It may not be the first thing that you think of. In fact if you’ve been eating the same boring oatmeal day after day it may have added to your current winter blues. But trust me, oatmeal can be much more than a boring bowl of bland grain. Whether you have plain oats with a side of ennui or a jazzy bowl of Hummingbird Cake oatmeal, no one can deny just how nutritious this grain is. Even your doctor will be pleased with your new oatmeal addiction. Adding fiber to your diet and lowering your cholesterol are a just a few benefits from regular oatmeal consumption.
A few weeks ago I decided to break out of the breakfast rut I was in and the results were tasty and inspiring. I think you’ll have a new excitement for mornings after you try some of these yummy oatmeal flavors too!
There are many methods of cooking oatmeal. Slow cooker oats let you put everything together the night before and wake up to a ready to go breakfast. If you bake your oats you can do the whole weeks worth of working in advance and reheat your goodies when you want them. Overnight oats and the basic stove method of cooking them, but you can still breathe new life into with wonderful flavors. If you’re always on the run try one of the microwavable recipes.
Slow Cooker Oatmeal
- Basic Slow Cooker Oats
- Slow Cooker Vanilla Fig Oatmeal Topped with Baklava Filling
- Alton Brown’s Cranberry Fig Oatmeal
- Slow Cooker Carrot Cardamom Oatmeal
- Cranberry Apricot Oatmeal
- Chocolate Raspberry Brownie Oatmeal
- Italian Creme Cake Oatmeal
Baked Oats
- Peach Baked Oats
- Tiramisu Oatmeal Bake
- Baked Coconut Oatmeal with Pepper Nut Topping
- Sweet Potato Breakfast Casserole
- Oatmeal Soufflé
Overnight Oatmeal
- Chocolate Overnight Oats
- Overnight Apple Pie Steel Cut Oats
- Overnight Oatmeal with Almonds and Dried Cranberries
Microwave
- Orange Creamsicle Oatmeal
- Cardamom Walnut Oatmeal
Stovetop
- Banana Bread Oatmeal
- Pecan-Cranberry-Apricot Oatmeal
- Peanut Butter Cup Oatmeal (sweetened with stevia)
- Carrot Cake Oatmeal
On-The-Go
A Few Tips
Once you’ve tried a few of these recipes get brave and make your favorite desserts into breakfast. ½ teaspoon cocoa per serving makes a great chocolate base and you can add more to mimic a dark chocolate flavor.
Try different nondairy milks to make your oatmeal creamy. Many are lower calorie plus they don’t curdle in the slow cooker like dairy tends to. Of course, you can add some dairy in after cooking to get that creamy texture as well.
If you are using nondairy or dairy milk check for citric acid in other ingredients you will add so as applesauce and dried cranberries. Mixed together the result could curdle. So always cook with water when using them, or only buy brands without added citric acid.
Vanilla yogurt (both dairy and nondairy) works great as a base for icing toppings. Spread on top of the oatmeal to add taste, texture, and elegance to your favorites. Also a teaspoon of vanilla extract in the oatmeal lends itself to a cake batter flavor, plus it makes chocolate taste even better.
Don’t underestimate the power of toppings of all kinds. A few chocolate chips, some coconut, and some chopped walnuts can save you from a boring breakfast even if you are running late.