5 Back-to-School Oat-tastic Solutions for Students & Teachers

Some people think students and teachers live a different world. WRONG. I became a teacher because I wanted to be a student forever, and it's the closest I could get.

Either way, both students and teachers have some early mornings and long days. And both groups are known for skipping meals--particularly breakfast!

Here are 5 solutions for enjoying your oatmeal during that dreaded morning rush!

Carrot Cake (and Carrot Banana) Steel-Cut Oatmeal

TWO recipes today! You're welcome.

Carrot Cake Steel-Cut Oatmeal isn't that exciting; it's basically an adaptation of my regular Carrot Cake Oatmeal. The only difference is it takes longer to cook (and it serves four instead of one, but that's just an issue of multiplication and division).

Thus, I'm including a variation. A banana variation, because potassium. (Everything about that last sentence is making the grammarian in me cringe, but whatever.)

I can't say much about the Carrot Cake version--it's exactly what you would expect. Instead, let me tell you about the banana version.

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.

How to Make 4 Different Oatmeal Recipes with One Pot

Every weekend, I prepare several servings of oatmeal to heat up throughout the week for breakfast. This either requires me to make a big batch and eat the same oatmeal every day of the week, OR spend half an hour making multiple different recipes and cleaning an annoying amount of pans.

As it turns out, you can make FOUR kinds of oatmeal from one batch, and you'll only have ONE pan to clean afterwards! This is valuable if you prepare your oatmeal for the week like I do, or if you are preparing for a group of people who all want different kinds of oatmeal.

Cinnamon Fig Steel-Cut Oatmeal

Do not fear cinnamon! I often add just enough in my recipes to give it a warm, cozy taste, but whenever I add more, I never regret it. For this particular recipe, I took a deep breath and added a full 1/2 teaspoon. It looked like too much for a moment: it even turned the oatmeal! However, after one bite, I knew I had made the correct choice.

I highly recommend going with the full 1/2 teaspoon. You'll never know unless you try. If you must, you could always start with a 1/4 teaspoon and slowly add more until you think you have enough...but that would make you a wimp. :)

Crowd-Pleasing Recipes for a Holiday Breakfast

I originally planned on posting a new recipe this morning, but the pressure of posting something "holiday related" became too much. Instead, I realized some people may be hosting a Christmas breakfast tomorrow morning, and perhaps oatmeal will be involved.

(In my perfect world, oatmeal would be served at every morning gathering and everyone would love it as much as you and I do. Sigh.)

Here are seven oatmeal recipes that a) can feed a crowd, and b) are at least mildly holiday-themed.

Maple Sweet Potato Oatmeal

I think I've overcome my dislike of maple syrup. I've recently realized that it was never maple syrup itself that I loathed, but instead the general experience of eating the classic American pancake breakfast (aka Bisquik). I hate the taste of premixed white flour pancakes, and combined with sweet syrup, I was destined for a post-breakfast bellyache. It's no wonder I associate pancakes and syrup with misery.

On the other hand, maple syrup and oatmeal has become one of my most beloved ways to start my mornings. Not only does it sweeten an earthy porridge, but it adds an unmatchable flavor that I've truly come to appreciate...maybe a little too much. :)

Lemon Steel-Cut Oatmeal

Every time I think all my lemon ideas have dried up, another springs to my mind. As of this moment, I can't say I have any more lemon recipes to give you. However, I'm sure within a couple of months, I'll miraculously think of another. It's simply inevitable.

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 Pie Steel-Cut Oatmeal

For over a year, I had to stomach the fact that my Salted Brownie Baked Oatmeal was my #1 most viewed recipe. I mean, that recipe was fine and dandy, but number one?? C'mon. Not even close. I could name thirty recipes that I'd pick over that one.

