolate Oatmeal

Valentine's Day is coming up. I was contacted recently by the Brilliant Earth Create a Little Love Campaign to join them in...well...creating a little love. :) Brilliant Earth specializes in "honest, ethical" jewelry. It's a perfect option for those of you who are looking into an upcoming engagement (while I simultaneously binge on peanut butter and Buzzfeed quizzes, of course). When I first thought about making a V-Day themed recipe, I had a moment of anxiety. How would I write a post about Valentine's Day? Oh, the horror!


Those who know me personally know that Valentine's Day is my least favorite holiday. I don't feel like getting into the reasons now, but I've always loathed it. In high school, people criticized me for being a cynic and a "hater of love," and--to prove that they were wrong--I began celebrating my own holiday: Hug's Day. When people wished me a "Happy Valentine's Day!", I would respond, "Happy Hug's Day!" I gave out "Happy Hug's Day!" cards and celebrated "Happy Hug's Day!" with my boyfriend at the time. Sadly, it didn't catch on.


I may despise Valetine's Day in practice, but I do appreciate the concept of Valentine's Day, which is why I chose to celebrate it in my own special way. I love the idea of taking the time to celebrate all the loved ones in my life. I dislike how Valentine's Day is so focused on romantic partners, which makes the whole day sickening, stressful, and isolating. But telling your friends you love them and giving them a hug? Beautiful.

Hence, this oatmeal recipe represents what I appreciate about Valentine's Day: hugs and (sometimes) kisses for the loved ones in my life! If you couldn't tell from my made-up holiday, I'm a hugger; I love a good hug.


To celebrate Hug's Day this week, I created this Strawberry White Hot Chocolate Oatmeal. I had the idea for simply a White Hot Chocolate Oatmeal, but it just sounded so terribly unhealthy. :) By adding strawberries, it became not only healthier, but also more flavorful. The recipe calls for 1-3 tablespoons of white chocolate chips. For a touch of white chocolate flavor, one is enough, but for more intensity, go for two or three tablespoons.

Strawberry White Hot Chocolate Oatmeal

by The Oatmeal Artist
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 5 min
Ingredients (serves 1)
  • 3/4 cup milk of choice, or water
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats (I use Country Choice Organic)
  • 5 strawberries, hulled
  • 1-3 tbsp white chocolate chips (I used King David)
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
Instructions
  1. Bring milk (I actually used all 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. In a blender or food processor, combine strawberries, chocolate chips, and a splash of milk or water. Blend until mostly smooth (the chocolate chips will probably remain in little pebble sizes).
  3. Once more of the liquid has absorbed, add strawberry mixture, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir.
  4. When you're pleased with the consistency of the oatmeal, transfer to a bowl. Add a splash of your milk of choice and any other additional toppings (shredded coconut, nuts, 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!

4 comments:

  1. Haha, I love the idea of Hug's Day!

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  2. Wait I am confused. I see that you blend the strawberries and the white chocolate in the blender, but I do not see where you add them to the oatmeal. Do you add it in before the vanilla extract or after you put everything in the bowl? Thank! Love the idea of Hug's day as well!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I haven't seen anyone else mention this problem in the comments but how do I keep my milk from burning while I bring it to a boil? I know you usually use half almond milk and water - I tend to stick to just fat free milk. The bottom burns every time : ( I've tried medium heat and constant stirring but it'll never boil!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've had that issue when I use dairy milk (which is why I normally stick to almond milk). When I use dairy milk, I normally microwave it first until it starts to bubble - but keep an eye on it, because dairy milk can explode in the microwave! Then in the saucepan, bring it to the boil on medium heat. Stir frequently, but not constantly, or it won't boil.
      Also, you don't have to wait until the milk boils to add the oats. You can add the oats in a little earlier. This helps with the burning issue, and makes the oatmeal texture slightly creamier.

      Hope this helps :)

      Delete

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