Chocolate Strawberry Oatmeal

For some people, weekends mean making elaborate breakfasts with pancakes, bacon, eggs, and glugs of maple syrup. ("Glugs" is a word, right?)

For me, weekends mean adding chocolate to my oatmeal.

This week was extra special for me because I had strawberries. I generally try to stick to the produce that's in season, and I usually avoid all conventionally grown berries because of the pesticides. However, I was dying for strawberries, and after several weeks of thinking of them constantly, I gave in. So thanks for the strawberries, California!

Banana Oat Muffins

As much of a debutante I am with the stove, I'm even worse with the oven. I used to love baking when I lived with my parents. My mom decorates cake as a hobby/side job, so I had tons of baking tools and recipes at my disposal. I used to bake cupcakes for my boyfriend-at-the-time's family for their birthdays; it's no wonder I was so popular at their house! :)

However, I lost my interest after I got sick of doing the dishes. That's the worst part about baking: tons and tons and tons of dishes.

I also lost interest when I went to college and eventually got an apartment. Once I was buying my own groceries, buying ingredients like powdered sugar, cream cheese, and mass amounts of eggs seemed like such a waste, especially when I was devoting my financial resources toward whole foods and organic produce.

Lately, however, I've been into baking again, but a different kind: healthy baking. Eggless, sugarless, dairyless baking. It's an interesting challenge, but it gives me something different to include in my bento box at school.

Choconut Oatmeal

One of my favorite things about adopting a more healthful diet is that it taught me to try new foods. My diet used to consist of various combinations of potatoes, ground beef, corn, and Campbell's Condensed Cream of Chicken, with occasional doses of Cheetos, Lucky Charms, and Toaster Strudels. Anything beyond that, I hated. If it didn't taste exactly like something my mom made, I would turn my nose up.

Opening my mind to all foods has really helped me embrace all flavors and textures. Many foods that I hated five years ago have now become some of my favorites.

One food in particular has really captivated me lately: coconut. I had always hated it. I hated german chocolate cake because of the coconut. I hated Samoas because of the coconut. I hated coconut cream pie because of the coconut.

Thin Mints Oatmeal

My friends, let me tell you the story of how Thin Mints Oatmeal came to be...

I have a love-hate relationship with bananas. In general, I kind of hate them. I rarely eat them plain; their taste and texture make me gag a little if I'm not in the right mood. On the other hand, they are just wonderful. They are a natural sweetener, super cheap, and versatile. I can put them in sandwiches, smoothies, oatmeal, or baked goods, which is why--despite my on-and-off hatred of them--I almost always have some on the counter.

Dark Chocolate Banana Oatmeal

This recipe is insanely easy. I especially recommend it if you're new to the fabulous world of homemade porridge! The sweet richness of the Dark Chocolate almond milk gives this bowl of oats an intense, chocolaty flavor that is certain to win anyone over. This nondairy milk is heavenly, but I rarely let myself buy it because it's what I call a "frivolous purchase." However, when I do buy it, I always make sure to have bananas on hand so I can make this delightful breakfast.

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

There are so many beautiful things about oatmeal that make it perfect for poor college students like me. First of all, it's insanely cheap. One large container of Quaker oats, which contains around thirty(!!) servings, costs around $3. That's $3 for a month's worth of breakfasts! Second of all, you don't need fancy or expensive ingredients to make it special. A few pantry staples can whip up a fantastic bowl of porridge.

My Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal is the perfect example of this, which is probably why it's a standard in my oatmeal repertoire. I originally posted this in my list of basic oatmeal recipes on my other blog. However, I refer to it so frequently that I felt it deserved it's own post, so voila:

Basic Oatmeal How-To (3 Simple Recipes)

I really love oatmeal. It's not just something I eat in the winter time, and it's not something I eat once a month. I have it at least four times a week, all year round.

I had oatmeal for the first time two years ago, during my sophomore year of college. I knew I needed more soluble fiber in my diet to get my digestion issues under control, but I also wanted a low-cal option to help me lose my freshmen you-don't-even-want-to-know-how-much.