Apple Baked Oatmeal with Espresso Almond Butter Frosting

Remember how I bought almond butter and managed to not demolish it within seconds? Here is another recipe I created with it. Seriously, what could be better than a robe of almond butter smothering a baked oatmeal cake? Nothing, that’s what.

To see how I made it, scroll to the bottom. I’m about to do some sappy reflecting.

Stewed Fig and Apple Steel-Cut Oatmeal

Happy Tuesday! Happy last week of school for me! Happy birthday to my older brother, Christopher!

There are so many reasons to be happy this week. One of the reasons includes starting every morning with this oatmeal. The inspiration actually came from my dislike of the appearance of fresh figs. Why are they so unattractive? Thus, I thought to myself: maybe if I stew them or make a compote, I can enjoy the flavor of figs without the ugly appearance.

Well, it turns out that stewed figs are, in fact, uglier than a regular ol' fresh fig. Bummer.

Salted (or not) Caramel Apple Oatmeal

One week remains of my first year of teaching! Each year, as my life and career become increasingly more demanding, I worry about how my blog will fit into my schedule. This year, I consistently worked 70-80 hours a week, yet I somehow managed to squeeze in a few hours each weekend to manage this blog.

...So if you're wondering why I'm not so great at responding to blog comments anymore, that's why. I'm sorry! I read and appreciate all of them!

Despite my long hours of classroom prep, I remained loyal to this blog. I think that's quite telling. No matter how stressful my life was, I made this blog a priority. Why? I enjoy it. Yes, it's a LOT of (more) work, but it's also gratifying and therapeutic.

This recipe, like many others, has been stumping me for at least a year. How could I make a VEGAN caramel sauce? It's not that I didn't know how--there are tons of recipes out there. I just didn't feel like making it (see above re: 70-80 hours a week)!

Apple Beet Oatmeal

One of my favorite parts of meeting new people is how they influence my food preferences. Before I met my former roommate Christin, I never sauteed my vegetables (I always steamed or roasted). Before my current roommate Chilee, I avoided mushrooms at all costs. And of course, there was my former boyfriend from my junior year of college, who inadvertently converted me to a vegetarian (and eventually fully herbie).

Then, there's Allison. She's taught me you can never use enough cinnamon. She showed me (before going vegan) that "runny eggs" are nothing to be feared. She introduced me to dozens of foods I had ever tried before, like goat cheese and Indian food and RAMEN (the real stuff). Last but not least, with months of effort, she trained me to appreciate her favorite vegetable: beets.

I tried them once. I tried them twice. I tried them several times. Each time, I found them tolerable at best, but why did they taste like dirt? Why were they always cold and gelatinous?

But then this recipe happened. I had thought of the concept ages ago, but making it would force me to confront my wariness of beets. I'm pleased to report that I'm so glad I finally did it!

Apple and Cherry Jam Baked Oatmeal

After several recommendations from multiple readers, I finally tried grating an apple instead of dicing it. I originally disregarded it because I thought about how much I loathe grating carrots. Luckily, apples are softer than carrots and grate much more easily. I actually found it easier--and possibly even faster--to grate the apple than dice it!

Because apple is so juicy, grating it results in a sauce-like (but wonderful) glop. That may sound unappealing, but it's perfect when you consider that you'll have apple flavor in every single bite. It also means you won't have big mushy apple chunks, which is my least favorite part of baked apple oatmeal.

How to Make Creamier Oatmeal with Diced Fruit

If you've been following the blog from the beginning, you will have witnessed the progression of my apple recipes. If not, let me catch you up.

First, there was Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal--simple, easy, and reliable. The only problem? Look how separated it is. The rolled oats appear to segregate themselves from the apple chunks. The oats do not join together like pudding.

For comparison's sake, look at this Banana Bread Oatmeal picture--SO CREAMY!

And then there was Apple Pie Oatmeal. UGH! LOOK AT IT! How unappetizing.

I learned two lessons from the Apple Pie Oatmeal photos: 1) cut the apples into smaller pieces, and 2) douse the oatmeal in milk before photographing.

The result was a slew of milk-doused apple oatmeals.

