Peach Tea Oatmeal

I can't believe I have less than a month of school left! That means summer is right around the corner. I know it has already started for many of you, but here in grand ol' New York City, the school year stretches on and on and on until the end of June (madness!!).

This recipe oozes with summer vibes. It reminds me of sitting on some back porch, sipping iced tea. I've been wanting to make this for a while, and as soon as the peaches showed up at my produce market (far too early to truly be in season, but whatever), I hopped to it.

Overnight Tea-Steeped Oatmeal

Coffee or tea?

Six years ago, I would have responded, "Neither." I started drinking tea toward the final months of my senior year of high school as a way to calm my ever-tormented digestive system. I wasn't crazy about it at first, but I learned to tolerate it. Now, I drink a glass of tea almost every day. (I've also learned to like coffee, too, but that's beside the point.)

Dirty Chai Oatmeal

I wish coffee shops would stop bastardizing chai.

You know what I mean. You know exactly what I mean. The standard coffee shop version of chai tea comes in powdered form and is full of sugar. It gives me absolutely no control over ingredients. With other drink selections, I can request soy milk or only one pump of flavor. With chai tea, I'm stuck with the powdered sugarfest.

Thus, I rarely order it. Instead, I try to recreate it in my oatmeal. :) In case you're not familiar with a dirty chai, it's basically chai with a shot of espresso. This is how my friend Tiffany often ordered it, and I would always have a sip or two. Mmmmm.

Dirty Chai Oatmeal

by The Oatmeal Artist

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 5 min

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Ingredients (serves 1)

• 2/3 cup strong brewed coffee (I used cold press!)
• 1/3 cup milk of choice
• 1/2 cup rolled oats (I use Country Choice Organic)
• 1/2 a ripe banana
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp cardamom (I didn't have this, so I made it without)
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• pinch of ground cloves
• pinch of nutmeg
• pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Bring coffee and milk to a boil, add oats, and reduce heat to medium.
2. Mash up banana and add to the oatmeal. Stir.
3. Once more of the liquid has absorbed, add vanilla extract, spices, and salt.
4. If you'd like to add any extra ingredients (coconut oil, nuts), do so now.
5. When you're pleased with the consistency of the oatmeal, transfer to a bowl. Serve with another splash of your milk of choice (and/or more coffee) and any other additional toppings (shredded coconut, nuts, chocolate chips, etc.).

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Fruity Tea-Steeped Oatmeal with Kiwi

I'm extremely picky about my teas. If it's weak and boring, get it out of my sight. However, if it's too strong and the flavors are super intense, I'm not a fan of that, either.

This makes purchasing new teas extremely risky. They come in packs of twenty, so if I end up not liking it--too bad! I still have nineteen more. Luckily, I've developed ways to use up the teas I don't like.

Orange-Clove Oatmeal (or "Montana Gold" Oatmeal)

I'm really proud of this. Like, insanely proud. But before I tell you what it is (and, more importantly, how to make it), I have to tell you a story of how I created it...

It all started with quiche. (Just go with it, okay?)

I was in western Ireland, sitting on a patio outside a cafe at Kylemore Abbey. The weather was unusually warm and sunny, and we had the rare pleasure of enjoying our lunch outside in the beautiful weather, along with a perfect view of the neo-Gothic castle across the lake. 

Chai and Pear Oatmeal

Pears have never really been my thing. To me, they are just a little too similar to apples, but without the satisfying crunch. However, I find that pears work beautifully in oatmeal, so I buy some occasionally to switch up my routine.

The first time I tried pears in oatmeal, I simply spiced it with vanilla, but I found the result a little dull. Pear has a pretty neutral flavor, so I've learned to play around with stronger flavors in the oatmeal to dress up the pear a little bit. Cue: chai tea!