Popular Porridges
Monthly Archives: March 2017
Contest Announcement: Spring Recipes!
Hello, oatmeal lovers!
It’s time for another oatmeal recipe contest. First there was the Savory Oatmeal Contest, then the Brownie Baked Oatmeal Contest, and now I am pleased to present the SPRING Oatmeal Contest!
(I do recognize, of course, that in the Southern Hemisphere, it is not spring. I apologize for that.)
^ Strawberry Basil Oatmeal ^
What is “Spring” Oatmeal? That’s the best part of this contest–you can take it in many different directions, as long as it reflects seasonal spring produce. (more…)
Savory Corn and Chive Oatmeal
My concepts for savory oatmeal are often pretty complex and labor intensive. Last weekend, I decided to pursue a simple one—one that would come together with easy ingredients and could be topped with anything.
Here’s what I came up with!
5 Oatmeal Recipes to Welcome Spring (Deliciously)
Spring is my FAVORITE season. All the bad parts of winter literally melt away, and the sharp pains of bitter cold mornings are left behind. Warmer days come along, and an exciting anticipation of summer takes hold. I think the anticipation is even greater than summer itself, which comes with scorching hot days, sweat, and steep electricity bills. But not spring. It exists in a perfect little vacuum of mild temperatures, sunshine, and rebirth. Naked trees become green again, and Washington Square Park turns its mesmerizing fountain back on.
Another fabulous part of spring is the food. By the time March comes along, the prospect of spring produce can shake us free of our invisible contracts with potatoes and squash and let us explore greener things again. When the first day of spring snuck up on me yesterday (winter was such a whirlwind!), I couldn’t wait to start thinking of what would go in my bowl.
Here are my favorite recipes featuring spring produce (at least in the northern, western hemisphere).
Lemon Asparagus Steel-Cut Oatmeal
Inspired by a popular risotto, this oatmeal features the king of spring vegetables (asparagus!!!!!) and its favorite flavor enhancer, lemon. There’s also peas, another springtime leader. A dusting of dairy-free parm and black pepper garnish this savory beauty perfectly.
>> RECIPE >>
Poached Strawberry-Rhubarb Reduction Sauce
If you love the idea of rhubarb (which explodes in gardens during the spring months) but aren’t a big fan of its intense tartness, try cooking it down in a reduction sauce. By pairing it with strawberry (another spring fave), you’ll tame that tartness AND capture that classic strawberry-rhubarb pie flavor. Add this to a simple oatmeal base or pancake!
>> RECIPE >>
Savory Citrus & Arugula Steel-Cut Oatmeal
Arugula (along with spinach) hits its prime during spring. Enjoy it in this savory oatmeal that gets a touch of sweetness from another spring royalty, oranges. This steel-cut porridge hits every taste bud with its sweet, savory, tart, and bitter flavors. Highly recommended!!
>> RECIPE >>
Rhubarb Mango Oatmeal
Another way to sweeten that tart rhubarb stalk is by pairing it with a hyper-sweet fruit like mango. Apparently, mango is also in season during spring months. Since I live nowhere near a tropical region, it’s hard for me to conceptualize this, but this is what the interwebz tells me. This is a super simple recipe that can also be prepared using frozen mangoes!
>> RECIPE >>
Orange, Cherry, & Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal
Feeling frisky? Chocolate for breakfast is always a great choice. Orange and cherries, both springtime fruits, pair beautifully with chocolate on their own, and altogether the three make an enticing combo of sweet, tart, and luscious that is hard to beat. The recipe can use fresh, frozen, or even dried cherry, so whatever you can find will do!
>> RECIPE >>
Oatly [Review]
Here’s a nondairy company that I’m totally loving!
I first heard of Oatly in January 2016, when I received an email about the “up-and-coming” brand. I browsed their site, impressed by their offerings (a nondairy creme fraiche?!) and their ethics. Oh, and not to mention the design of their site itself. As a lover of aesthetics and good writing, I adore the playfulness of their site. Again, go back to the creme fraiche link and see what I’m talking about.
In the past few months, I’ve started seeing their products (just milk so far) popping up in grocery stores around NYC. Then, just a couple weeks ago, my favorite coffee shop ditched their soy milk and started using Oatly instead. ? NO SOY?! (more…)
Irish Soda Bread Baked Oatmeal: Revisited
My Irish Soda Bread Baked Oatmeal is the St. Patrick’s Day-themed recipe that I am most proud of. The other minty creations (like the Shamrock Oatmeal Smoothie) are certainly fun and fit the essence of St. Patrick’s Day, but I love how this baked oatmeal is based on a real Irish dish.
This Week in Oatmeal 03/11/2017
Every Saturday, I gather oatmeal recipes from around the web from the previous 1-3 weeks, as well as outstanding Instagram photos. These posts may grow or evolve as time passes. Please feel free to give your feedback in the comments section!
- Baked Blueberry & Rose Water Oatmeal by Terminatetor Kitchen [vegan, gluten free]
- Citrus Beet Coconut Overnight Oats by Light Orange Bean [vegan, gluten free]
- Triple Coconut Oatmeal Cookies by Choosing Chia [vegan]
Nairn’s Gluten-Free Snacks [Review]
Hello again!