Then, something wonderful happened: I met quick cook steel-cut oats. This drastically changed my porridges, and this is Secret #1.

1. Use quick cook steel-cut oats whenever you're working with diced fruit.

I could not believe this recipe when I made it. Look at how pudding-like it is! Instead of segregating into unhappy flakes, it creams together like custard...no banana necessary! I didn't even need to splash milk on afterwards. (Pictured above: Salted Maple, Apple, & Pecan Oatmeal)

Around the same time as this recipe, I also created Applesauce Oatmeal using homemade applesauce. This gave me another revelation.

2. When possible, precook apples before adding them to the oatmeal.

Despite the fact that I left my applesauce rather chunky, it stirred into this oatmeal seamlessly. Now I was really pleased with myself! However, I quickly discovered yet another way to achieve soft apples without having to make applesauce.

3. Use steel-cut oats to give the apples more time to cook.

The success of this method is demonstrated in my Apple Pie Steel-Cut Oatmeal. After all, if you add the apples right away, they cook with the oats for an entire twenty minutes! The results? Integrated, cohesive, happy creaminess (and soft apples!):

However, when making "regular," ready-in-five-minutes oatmeal, it's still possible to achieve soft apples and creamy porridge. My latest secret? A quick stewing.

4. For instant "softer" apples, stew the apples for a couple minutes before adding the oats.

You've seen the results of this method previously this week in my Apple & Veggie Sausage Oatmeal. Before I bring the milk/water to a boil, I dice the apple into a saucepan and add about 1/2 a cup of water. I bring it to a boil and let it "stew" for approximately two minutes. Then, I add a 1/2 cup of milk, return it to a boil, and add the oats. All of that gives the apples an extra 3-4 minutes in the simmering liquid, which takes away its crunch and lets it melt in your mouth.

The above tricks work with all stone fruits, berries, and anything that requires dicing. However, it's most relevant to apples since they are stubbornly firm.

Still, none of this success would have been possible without my quick-cook steel cut oats. If you haven't tried this variety yet, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!

**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!

Apple and Chestnut Oatmeal

When I posted my Berry and Fig Oatmeal and asked readers what ingredient they'd like to see me experiment with, Irene (a frequent commentor) requested chestnuts. My initially reaction was "GTFO." My only experience (truly, the only one) with chestnuts was last Thanksgiving. I spent that holiday with Allison and her family, and together we prepared a phenomenal Chestnut, Leek, and Apple Stuffing.

Obviously, I loved this dish, but I still couldn't see myself using chestnuts in oatmeal. However, as I wear out all my pumpkin and sweet potato possibilities, I'm starting to open my mind to different ingredients. Cue the chestnuts.

Apple and Veggie Sausage Oatmeal

I definitely try to limit my exposure to fake meats, but it's always fun to experiment with them. My friends know that soyrizo is my absolute favorite, and good ol' tempeh is a close second. I tend to have those around in my kitchen pretty regularly.

However, occasionally I get super crazy and buy random items...like these sausage links.

Kiwi, Green Apple, and Pistachio Oatmeal

Last week, I talked about how crazy my life was as a teacher. I'm happy to announce that I'm slowly getting my "ish" together. I enjoyed a lovely 15 hours grading essays over the weekend (yippee), but besides that, I'm feeling things slowing down.

Anyway, this recipe features an odd assortment of ingredients. Essentially, I was inspired by green. I can't remember how this recipe started in my imagination, but I simply kept adding on to it with more green things. It continued to morph as it went through the process. Even when I first made it, I decided to add lemon extract at the last second. No regrets--the touch of citrus made these ingredients dance. Lime juice might be pleasant, too.

Chai Stewed Apples Oatmeal

I've given up coffee. It was tough for me. Really tough. I've spent the last year sampling soy lattes at every coffee shop in New York City, but the past few months have been trying. Within hours of licking the last bits of froth off my mug, I would always find myself feeling woozy and having cold sweats. Every. Single. Time.

Instead, I've had to reinvest in my love for tea.

I really wish I could order chai more often at all my favorite coffee shops. Sadly, most places make theirs from a concentrate or powdered mix that already includes dairy. Bumsville.

