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Best of 2016
See also: Best of 2012 / Best of 2013 / Best of 2014 / Best of 2015
In many ways, 2016 was a pretty tough year. I don’t think I need to elaborate on that as we all seem to be on the same page about this dumb excuse of a year. 🙂 But in other ways, this year was big for me. I really found my passion in school–bilingual education–and my mental health improved by a billion. I feel almost as balanced and stable as I did pre-teaching, just way more jaded. But I can deal with that. I got not just one but two jobs. My nephew can finally say my name and recognize me. My boyfriend brings a lot of joy and adventure into my life. The initial work of my thesis has gotten a lot of praise. I even learned a good chunk of Spanish!
Oatmeal-wise, this year has challenged me as I have fallen in love with experimenting with unique ingredients and sophisticated flavor combinations, yet I also want to keep my recipes easy, quick, and inviting. I wish all my recipes could be made with five ingredients, and I don’t want to scare anyone off with my persimmons. 🙂
As usual, I have assembled the top recipes from the year for us to reminisce together!
1. Fan Favorite Recipe
These German Chocolate Cake Oatmeal Bites, much to my surprise, received more views than all other recipes from 2016. I did not see that coming!
Weekend Musings: Turning Cooking from Work to Relaxation
One of the reasons I love cooking is because I find it a therapeutic process. I find the kitchen a great place to relax because there are so many great sounds, sights, smells, and tastes. It’s a great time to tap into your awareness of what’s happening around you–because everything that’s taking place is so gosh darn pleasant.
But I know that not everyone feels this way. Some people think it’s not fun and more like a chore. Some people would rather order Seamless because the reward (eating food that someone else made for you) is higher than laboring in the kitchen to make it yourself. (more…)
Maple, Kabocha, and Rosemary Steel Cut Oatmeal
Regular readers already know my passion for this pine-flavored herb. I will combine it with just about anything when it comes to oatmeal: grapes, pineapple, peaches, and even chocolate. Combining it with squash probably makes the most sense out of all these, considering rosemary and squash are both classic fall flavors!
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POSTED IN: big batch, herbs, maple, steel cut, sweetened by dates, veggies, winter squash
POSTED IN: big batch, herbs, maple, steel cut, sweetened by dates, veggies, winter squash
Cran-Strawberry Oatmeal
This year, I have become increasingly interested in oatmeal with strawberries cooked in. In the past, I have always preferred using strawberries as a topping only; I loved their cool, sweet freshness. However, I may be starting to prefer them cooked in.
Five Recipes for Nat’l Cheesecake Day!
Tomorrow is National Cheesecake Day! These days are, of course, completely arbitrary most of the time. (Seriously, why is every day designated to a specific food? It’s the strangest thing we humans have ever come up with. Besides this.)
Still, I can’t help but celebrate them. As soon as I see a holiday coming up, I think, “Hey, I love [insert food here]!” and “Wow, I have a lot of oatmeal recipes like [insert food here]!” Cheesecake is no exception.
Cheesecake Baked Oatmeal is a rather new adventure of mine, but I still had five killer recipes to share for this holiday! (more…)
Raspberry Cheesecake Brownie Baked Oatmeal
I’ve been waiting months to make this. I would have done it sooner–I even bought the cream cheese!–but I was waiting for raspberries to be more affordable. Even at Trader Joe’s, they’ve been around $5, and I was not willing to fork over the money for that.
But we must really be in reach of summer because raspberries are finally under the $4 mark!
Have you ever had a brownie swirled with cream cheese and raspberries? I have. Have you ever had a vegan one? I have. Let’s be honest: there is something totally satisfying about a plain, simple brownie (especially if it’s dense and fudgy, and not cakey, but that’s a personal preference ). But Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies are one of the few that I find even more satisfying than an original.
Good news: this baked oatmeal perfectly captures that.
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POSTED IN: baked oatmeal, berries, chocolate, cream cheese, dessert lovers, veggies, zucchini
POSTED IN: baked oatmeal, berries, chocolate, cream cheese, dessert lovers, veggies, zucchini
Mango Tahini Oatmeal
Mango. ?
I adore mango, especially when I can find a way to temper the sweetness a bit. What calms sweetness better than a swirl of tahini?
Oatmeal Enthusiasts: Meet Whitney!
Whitney may have joined Instagram fairly recently, but her photos instantly caught my eye. Her bowls of oatmeal always seem to include a pop of colorful berries and melty peanut butter and puddles of berry sauces. Combined with her trademark white rug and glass bowl, her oatmeal is a treat for the eyes!
