13 Insanely Clever Oatmeal Tricks You Need To Try
There's no point in eating a healthy breakfast if it doesn't taste incredible.
1. Simmer chopped fruit in apple juice, then add your oats to make oatmeal that tastes like pie.
2. Add chia seeds for thicker oats with a little more texture.
3. Use frozen berries when fresh ones are out of season.
4. Toast your oatmeal in a little bit of butter before adding liquid.
5. Stir in canned pumpkin to add flavor and a little extra volume.
6. If you have overripe bananas, save them for oatmeal by peeling, slicing, and freezing them.
7. Thinly slice a very ripe banana (fresh or frozen), then stir it into oatmeal for sweetness and a fluffy texture.
8. Cook oats in a mixture of coconut milk and water to add a subtle flavor.
9. Shredded carrots are an easy way to add vegetables to breakfast.
10. Use leftover coffee to flavor your oatmeal.
11. If you’re out of fresh fruit, stir in some jam instead.
12. Serve your oats in a near-empty peanut butter jar to get those ~PRECIOUS~ last bits.
13. Make your oatmeal savory by stirring in finely chopped vegetables and topping with a runny egg.
Apple Pie Oatmeal
Makes 2 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 medium apple, cored and roughly chopped
½ cup apple juice
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons brown sugar
Pinch of salt
1 cup rolled oats
1 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
PREPARATION
Combine the apple, apple juice, vanilla, cinnamon, brown sugar, and salt in a small pot over high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the apples are soft and the juice has reduced by about half, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients — you can save some of the walnuts for garnish, if you want — and turn the heat to medium-high. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the oats are cooked and the mixture is thick. Serve immediately.
Strawberry-Chia Oatmeal
Makes 2 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 cup rolled oats
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
Pinch of salt
1 cup strawberries, fresh or frozen, cored and halved
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
PREPARATION
Combine oats, almond milk, salt, strawberries, chia seeds, and honey in a small pot over medium-high heat. Stir everything together and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 5 to 6 minutes, stirring often, until the oats are cooked, the strawberries are very soft, and the mixture is thick. Serve immediately, garnished with pumpkin seeds.
Brown Butter-Toasted Oatmeal with Apricots and Almonds
Makes 2 servings
INGREDIENTS
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
1 cup rolled oats
1 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons chopped dried apricots
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons chopped almonds
PREPARATION
Melt the butter in a small pot over medium-low heat, swirling it around the pan constantly, until it starts to bubble, about 30 seconds. Continue to swirl until the milk solids (little speckles in the butter) turn light brown and it smells nutty and fragrant. Immediately add the oats to the brown butter and toast over low heat, stirring constantly, until the oats are light brown and smell toasted.
Add the remaining ingredients — you can save some of the almonds for garnish, if you want — and turn the heat to medium-high. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the oats are cooked and the mixture is thick. Serve immediately.
Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal with Seeds and Raisins
Makes 2 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 cup rolled oats
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
Pinch of salt
⅔ cup canned pumpkin
1 tablespoon maple syrup
½ teaspoon pumpkin spice (you can substitute ground cinnamon)
3 tablespoons golden raisins
2 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons almond butter
PREPARATION
Combine oats, almond milk, salt, pumpkin, maple syrup, pumpkin spice, and raisins in a small pot over medium-high heat. Stir everything together and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the oats are cooked and the mixture is thick. Serve immediately, topped with pumpkin seeds and almond butter.
Whipped Banana Oatmeal with Ground Flax
Makes 2 servings
If you want, you can garnish your oats with fresh banana slices from a second small banana. Don't put any less banana in the oats while they cook, though, because that's what makes the oatmeal sweet and fluffy.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup rolled oats
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
Pinch of salt
1 large, very ripe banana (fresh or frozen), peeled and thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
PREPARATION
Combine oats, almond milk, salt, banana, and cinnamon in a small pot over medium-high heat. Stir everything together and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until the oats are cooked, the banana has completely broken down, and the mixture is thick and fluffy. Serve immediately, garnished with ground flax seeds.
Carrot Cake Oatmeal
Makes 2 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 cup rolled oats
½ cup coconut milk
½ cup water
Pinch of salt
½ cup shredded carrot (from 1 large, peeled carrot)
½ teaspoon pumpkin spice (you can substitute ground cinnamon)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 tablespoons chopped mixed nuts (we used pecans, almonds, and walnuts)
2 tablespoons raisins
1 tablespoon shredded coconut (optional)
PREPARATION
Combine all ingredients in a small pot over medium-high heat. Stir everything together and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the oats are cooked, the carrot is soft, and the mixture is thick. Serve immediately.
Coffee-Chocolate Oatmeal
Makes 2 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 cup rolled oats
¾ cup strong coffee
1 ¼ cups whole milk
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons chopped cashews, plus more for garnish, if you want
PREPARATION
Combine all ingredients in a small pot over medium-high heat. Stir everything together and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the oats are cooked and the mixture is thick. Serve immediately, topped with more cashews, if you want.
PB&J Oatmeal
Makes 2 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup whole milk
1 cup water
pinch of salt
3 tablespoons strawberry jam, plus more for garnish, if you want
2 tablespoons peanut butter
PREPARATION
Combine oats, milk, water, salt, and jam in a small pot over medium-high heat. Stir everything together and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the oats are cooked and the mixture is thick. Serve immediately, with a spoonful of peanut butter on top, plus a little more jam, if you want.
Savory Vegetable Oatmeal with a Fried Egg
Makes 2 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 cup rolled oats
1 ½ cups whole milk
Pinch of salt
¼ cup finely chopped red pepper
2 tablespoons thinly sliced chives
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 large eggs
Freshly ground pepper
PREPARATION
Combine oats, milk, salt, red pepper, and chives in a small pot over medium-high heat. Stir everything together and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the oats are cooked and the mixture is thick.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-low heat. Crack the eggs into the pan, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the whites are set but the yolk is still runny, 3 to 4 minutes.