Blackberry Thyme Oatmeal

Remember less than a week ago when I said that my rosemary plant was the only one still thriving?

Joke's on me! It's dead now.

Shortly after making the Grape Rosemary Oatmeal (which was delicious!), my rosemary plant went from green and robust to brown and brittle. I don't even know...

Strawberry Pretzel Overnight Oatmeal

:D

Yes! Pretzels!

Strawberry pretzel bars are a bake sale, potluck, and picnic favorite. They are a lovely blend of sweet and salty. They begin with a bottom "crust" of crushed pretzels. Above that is a thick layer of cream cheese. Finally, the top layer is jello-fied strawberries.

Getting Fit #9

This is the ninth segment of my Getting Fit series. This series features my friend Crystal, a rockstar figure skater and fellow oatmeal lover. You can her blog, Confessions of Crystal, and check out her Instagram,@crystalchilcott.

TOA: Hello, Crystal! I have been watching all of your travels throughout Colorado on Instagram, and it looks like you're having such a blast these days. You also share pictures of your "grocery finds" and meals from special restaurants.

I'm completing a 5k this fall. I know you have Collegiate Nationals next week (good luck!!), so I was wondering how you fuel yourself in the days leading up to your big competition.

Crystal: Hi Lauren! I've really enjoyed exploring more of Colorado before my year abroad!

Congratulations on your decision to complete a 5k! In the days leading up to an event, I usually stick to my usual diet. The changes usually happen on the day I travel to the competition and actually compete. Staying in a hotel room without a kitchen makes it hard to follow my usual diet so I have to adapt.

TOA: How do you do that? Do you bring your own food, or do you have to eat out?

Crystal: It's usually a mix of both. I always ask for a fridge in my hotel room and stock up on staples like fruit, carrots, and Greek yogurt. I do usually have to eat out for at least one meal though.

TOA: What do you typically eat for breakfast and/or lunch on the day of a competition?

Crystal: My stomach is always upset on days I compete so I try to stick to oatmeal and whole grain bread with nut butter and fruit. I also make sure to have some green tea.

TOA: I have a similar problem! Back in high school when I had vocal contest, I wouldn't be able to eat a thing all day until after my solo (at which point I went straight to the cafeteria and ordered one of everything, haha).

Do you practice the day before your competition, or rest?

Crystal: I have to force myself to eat something or else I won't have energy! I have a 20 minute warm up where I just go through everything a few times. It depends on what time I compete what I do the rest of the day.

TOA: If you could pick any oatmeal recipe to eat on the day of your competition, what would it be?

Melon Berry Overnight Oatmeal

So,, um....watermelon is not the most photogenic fruit. Forgive me.

Okay, so the idea behind this recipe is that you can endlessly combine various berries and melons together. Here you see blueberry + watermelon, but how about raspberry + cantaloupe? Blackberry + honeydew? Strawberry + cool exotic melon from the farmer's market (have you ever had a lemon drop melon?!).

Nutty Pumpkin Berry Oatmeal, + Other Hacks for Banana Haters

Dear Banana Haters,

This post is for you. Although it may seem like we play for opposite teams (I'm all like, "BRING ON THE 'NANAS," and you're all, "UGH, I GAG!"), we're not all that different.

You see, as much as I love (and NEED) my daily banana(s), I also know what it's like to loathe an ingredient. Even before my transition to a herbivore lifestyle, I have never appreciated the taste of sour cream. I think it's pretty vile, in fact. If my favorite blog kept making oatmeal topped with sour cream, I would be pretty ticked.

Therefore, I have a solution. You have probably noticed by now that most of my favorite recipes contain banana. Not wanting you to miss out, I have compiled a list of hacks for all you banana haters...including one new recipe (pictured below--scroll to the bottom of this post for the recipe)!

Blueberry Breakfast Cobbler

This. This recipe is summer vacation to me.

Not summer, but summer vacation. As in, "I'm not working 80 hours a week, so I can experiment with recipes that I imagined a year ago but never had the energy to actually create."