Apple Pie Steel-Cut Oatmeal

My grandma makes a killer apple pie. The apple filling reaches the perfect point between firm slices and mush. I don’t want to have to chew my apples when I’m eating pie, but I don’t want to slurp them like applesauce, either. She nails this balance every time.

The extra special twist is that her apples come from her backyard. An apple tree was planted in her yard each time a new grandkid was born. This means my brother, sister, cousins, and I each have our own apple tree. We take great pride in the apples that grow from them. Each time my grandma makes a pie, someone asks, “Whose apples are these?” There was a stretch of time when my tree was the champion, pumping out dozens of apples throughout the harvesting season. My apple tree is a boss.

I have a soft spot in my heart for apple pie. Well, to be honest, I just really love pie (pie > cake).

I feel like all my pie-themed recipes go through similar transformations where they emerge in every form, from stove-top, to baked, to overnight, to steel-cut. I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before you see Pumpkin Pie Oatcakes or Apple Pie Muesli (how would that even work?!).

Apple Pie Steel-Cut Oatmeal

by The Oatmeal Artist

Prep Time: 5 min

Cook Time: 25 min

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Ingredients (serves 4)

• 2 cups milk of choice
• 2 cups water (or more milk)
• 1 cup steel cut oats (I use Country Choice Organic)
• 2 or 3 apples
• 1 tbsp flax meal or seeds (optional)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp apple pie spice (or 2 tsp cinnamon with two pinches each of nutmeg, allspice, and ginger)
• 1/2 tsp molasses (I use Blackstrap)
• 1/8 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Add milk and water to a large pot over medium heat.
2. While you wait, prepare your apples. Dice them into as small of pieces as possible (the smaller the chunks, the more evenly distributed the flavor will be!).
3. Once the liquid comes to a boil, add oats, diced apple, and flax. Reduce heat to medium.
4. Stir occasionally. After about ten or fifteen minutes, add vanilla extract, apple pie spice, molasses, and salt. Stir.
5. When you're pleased with the consistency of the oatmeal, transfer to four or five serving bowls. Add a splash of your milk of choice and any other additional toppings (pecans and maple syrup are wonderful).

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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!

Pumpkin, Apple, and Cranberry Oatmeal

Pumpkin. How can I make more pumpkin recipes? What else can be done with pumpkin? These are the questions I ask myself twice a day.

What spices and herbs go well with pumpkin? What fruits pair well with pumpkin? What different forms of oatmeal have I not tried with pumpkin?!

The result of this never-ending search is today's recipe. Seeing how well apples paired with sweet potatoes, I knew they'd be smashing with pumpkin. Of course, cranberries are my go-to dried fruit for autumn recipes, so I threw those in as well. Aaaand bam, cue the world's coziest breakfast.

Oatmeal Recipes for Autumn Lovers

I can take a hint. When I asked for what ingredients you'd like to see more of in my recipes, the resounding opinion was simply everything autumn. I couldn't agree more, which is why I've been pumping out all sorts of hearty, autumn goodness. Summer food is delicious, but when the temperature starts dropping slightly and everyone breaks out their best pair of boots, delving into a bowl of cozy porridge is truly perfection. This is the time of year when the "seasonal porridge lovers" join us crazies who eat it year-round. For once, everyone's in agreement, and we can all share our love of hot, creamy, pumpkin-themed oatmeal. :)

Here are my favorite and/or most popular autumn-themed oatmeal recipes. Plus, since everyone lurrrrves my autumn recipes, I capped myself off at ten recipes instead of five. (And yes, there will be pumpkin.)

Autumn Muesli

I don't know what it is about muesli lately, but I am all about it. I think it's because I've been setting my electric blanket too high at night, and when I wake up in the morning, all I want is cold muesli.

This muesli essentially just celebrates autumn. Okay, so maybe pumpkin didn't make it in (don't worry, that's coming!), BUT there are pepitas, which are pumpkin seeds, so...I guess that counts! I also used dried apples, raisins, golden raisins, dried cranberries, and pecan pieces. DIVINE.