Luckily for me, the most wonderful thing happened about a month ago. As always, August and September ushered in the yearly pumpkin craze, and my Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal received a great deal of love on Pinterest. Out of nowhere, this recipe vaulted into the #1 spot and surpassed the Salted Brownie by thousands of views. COOL. I feel like my Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal is a much better representative of my blog than the Salted Brownie.

I love my pumpkin pie recipes. Certainly, they're not my MOST favorite, but they're in my Top Ten. You might think that I'd be satisfied with a stove-top, baked, and overnight version, but no, I'm not finished. Now that I've fallen in love with steel-cut oats, it just made sense to add another variation to my pumpkin pie family.

Gingerbread Steel-Cut Oatmeal

I've made Gingerbread Oatmeal before. You might remember it. It was one of my trials. One of my struggles. One of my white flags.

I gave up and just borrowed a recipe from Vegan Yack Attack.

This recipe is mine. Well, I can't take all the credit, of course. VYA's recipe did influence me a lot. However, I made sure to include some bananas in my version because I'm stubborn like that. I'm grateful I did because this was one spicy [insert colorful language here]. The banana helped mellow out all those cloves.

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.

Peanut Butter Banana Steel-Cut Oatmeal

Earlier this week, I finally received a functional stove. The gas for our kitchen appliances had not been turned on before we moved in, so everyone in the entire building has been eating cold salads, wraps, and sandwiches...or just getting food delivered...for the past two weeks.

Luckily, I have a slow-cooker.

This recipe can be made on the stove or in a slow-cooker. In fact, any steel-cut oat recipe should, in theory, work fine in a slow-cooker. However, I must state my preferences: I despise oatmeal made in slow-cookers. I find the results to be unpleasantly chewy and contain an unwanted aftertaste. I much prefer to make it on the stove. Still, I included both options in the instructions because I know someone people enjoy that method.

Banana Bread Steel-Cut Oatmeal

In the span of one week, I've come to really love the texture of steel-cut oats. I can't quite explain it, but there is something almost luxurious in the mouthfeel of these pillowy, nutty, hearty oats. I'm definitely a fan.

Last Saturday, I prepared steel-cut oats for the first time. I threw in a single serving on the stove with some coconut milk and then jumped in the shower. The directions said it took 30 minutes, and my showers are never even a third of that time. It seemed safe to me.

Pumpkin Nut Butter Oatmeal

It's so appalling to consider how I used to hate pumpkin. Why were my taste buds so worthless for twenty years?! Recently, I've been a fiend for anything and everything pumpkin.

I'm also a fiend of anything nut or nut butter related. I recently saw a pin for a recipe for pumpkin oatmeal topped with almond butter, and I quickly logged the idea on The List. (Unfortunately, I cannot find this recipe for the life of me. If you know what I'm talking about, please comment below so I can give inspiration credit to the original poster!)

Strawberry Banana Baked Oatmeal

One month! I've officially completed one month as a full-time tutor. Yippee!

Six weeks ago (when I came for training), the idea of eating baked oatmeal every morning was so dreadful. I'm not a fan of changing routines, and stove-top oatmeal was definitely the routine! However, recipes like this (and THIS) make baked oatmeal such a delight.

Blueberry Trail Mix Baked Oatmeal

I dislike only posting twice a week. I was pretty happy with those few weeks back in August and early September when I was able to pump out three recipes each week. Now, I seem to be in a tiny rut.

One problem is that I eat the same baked oatmeal every morning. I have come to really enjoy this system as it allows me to sleep in a little later than I would if I had to cook my oatmeal on the stove every single day. Plus, it gives me a nice weekend project to look forward to. My roommates are always interested in what my "oatmeal of the week" will be, so that's motivating as well. Unfortunately, that means I'm not trying out a new recipe every single morning.

The other problem is that I never have the right produce on hand. You can trust that I still have plenty of ideas for recipes; I just don't have the produce to make them. I'm too cheap (or poor) to splurge on good stuff, and I keep coming home from the market with bananas and apples. There's only so much you can do with bananas and apples! This is mostly a planning issue. Still, the few times I have splurged on peaches and other pricier fruits have resulted in failed recipes, which is discouraging.