Today I’m sharing with you a gluten-free snack brand called Nairn’s. This Scottish oat-loving company describes its products as a “versatile range of oatcakes, oat biscuits, oaty bakes and gluten free products which do not contain any artificial colourings, flavours or preservatives.” Of COURSE a snack brand dedicated to oats comes from Scotland. Where else? 🙂
In addition to being gluten-free, many of the products are also vegan, so I was able to try them myself!
My favorite thing about these treats is how they are NOT excessively sweet (compared to most American snacks). When I took a bite of the graham crackers, for example, I didn’t get a hit of cloying sweetness or flavors that many American crackers or cookies have.
Double Chocolate PB2
As I’ve said before, toppings are a fun way to add just a dab of indulgence to an otherwise nutritious bowl of oatmeal. Dessert-like toppings are the perfect solution when you want to treat yourself but also don’t want to start your day with a stomachache.
Oatmeal Enthusiasts: Meet Michael!
Once again, I apologize for being so absent. It pains me to see how few recipes I shared in February, but I guess if it’s a symptom of me achieving other great things, then it’s not such a terrible thing, right? For the start of March, I’d like you to meet Michael, whom you may know from her Instagram, @finding_clareity. She has been a long-time participant in the #oatmealartist hashtag, and I’m so excited to finally feature her here!
Hello there my oat lovin’ friends!
My name is Michael Clare. Some of you may know me as Clare (finding_clareity) on Instagram. I am a 20-year-old Journalism student at Saint Bonaventure University in Western New York.
Honestly, I had to pinch myself when the Oat Queen herself asked me to be the Oatmeal Enthusiast for March. When I first began following her in tenth grade (five years ago!) I never thought I would get to be featured on her blog!
Isn’t it beautiful that Lauren has brought us together through our love of oats? I think so!
In fact – the Oatmeal Artist Blog was a real “grain-changer” for me. Like many folks, the first time I tried oatmeal, I was appalled. I made a sachet of apple spice oats in the microwave and thought, “How do people eat this!?!”
Being an avid baker, my senses told me that I couldn’t trust the microwave version of anything.
A Google search led me to Lauren’s recipage and after a few weeks of using her amazing recipes, my own creative juices started to flow.
Oats became more for me than just a breakfast, though.
Between my senior year of high school and sophomore year of college I struggled with a eating disorder. Luckily I had wonderful doctors, friends, family, and teachers to give me the support I needed to recover. Still, it was incredibly challenging and complicated. Eating in recovery was anything but fun. It was a scary, daunting, struggle. Oatmeal changed all that.
Each morning, I looked at my oat bowl as a work of art and myself as an artist. I didn’t think about the calories, macros, ingredients, or amounts I used. Oatmeal helped me see food as being fun! Nourishment for the soul and body.
From a practical standpoint, oatmeal also allowed me to easily up my calorie intake. I started to make a new oat base: ½ cup oats, 1 tbsp chia seeds, ½ scoop plant protein, and 1/3 cup liquid egg whites. This allowed me to keep my same familiar bowl of oatmeal for breakfast that I was used to having but with some added fuel. Oats are amazing because they can be customized for a multitude of dietary needs!
These days, my favorite way to eat my stovetop oats is cold. I usually cook the base the night before and add fruit and toppings in the morning. It saves me lots of time for my busy college schedule! Also – I always add a bit of cereal for CRUNCH ☺.
Monday: Chocolate Banana Berry Oats topped with Rice Krispies.
Chocolate is always a good idea for breakfast, but it is a MUST on a Monday!
Tuesday: Chocolate Sweet Potato Berry Oats topped with Cinnamon Chex
When I have sweet potato oats, it means I had some left over from dinner the night before ☺. I love how it pairs with berries and chocolate, too.
Wednesday: PB&J Oats – grapes, strawberries, powdered PB mixed in, topped with Trader Joe’s Valencia PB and multigrain Puffins after the photo
Peanut Butter and Jelly is CLASSIC. You just can’t go wrong. I used to think grape oatmeal was too weird, but grapes quickly became a favorite add-in for me.
Thursday: Chocolate Covered Pineapple Raspberry Oats topped with Van’s Cocoa Sensation cereal
Pineapple can be a hassle to cut, honestly… but it is so worth it! I usually just spend a little extra and buy some pre-cut.
Friday: Strawberry Kiwi Oats topped with Trader Joe’s sunflower butter and Vanilla Chex
This was actually my first time using kiwi in my oats and I LOVED it! Also, shout out to my fav nut/seed butter.
Saturday: Pumpkin Blueberry Oats topped with Peanut Butter & Co. Pumpkin Spice PB and Trader Joe’s Pumpkin O’s
Okay, call me basic but I am going to be real – Pumpkin spice oats are my fav year-round. I love the flavor of real pumpkin combined with cinnamon and ginger. Frozen blueberries add a nice hint of sweetness.
Sunday: Mixed Berry Oats topped with sun butter and Very Berry Cheerios
I had to buy the Very Berry Cheerios as soon as they came out and, obviously, they had to go on top of mixed berry oats as well.
Note: For all “chocolate” oats, I mixed in Trader Joe’s dark chocolate chips while cooking. I also always use frozen raspberries and blueberries in the winter time — plus I like how it freezes the oats 😉 .
That’s it, my week in oats! Thanks for reading and many thanks to Lauren for making my wildest oat-dreams come true. <3