This is actually just a super simple baked oatmeal atop a sea of blueberries. Don't be freaked out by the cast iron skillet; you could make this in any ramekin.

Oatmeal Recipes for 4th of July

Earlier this week, I confessed my true feelings for the 4th of July. However, j'adore berries, and it seems like the cool thing to do on July 4th is to eat foods made out of berries. I can get on board with that!

Here are FOUR recipes for the FOURTH of July (ha...). Have you tried any of these yet? Which is your favorite?

'Murica Overnight Oatmeal Parfait

The irony of this post is that I'm actually one of the least patriotic people you will ever meet. It's not that I'm not happy to be in America; I just don't care to celebrate it with some of the most annoying songs ever and the most obnoxious outfits of all time. Like seriously, calm down, Toby Keith.

(I should clarify that I by no means take my liberties for granted or do not respect those who protect our country; I just think that our flaunting of patriotism is what gets us so much flack from the rest of the world! Why do you think nobody likes Gretchen Weiners?)

However, I do like berries, and if eating berries means celebrating 'Murica, I'll be a little patriotic today. Here's to living in a country that provides me easy access to my favorite foods with minimal effort! Thanks, Founding Fathers!

Happy birthday, 'Murica. Oh, and I should also mention that--as of this week--I am a resident of Manhattan. SO. MUCH. PACKING. I liked Brooklyn, but the commute to work was terrible.

'Murica Overnight Oatmeal Parfait

Adapted from this recipe.

by The Oatmeal Artist

Prep Time: 5 min

Cook Time: 0 min

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Ingredients (serves 1)

For the Oatmeal

• 2/3 cup coconut milk (or 1/2 cup coconut milk + 1/4 cup plain coconut yogurt)
• 1/2 cup rolled oats (I use Country Choice Organic)
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 2 tsp liquid sweetener of choice (optional)
• pinch of salt

For the Parfait

• Blueberries
• Strawberries or raspberries

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients for the oatmeal in a mason jar.
2. Cover with lid and shake, shake, shake until combined.
3. Store in the refrigerator overnight (or for several hours).
4. When ready to serve, put a spoonful at the bottom of a fancy glass or mason jar. Drop a few berries. Repeat, alternating layers of oatmeal and berries.
5. Eat while listening to this and wearing your most obnoxious star-spangled overalls.

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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!

Roasted Strawberry and Almond Butter Oatmeal + Getting Fit #6

Yay! Oatmeal! You love oatmeal! I love oatmeal! Let's roast some strawberries and be friends.

But first, let's check in with Crystal.

This is the sixth segment of my Getting Fit series. This series features my friend Crystal, a rockstar figure skater and fellow oatmeal lover. You can her blog, Confessions of Crystal, and check out her Instagram,@crystalchilcott.

TOA: Hello! How's the concussion?

Crystal: It's better now, but I'm at home in Pennsylvania and haven't skated or worked out. It's driving me crazy! How did the last two weeks go?

TOA: Great! I finally reached my goal of running 3 miles (twice!), and oddly enough, it was at my fastest pace yet! (~10 min/mile)

Crystal: That is wonderful! Has your energy level improved?

TOA: Not particularly. I've noticed I have more energy Saturday through Monday, but the rest of the week, I'm hopeless. I'm moving around my running schedule around to fit my "high energy" days and doing the bulk of it on weekends and early in the week (Mondays and Tuesdays). Last weekend, I went on a hike with a friend instead of my usual jog to switch things up!

Crystal: That's great! Changing things up can help maintain your motivation and desire to run. Did you try interval running?

TOA: I did! This past Sunday, I didn't feel like running at all, so I gave the intervals a shot. Every time I felt like walking, I started sprinting instead. Surprisingly, it worked! That night, I ran three miles again, and my whole body was exhausted afterwards. It was such a great workout.

Crystal: That's great! That's something you can always consider if you're tired or not motivated. How do your strength exercises feel?