And finally, a lot of my ideas are incredibly ambitious at the moment (you'll see what I mean when I post my next recipe later this week). I guess that's why they've stayed on the list so long without being attempted. Eventually, one by one, I'll attempt these fabulous ideas and share them with you. However, most of them are destined to be weekend projects, so it will take time to roll all of them out.

Until then, here's a wonderful baked oatmeal recipe I enjoyed last week. I first made it without bananas, thinking it would have enough flavor from the blueberries alone. Unfortunately, it was a little dull and dry, so I tried it again using bananas, and WOW. What a difference it made! (Compare the picture above to the picture below to see what I mean. They're blatantly different!) I'm quickly learning that baked oatmeal is so much better when there's banana involved. Always. (If you don't want to use banana, perhaps you could try applesauce?)

Also, I highly recommend using raw nuts for this recipe. The first time I baked it (without the banana), I also used pre-roasted nuts. After baking the oatmeal, the nuts became quite unpleasant. The brazil nuts were bitter, the cashews were sour, and the walnuts were gritty. Using raw nuts helps because then the nuts are only cooked once (instead of twice). However, the time I made this with banana and pre-roasted nuts worked out fairly well, probably because the bananas provided a little extra moisture (maybe?). Still, I recommend raw nuts.

Blueberry Trail Mix Baked Oatmeal

by The Oatmeal Artist

Prep Time: 5 min

Cook Time: 25 min

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Ingredients (serves 1)

• 1/2 an overripe banana
• 1/3 cup milk of choice
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup rolled oats (I use Country Choice Organic)
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup trail mix (raw nuts preferred)
• 1/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and spray a single-serving ramekin with non-stick spray.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, mash banana. Then, add milk and vanilla extract.
3. In another small bowl, mix together dry ingredients: oats, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Once combined, add to the bowl of wet ingredients. Stir.
4. Add trail mix (I broke up some of the nuts first) and blueberries and fold in carefully.
5. Pour into the prepared ramekin and bake for 18-22 minutes.

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For a big batch!

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 2 overripe bananas
• 3/4 cup milk of choice
• 1/2 cup water (or more milk)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups rolled oats (I use Country Choice Organic)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 cup trail mix (raw nuts preferred)
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and spray a 8x8 pan with non-stick spray.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, mash bananas. Then, add milk, water, and vanilla extract.
3. In another medium bowl, mix together dry ingredients: oats, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Once combined, add to the bowl of wet ingredients. Stir.
4. Add trail mix (I broke up some of the nuts first) and blueberries and fold in carefully.
5. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes.

**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!

PB&J Baked Oatmeal

I love peanut butter and jelly so much, it hurts. [/cliche]

During the first week of school last week, I ended up filling out a couple different get-to-know-you surveys that asked for my favorite food. I first wrote down "oatmeal," but then I scratched it out and wrote "grilled PB&J sandwich." As it turns out, that's a foreign concept to a lot of people. What a shame.

This is one of those recipes that immediately made me consider my Top 10 list. This HAD to be on it. It's so good. As much as I prefer stove-top oatmeal, I'm starting to realize that peanut butter just works better in baked form.

Please try this soon. :)

PB&J Baked Oatmeal

by The Oatmeal Artist

Prep Time: 5 min

Cook Time: 25 min

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Ingredients (serves 1)

• 1/2 cup rolled oats (I use Country Choice Organic)
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 a very ripe banana
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup almond milk
• 1-2 tbsp peanut butter
• 2-3 tsp jelly/jam

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a single-serving ramekin with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a small bowl, mix oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until combined.
3. In a medium-sized bowl, mash up a ripe banana. Add almond milk, vanilla extract, and peanut butter. Stir.
4. Add dry ingredients to mix ingredients and stir until combined.
5. If you'd like to add any extra ingredients (coconut oil, dried fruit, nuts, sunflower seeds), do so now.
6. Pour into the prepared ramekin. Then, take the jelly/jam and carefully swirl it into the oatmeal. (You could simply stir it in during the 3rd or 4th step, but it's much more aesthetically pleasing this way!)
7. Bake for 18-22 minutes.

