20 Ways to Take Your Porridge to the Next Level

Oatmeal has a tendency to seem pretty humble. It's traditionally a peasant food, after all. If you really want to impress your breakfast guests, here are some tricks you can stun them with!

1. Use vanilla bean paste (or even a fresh vanilla bean) instead of vanilla extract. 

[Strawberry Vanilla Bean Oatmeal]

2. Toast your coconut just before topping your oatmeal.

[Tropical Oatmeal]

3. No nuts? Try puffed rice.

[Mango-Coconut Overnight Oatmeal with Puffed Wild Rice]

4. Sub a chopped-up high-quality chocolate bar for plain ol' chocolate chips.

[Orange Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal]

5. Add a spoonful of coconut oil to make your porridge extra rich. 

6. Top your oatmeal with a scoop of banana soft serve. 

7. Swap in almond (or another nut) butter for peanut butter. 

[Peach Almond Butter Oatmeal]

8. Top with pomegranate arils. It automatically makes it seem luxurious! 

[Banana Pomegranate Oatmeal]

9. Serve your oatmeal in a scooped out fruit, like a watermelon bowl, half a grapefruit, or mango. 

10. Mix your oats with another grain, like rice or quinoa. 

[Banana Oat-Quinoa Porridge]

11. Take your baked oatmeal out of the bowl it cooked in and "frost" it like a cake with your favorite nut butter. 

[Apple Baked Oatmeal with Espresso Almond Butter Frosting]

12. Blend your oatmeal. 

13. Use a flavored nut, such as honey roasted peanuts or candied walnuts. 

14. Top with steamed milk. 

[Banana Chai Latte Oatmeal]

15. Layer two (or more) different oatmeal recipes together! 

16. Turn your baked oatmeal into a parfait. 

[Brownie Baked Oatmeal Parfait]

17. SALT IT. 

[Salted Mango Coconut Oatmeal]

18. Use homemade coconut butter instead of shredded coconut. 

[Sweet Potato Coconut Oatmeal]

19. Drizzle on some fancy balsamic reduction, if you're into that kind of thing. 

20. Caramelize, roast, or grill your fruit before adding it to your oatmeal.

[Grilled Peach Steel-Cut Oatmeal]

**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!