TOA: I'll be honest: the last time I did three miles, I skipped them. My whole body was limp.  But on this past Wednesday night, I only ran 1.5 miles (it was sweltering hot), so I did them. They are my least favorite part of the routine haha.

------------------

As I reflect on the last few months, I am so proud of how far I have come. Do I love exercising? Nope. Still hate it. Have I skipped a routine along the way? Definitely. Did I once go an entire week without running? Sure did. HOWEVER...have I given up? NO. The past several weeks, I have run at least twice (usually three times) every week. And I'm up to THREE MILES, and that's with my super exhausted body right now. I can't wait to see what I accomplish once summer vacation starts and I'm no longer a walking zombie.

Such a celebration demands some fancy porridge. I've been meaning to top my oatmeal with roasted strawberries for ages, but I finally tried it. It's actually absurdly easy--just time-consuming.

Oh, and great news: I made this jar of almond butter last more than three days (because that happened once...). It's been a solid two weeks and I haven't finished yet. Yay?

Roasted Strawberry & Almond Butter Oatmeal

by The Oatmeal Artist

Prep Time: 20 min

Cook Time: 5 min

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Ingredients (serves 1)

For the Roasted Strawberries

• 5 strawberries
• 1/2 tsp maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

For the Oatmeal

• 3/4 cup milk of choice, or water
• 1/4 cup quick cook steel-cut oats (I use Country Choice Organic)
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract OR almond extract
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon (omit if using almond extract)
• 1-2 tbsp of almond butter
• pinch of salt
• sliced or slivered almonds for topping

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray an oven-safe ramekin with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Hull and quarter strawberries.
3. Toss with maple syrup and vanilla extract.
4. Place in oven for about 20-25 minutes, until warm and juicy but still holding its shape. Set aside.
5. 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.)
6. Once more of the liquid has absorbed, add extract of choice, optional cinnamon, and salt. Stir.
7. When you're pleased with the consistency of the oatmeal, swirl in almond butter. I like to not mix it in completely because I like finding globs of it when I'm eating. :)
8. Transfer to a bowl. Top with sliced/slivered almonds and roasted strawberries. 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!

Berry Blackout Oatmeal

All of my favorite recipes just made a baby.

It's Brownie Batter + Fudgy Banana & PB + Nutty 'Nana Berry. It's the best threesome ever, and their baby is a GODDESS. YOU MUST MAKE THIS NOW. Cocoa powder + banana is my favorite oatmeal base. Strawberries are my favorite fruit topping. Peanut butter is MY LIFE. And this is CHOCOLATE peanut butter, so it's obviously the best thing that's ever happened to me.

Double Berry Baked Oatmeal with Lemon Curd

As summer approaches (just a couple weeks away!), everyone is craving lighter and brighter recipes. One of my favorite parts of summer is all the produce, especially the berries.

I really do challenge myself to develop non-banana recipes, just to balance things out on here. This recipe uses mashed raspberries instead of my usual mashed banana, and the blueberries are delightful because they burst and bubble in the oven.

The lemon curd is optional, but it definitely adds to the summery brightness of the recipe and makes the serving a little larger.

Blueberry Lime Basil Oatmeal

I was with a friend last weekend who asked me, "If they came up with a synthetic food--like a shake--that was proven to be safe and contained all the necessary nutrients for survival, would you eat it?"

Of course, I repeatedly argued that it couldn't possibly be better or even on par with REAL food, which we were designed to eat and gain our nutrients from. Still, he responded each time, "But what if it were proven? Just pretend. Would you eat it?"

Finally, I said, "I think it would be great for feeding populations who are malnourished or food insecure, but I am neither of those things. I enjoy the process of chopping vegetables and cooking recipes and creating nourishing meals on my own. I feel spiritually fulfilled by it."

That's how I feel when I make recipes like this one. Whenever I make oatmeal with herbs, I feel so gourmet and fancy. Each of the three main flavors in this recipe blend together so beautifully. Once combined, they each become subtle and complement each other with perfect harmony.