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For a big batch! (4 servings)

Ingredients

• 2 cups regular rolled oats
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• 2 very ripe banana
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup almond milk
• 2/3 cup water (or more almond milk)
• 1-2 tbsp jelly/jam

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8x8 pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a bowl, mix oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until combined.
3. In another bowl, mash up bananas. Add almond milk, vanilla extract, and peanut butter. Stir.
4. Add dry ingredients to mix ingredients and stir until combined.
5. If you'd like to add any extra ingredients (coconut oil, dried fruit, nuts, sunflower seeds), do so now.
6. Pour into the prepared pan. Then, take the jelly/jam and carefully swirl it into the oatmeal. (You could simply stir it in during the 3rd or 4th step, but it's much more aesthetically pleasing this way!)
7. Bake for 26-30 minutes.

Variation: If you want the banana to play a more prominent role ("PB&J and Banana Baked Oatmeal"), consider leaving some chunks/slices instead of mashing all of it. You could also use an entire banana, and slice the second half.

**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 Pie Baked Oatmeal

I never saw it coming, but...

I'm starting to like baked oatmeal. I stopped incessantly craving stove-top oats and started truly appreciating the baked version. I suppose that's a good thing since that's what I'm stuck with right now.

Some might think it's a drawback to have the same oatmeal every morning for a week, but I don't see it as a problem. Generally, it's delicious enough that I enjoy the encore breakfasts. :) To be honest, I frequently repeated oatmeals even when I was making them on the stove each morning. If it really rocks, I want to experience it again! :)

Apple Pie Baked Oatmeal

by The Oatmeal Artist

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 25 min

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Ingredients (serves 1)

• 1/2 cup milk of choice
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup rolled oats (I use Country Choice Organic)
• 1/2 tsp apple pie spice
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1 small apple (or half a larger one)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and spray a single-serving ramekin with non-stick spray.
2. In a small bowl, mix milk and vanilla extract. Add oats, pie spice, baking powder, and salt. Stir.
3. Dice apple into the oats and fold them in.
4. If you'd like to add any extra ingredients (coconut oil, dried fruit, nuts, sunflower seeds), do so now. I recommend raisins, almonds, or walnuts.
5. Pour into the prepared ramekin and bake for 18-22 minutes.

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For a big batch! (serves 4)

Ingredients 

• 1 cup milk of choice
• 1 cup water (or more milk)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups rolled oats (I use Country Choice Organic)
• 2 tsp apple pie spice
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 3 small apples (or 2 larger ones)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and spray an 8x8 brownie pan with non-stick spray. 
2. In a large bowl, mix milk and vanilla extract. Add oats, pie spice, baking powder, and salt. Stir.
3. Dice apple into the oats and fold them in.
4. If you'd like to add any extra ingredients (coconut oil, dried fruit, nuts, sunflower seeds), do so now. I recommend raisins, almonds, or walnuts.
5. Pour into brownie pan and bake for 25-30 minutes.

**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!

Peanut Butter and Banana Baked Oatmeal

Wow! I cannot believe the incredible opportunity I have received. I have never been simultaneously so tired/nervous and so happy/excited. It really feels that I was meant to be here and experience this, no matter how terrifying it all is.

In case you missed the memo, I moved to New Jersey this weekend, and I'm working for one of the many blossoming charter schools in the state. So far, I have only experienced staff training, but I can already tell it's going to change everything about my life.

One of those things is the fact that I have to wake up around 5:45 every morning. There's not enough sunlight at that time, so I can't even photograph my oatmeal. Heck, I barely have time to make my oatmeal.