My first bites were certainly pleasant, but I felt that something was missing. It was almost too light and bright and sunshiny. It needed more autumn. I took a risk and added a dash of cinnamon, and wow, it made all the difference!

Pomegranate Apple Oatmeal

I'm in love. No, not with a boy (that will never happen, guys). No, not with oatmeal (I mean, I am in love with oatmeal, but that's not what I'm talking about right now.

I'm in love with New York City. This shares no relevance with this recipe, except maybe for the fact that I bought the groceries for, cooked, and photographed this recipe in New York City.

I never imagined myself in NYC. Denver, sure. Minneapolis, sure. Maybe even Chicago, if I felt particularly adventurous. Yet here I am, smack-dab in an authentic New York City experience—slumming it in a scummy Brooklyn neighborhood, surviving a 35-minute commute to work at 5:30 am, eating more bagels than necessary, fighting off the smells of Chinatown much too frequently for my liking, and spending way too much money at phenomenal eateries.

Spiced Apple and Peach Steel-Cut Oatmeal

Peach season has technically closed. Let's be honest—it closed a while ago. However, I'm miserable at goodbyes, so I'm still throwing them in my porridge mid-September. Bite me.

If, like me, you're still stuck in summer, this porridge will help you transition to autumn. It combines summer's peach with autumn's apple, and I spiced it with an earthy blend of cinnamon, allspice, and cloves.

Apple and Sweet Potato Oatmeal

I must admit that I’ve been pining to incorporate sweet potatoes into my porridge again all summer. I somehow managed to resist until the end of August (when I made my Sweet Potato & Soyrizo Oatmeal), and here I am again, writing up another sweet potato post.

What I find especially charming about sweet potatoes is its versatility. It functions beautifully in both savory and sweet recipes. Last week, I showed how to make it savory (with the soyrizo). Now, I paired it with apple and earthy apple pie spices to bring out its dessert-like qualities.

Applesauce Overnight Oatmeal

If you've tried (and enjoyed) my Applesauce Oatmeal, you will likely appreciate today's recipe. It's truly one of my easiest recipes in the history of EVER.

Also, it tastes wonderful. I kid you not, this oatmeal tastes like straight-up apple pie. It's one of the few recipes that I eat cold (I have a bias for hot porridge), but only because I am so desperate to shovel it in my mouth as fast as I can.

Morning Glory Oatmeal

You guys, the worst thing ever happened. I came up with this amazing idea for a baked oatmeal, only to discover that somebody else beat me to it by a matter of days. Days!! Bummer. I literally said to my mother, "I have this idea for oatmeal using zucchini, carrots, and apple," and two hours later, I stumbled on Oatgasm's post on Foodgawker. I was distraught!

On the other hand, I was able to use Oatgasm's recipe to help create my own version, especially when it came to the spices. I've never personally experienced a Morning Glory Muffin, so I appreciated the assistance. However, I did do some tweaking to meet my preferences (like how I never have applesauce on hand). And, since Oatgasm mastered the baked version, I decided to bring you the stove-top version. Want it baked? Go to her. Want it on the stove? I gotcha covered.

Fruit Salad Oatmeal

I must admit that I enjoy being a vegetarian. In the beginning, I struggled with feeling misplaced or left out, but once it fused into part of my identity, I embraced all of its challenges. Limited options on menus means I'll be less overwhelmed (I'm very indecisive) and more likely to try something new (like eggplant!). Potlucks become a scavenger hunt and careful investigation to discover the meatless dishes on a long table of bacon and ground beef. Thanksgiving and Easter turn into challenging games I like to call "How to Make a Meal Out of Side Dishes."

Potlucks, especially in Small Town, South Dakota, generally offer less than three vegetarian options (one of which is a basket of dinner rolls). The scalloped potatoes will always include diced ham. The quiche will always have bacon.

But there will always be fruit. Sometimes these fruits are in their raw form: a giant bowl of cubed watermelon or clusters of purple grapes. Other times, they're mixed together in one bowl: berries and melons and grapes! Sometimes, they're mixed together in a tasting "dressing," like honey mint or lemon poppy seed or coconut lime.