Hello, everyone! It is my great honour to be your host today for May’s Oatmeal Enthusiast installment. 😉 A big thank you to Lauren for allowing me to put this piece together for you guys! Her blog is beautiful and her recipes never disappoint, so I only hope that I can do the Oatmeal Artist site the justice it deserves.
My name is Whitney, and I am a 19 year old biology student residing in the hopelessly dazzling Pacific Northwest region of Canada. Spring here has finally sprung, and I can’t help but feel at peace among the rows of emerald-leaved trees and glowing flowers. I love to spend my evenings down at the beach on campus, watching the waves roll in as the sun sets behind the endless mountains. I am always blown away by the sheer beauty of my home when the rain starts to fade and blue skies roll in.
I am very new to oatmeal – in fact, I had my first bowl since early childhood less than 6 months ago, and I’ve only been experimenting with it since late February! You can see some of my progression on my Instagram, @wholewhit. Nowadays, I look forward to the next morning’s oat-y creation nearly every night. I guess you could call me a real dev-oat-ee. (sorry [not really])
My later meals are typically filled to the brim with veggies and healthy proteins, but as a self-professed lover of dessert as well as my entire friend circle’s one-woman bakery, I can’t go a day without eating something sinfully sweet and indulgent. These days, I turn to oatmeal for a healthier version of my favourite treats. I love how filling it is; I am never hungry before lunch. It’s also full of good nutrients, especially when loaded up with fruits and cooked in vanilla cashew milk, my liquid of choice.
For my 15 minutes of fame, I decided to share with you my most favourite creations. From these, you may draw a few things; 1) I love fruit; 2) I have a nut butter problem; and 3) damn, that girl can really put away a lot of chocolate.
SUNDAY
I decided to kick things off with my most favourite flavour of all – dark chocolate raspberry. I cooked this baby down with lots of cocoa powder & frozen raspberries, as well as my usual salt, vanilla, and mashed banana. I topped it off with hot raspberry “sauce” and fresh raspberries (plus chocolate and PB, of course). Those little guys sure are expensive, but as soon as I get home and crack open the container, I never regret my decision. (more…)
Weekend Musings: My Hot Chocolate Recipe! + My Other Favorite Snacks
You all bombarded me with requests for my secret hot chocolate recipe. I stressed over it for days, wondering if it were good enough to share. It felt like this weird thing that I came up with, and I wasn’t sure if it were fit for public consumption (literally and figuratively).
However, I then remembered that I had made it for friends before, and they enjoyed it, so what the heck, right?
And that felt like a great opportunity to discuss my favorite snacks in general. After all, it’s not like I eat oatmeal for every meal. (But sometimes, I come pretty close haha.) (more…)
Community Round-Up: Favorite Nut Butters!
It is no secret that I love nut butters, and you all seem to agree with me. (Did you know there are people on this very planet who claim they “don’t like” peanut butter? Is that some sort of medical syndrome? Is it genetic? Is it contagious? I don’t understand.)
I tend to stick to plain peanut butter and just flavor it myself using the spices and extracts in my pantry because it’s cheaper, but I always have major envy of the flavors I see my readers playing with. Thus, I asked all of YOU what your favorites are.
What are your fave kinds of nut butters, & w what oatmeal? e.g. I <3 PB & Co’s Cinnamon-Raisin on Apple PB&J Oatmeal https://t.co/J2qENV5lSA
— Lauren Smith Ⓥ (@lauren_015) January 13, 2016
Your responses had me drooling!
Like me, most of you stick to plain creamy or crunchy peanut and almond butter.
- @hisworkmanship.e210 [Instagram] Peanut Delight makes a natural peanut butter that is good with pears. Basically, peanut butter makes everything peanut better 🙂
- Christina [Facebook] For baked and stovetop oatmeal, my favorites are Smart Balance creamy peanut butter and Justin’s almond butter. I like to use natural nut butters with healthy fats, but do not like that layer of oil that occurs in most kinds. Smart Balance and Justin’s do not have that puddle of oil, plus you don’t need to store them in the refrigerator.
- @healthyhappyeats_ [Instagram] I love the natural peanut butter from Costco and I eat it mostly everyday with baked banana oatmeal!!
- Tiffany [Facebook] My local health food shop makes their own peanut butter – they literally grind it up for you then and there. It’s so fresh and delicious and has no oil, salt or sugar added. Heaven! My go-to oatmeal is Peanut Butter Banana Porridge with fresh berries.
>>Try my Nutty Nana Berry Oatmeal! 
- Anna [Facebook] I love gingerbread&cinnamon oatmeal (+egg whites and sometimes chia seeds) topped with almond butter (Biona) and banana. Also raw cacao oatmeal with PB&banana is awesome!
