Tag Archives: cherries

Black Forest Oatcakes…and my blog’s 2nd birthday!

Two years. TWO YEARS! Considering I’ve been running this blog during the two most challenging years of my life (student teaching/senior year, my year of service in Newark, and my first year of teaching in NYC), it’s a pretty big deal that I’ve managed to maintain this blog through it all. To celebrate, I made oatcakes:

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But first, let me indulge in my nostalgia. Three fantastic things have happened since the Oatmeal Artist’s first birthday.

  1. I began my partnership with Country Choice Organic, which has completely changed my life.
  2. I began the Oatmeal Enthusiast series, which showed me that there are SO MANY PEOPLE that eat oatmeal every single morning, just like me.
  3. The #oatmealartist hashtag began on Instagram, which always gives me a nice ego boost whenever I’m feeling down. As of right now, there’s over 2,000 pictures on Instagram with the #oatmealartist tag. So cool!

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Apple and Cherry Jam Baked Oatmeal

After several recommendations from multiple readers, I finally tried grating an apple instead of dicing it. I originally disregarded it because I thought about how much I loathe grating carrots. Luckily, apples are softer than carrots and grate much more easily. I actually found it easier–and possibly even faster–to grate the apple than dice it!

Because apple is so juicy, grating it results in a sauce-like (but wonderful) glop. That may sound unappealing, but it’s perfect when you consider that you’ll have apple flavor in every single bite. It also means you won’t have big mushy apple chunks, which is my least favorite part of baked apple oatmeal. (more…)


Choco-Cherry Cashew Oatmeal

KIND bars cost too much. Let’s all agree on that. Certainly, they are a high-quality product and deserve to cost as much as they do. However, this girl will not be buying them on the regular. This girl receives a living stipend (not an actual salary) and spends too much money at Banana Republic.

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However, I splurge on one or two bars from time to time. In August, when I was technically homeless for a week, was massively in debt, and had no functioning kitchen to cook in, I survived on bananas, hummus, and whole wheat naan. To make my life seem less pathetic, I also treated myself to one single KIND bar.

I remember unwrapping it for a mid-morning snack during my staff training session. For a moment, my boss’s voice faded off as my attention focused on the brilliance happening in my mouth. Dark chocolate, sweet cherries, and salty cashews worked harmoniously and created a chewy, crunchy, decadent snack bar.
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Peach Cherry Almond Oatmeal

Sometimes, I write these posts shortly after I’ve finished eating the oatmeal. Sometimes, I write it weeks after the last time I ate it. And sometimes, like right now, I write it while I’m eating it.That’s how you know it’s good.

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Fruit Salad Oatmeal

I must admit that I enjoy being a vegetarian. In the beginning, I struggled with feeling misplaced or left out, but once it fused into part of my identity, I embraced all of its challenges. Limited options on menus means I’ll be less overwhelmed (I’m very indecisive) and more likely to try something new (like eggplant!). Potlucks become a scavenger hunt and careful investigation to discover the meatless dishes on a long table of bacon and ground beef. Thanksgiving and Easter turn into challenging games I like to call “How to Make a Meal Out of Side Dishes.”

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Potlucks, especially in Small Town, South Dakota, generally offer less than three vegetarian options (one of which is a basket of dinner rolls). The scalloped potatoes will always include diced ham. The quiche will always have bacon.

But there will always be fruit. Sometimes these fruits are in their raw form: a giant bowl of cubed watermelon or clusters of purple grapes. Other times, they’re mixed together in one bowl: berries and melons and grapes! Sometimes, they’re mixed together in a tasting “dressing,” like honey mint or lemon poppy seed or coconut lime.

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Almond Berry Overnight Oatmeal

What’s the general consensus on almond extract? Sometimes, I truly love it. It’s dynamite in my Pear and Almond Baked Oatmeal and killer in Almond Joy Oatmeal. Other times, I can’t help but be a little peeved by it. I mean, it doesn’t actually taste like almonds, in my opinion.

Anyway, the perk of almond extract is that it steals the show, meaning it’s perfect for a “hidden banana” recipe. I make this overnight recipe whenever I’m in the mood for a creamy and fruity porridge, but I’m not in the mood for the taste of bananas. (Lately, I’ve filled this need with my Lemon Drop Oatmeal, but hey, it’s good to have options!)
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Orange, Cherry, and Chocolate Oatmeal

Success! I finally got three posts in a week again. I’ve been in a two-post slump for a while. It’s probably because I’ve been going through a major Lemon Coconut phase, and that’s all I’ve been making! Today, I finally pulled myself together and made a new recipe.

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I know I’ve told you this before already, but these dried cherries my mom sent me were a game-changer. I find them so much more flavorful and appealing than frozen cherries…or even fresh ones. I love using them in my oatmeal because they actually provide a cherry taste! The frozen cherries I bought from Whole Foods are just not cutting it for me.
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Berry Chocolate Crunch Oatmeal

Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, taste buds!
For I ne’er tasted true beauty till this week.

Sweetest pepitas…

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If I profane with my unworthiest hand
This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this:
My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand

To EAT YOU.

I know I’m being incredibly overdramatic, but my confession must capture the scale of my new infatuation. This past weekend (thanks to my mother’s birthday present), I tried pepitas for the first time. I’ve had “roasted pumpkin seeds” before, but they were nothing like “pepitas.” You would think they would be equally wonderful (considering pepitas are pumpkin seeds), but there is definitely a difference, the first being that pepitas are as glorious to this night as is a winged messenger of heaven, and “roasted pumpkin seeds” are just a big pile of “meh.”
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Black Forest Cake Overnight Oatmeal

You all said to me that you wanted more overnight oatmeal recipes, and this is one that will start your day right. I mean, what could be better than waking up to a BLACK FOREST CAKE!?

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This recipe was a tough cookie to crack. Much to my disappointment, cherries are not the most flavorful ingredient, especially in its whole form. Their flavor is locked in within that fragile skin.

The first time I made it, I dropped the berries in whole. In the morning, the oatmeal was very flavorless and did not taste at all like a Black Forest Cake. Then, I tried something a little different:  I blended the cherries first, so the oatmeal soaked up “cherry juice,” which gave it much more flavor.
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Cream Cheese Oatmeal with Dried Fruit

This past weekend, I found myself in the unfortunate situation of being out of fresh fruit. I imagine this is a pretty common problem for some people, so I try to make sure I have a wide variety of oatmeal recipes that can appease the most vacant of pantries!

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My mom recently sent me a box full of “fancy” dried fruits. By “fancy,” I mean that they are not raisins and bananas. They are the pricier stuff that I can never afford:  pineapple, cherries, and blueberries.

Using what I had, I threw together this recipe. I thought it sounded unimpressive in my head, but I was shocked at how tasty it was! I had to share it.
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