Blue Raspberry Overnight Oatmeal

Can I get a high five for two overnight recipes two Thursdays in a row?

I found while making this recipe that the color of raspberries is far more potent than the color of blueberries. On my first attempt, I was stunned to see the vibrant red color of my blueberry-raspberry mixture. However, after sitting in the fridge overnight, the oatmeal mellowed out into a calm blue (like in the pictures).

Peanut Butter and Berry Baked Oatmeal

Saturday was silent on the blog. No new post, no Facebook update. I felt terribly guilty about it, but I was feeling horrific and just couldn't make it happen. I had to remind myself that nobody would die as a result of me not posting a new recipe. Forgive me if I'm wrong. ;)

I've been pushing myself to try more baked and overnight recipes. This recipe could be used to make a simple raspberry baked oatmeal, but since it was the weekend, I was dying for my traditional peanut butter breakfast. The result was a twist on the PB&J setup, but instead of jam, I just used fresh fruit! Delicious.

Brownie Baked Oatmeal Parfait

I feel like I picked the right time to go herbivore. It's so exciting to watch new vegan products pop up on mainstream grocery shelves all the time. It seems like every time I go to the store, I find a new vegan product. Now, I try not to fill my diet with mock meats and fake dairy, but it is amusing to experiment with them from time to time.

My local produce market, which understandably has a tiny dairy section, just added Almond Dream yogurt to its selection. They only carry two flavors--coconut and strawberry--but I am completely fine with that. The coconut flavor is one of my favorites anyway.

To celebrate, I made this parfait. I typically eat one of my banana/peanut butter recipes on weekends, so I actually had to FORCE myself to make this. I think I pouted the entire time until I was finally spooning the results into my mouth. Then the sacrifice seemed worth 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.

Blackberry Lime Cheesecake Oatmeal

There are two aspects of this recipe that I'm proud of:

1) It includes blackberries. The last time I had blackberries, I thought I didn't actually like them that much.
2) It includes nondairy cream cheese. The last time I had nondairy cream cheese, I thought I didn't actually like it that much. ;)

As it turns out, blackberries are delicious. Before, I found them annoyingly seedy. I didn't have that problem at all this time! There were only a couple seeds, and they were smaller and less obtrusive. As for the nondairy cream cheese, I thought it tasted almost exactly like dairy cream cheese--which simply tells you how long it's been since I've had dairy haha.

Strawberry Almond Oatmeal

Inspired by my recent Berry, Almond, & Coconut Oatmeal, I realized I haven't done enough with almond extract. So many possibilities!

My favorite aspect of almond extract (besides its taste) is the intensity of its flavor. This allows me to (drum roll please) ...use the hidden banana trick! Oatmeal without banana is like a cookie without chocolate chips (a poor analogy, considering my favorite cookie is a snickerdoodle).

Anyway, strawberries have been--inexplicably--on sale and in great quality at my local produce market, so I've been enjoying them in my oatmeal and salads. Combined with the nutty almond extract, this oatmeal is a fresh and fruity delight.

Strawberry Vanilla Bean Oatmeal

Confession: I did not buy vanilla beans for this recipe.  *gasp*

Truthfully, I found something better: vanilla bean paste (Christmas present from my sister! Thanks, Amy!).

Now, I'm sure the quality of an actual vanilla bean is higher than that of my paste, but the difference is that I have the next best thing up in my cupboard, easily accessible, whenever I need it, for a fraction of the cost. Look at the pictures! You can see the little vanilla dots if you look closely!

Berry, Almond, and Coconut Oatmeal

Whenever I make a recipe with coconut, I become angry with myself for not doing so more often. Coconut is so...perfect in every way. Buttery, rich, flavorful. So great.

This oatmeal combines the lovely combination of almonds and coconut, like my Almond Joy Oatmeal. It also contains a hidden banana, so I guess you could say they're close cousins. The difference is this one tastes a little healthier (without the chocolate, and the addition of fresh berries)! However, these cousins are equally tasty. :)