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15 Tasty Recipes For Making Oatmeal Less Boring
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Do you love oatmeal, but find that after about two mornings, that brown sugar/honey/raisin combination gets a bit old?
Oatmeal is super healthy and one of the best options for vegans. It is also a healthy alternative to those sugar filled cereals. Also, if you are sensitive to gluten, oatmeal is a terrific choice for breakfast.
Quick and easy to make, oatmeal seems to have everything going for it, except … let’s be honest folks, it can be bland.
We have the solution for those bland oatmeal blues. Keep reading, because we have put together 15 of the best recipes that will make your oatmeal anything but boring.
Attention, busy moms! Most of these can be made the night before and stored in the fridge. In the morning, simply add a tablespoon or so of almond milk, coconut milk, or plain milk, and then reheat on the stove or pop it in the microwave.
Are you ready to spice up those oatmeal bowls? Here we go!
1. Vegetarian Oatmeal
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of oats
- 1.5 cups of whole milk
- ¼ cup of organic red pepper, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons of organic chives, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon of olive oil
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of pepper
- 2 large organic eggs (optional)
Instructions:
Mix the oats, salt, pepper, red peppers, and chives in a small pot. Cook over medium high heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 4 or 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you want to add some eggs, heat the olive oil in a pan and cook until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny. Once the milk and oat mixture has thickened, split into two serving bowls and top each bowl with an egg.
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2. Apple Pie Oatmeal
This recipe becomes addicting, as it really does taste exactly like apple pie. Slice up some apples into small pieces and put them in a pan on the stove under medium high heat. Add a little bit of apple juice and let it simmer for 5 or 6 minutes. The apples slices should be soft. Now add your oats and milk and cook as you normally would. Many people find that adding apple slices to their oatmeal makes it so sweet they don’t need to add sugar. If you think you need a hint more sweetness, try adding just a sprinkle of brown sugar over the top.
3. Peanut Butter and Jelly Oatmeal
Your kids will love this one!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of oats
- 1 cup of whole milk
- 1 cup of water
- 3 tablespoons of strawberry jam (plus a bit more as a garnish on top if you like)
- 2 tablespoons of peanut butter
Instructions:
Simply combine everything except the peanut butter in a small pot. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook 4 or 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the mixture has thickened, add the peanut butter. If you like you can always add a dollop of jam to the top.
4. Chia Oatmeal
If you would like a bit more texture to your oatmeal, this is the recipe for you.
For every 1/2 cup of oats that you are using, add 1 tablespoon of chia seeds right at the start of your cooking time. This will not only give your oatmeal some healthy omega-3s, but it will thicken it up.
5. Chocolatey Coffee Oatmeal
This is a great way to use some leftover coffee.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of oats
- ¾ cup of black coffee
- 1.25 cups of whole milk
- 1 tablespoon of dark brown sugar, packed down
- 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoon of chopped cashews (or any other nut that you like or have on hand)
- Pinch of salt (if the nuts are salted, skip this)
Instructions:
Combine everything in a pot and cook over medium heat. Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 4 or 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the oats are cooked, serve immediately. You can add a few more nuts to the top as a garnish if you like.
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6. Very Berry Oatmeal
If you are like us, you love adding berries to your oatmeal. For a little change of pace, buy a bag of frozen mixed berries. When you are cooking your oatmeal, add a couple handfuls of mixed frozen berries to your oatmeal. This is an easy alternative to smoothies.
7. Carrot Cake Coconut Oatmeal
Like carrot cake, this one is very addictive. You will make this one over and over again.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of oats
- ½ cup of coconut milk
- ½ cup of water
- ½ cup of organic carrot, shredded
- ½ teaspoon of pumpkin spice ( or cinnamon)
- ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon of real maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons of chopped nuts (your choice)
- 2 tablespoons of raisins
- 2 tablespoons of shredded coconut
- Pinch of salt (if the nuts are salted, skip this)
Instructions:
Combine everything in a pot and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Once it boils, reduce to a simmer. Be sure everything is well mixed. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the carrots are soft and the oatmeal is cooked. The mixture will thicken considerably. Serve immediately.
8. Toasted Oatmeal
For oatmeal that has more of a nutty flavor with a bit more texture, simply add some butter to the pot and toast your oatmeal before you add your milk and/or water. This adds plenty of texture, since toasted oats won’t break down so much and turn so mushy. This also gives it a naturally nutty flavor that you should find appealing.
9. Banana and Flax Oatmeal
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of oats
- 2 cups of unsweetened almond milk
- 1 large very ripe banana, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons of ground flax seeds
- ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon
Instructions:
Combine everything except the flax seeds in a pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir well and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 4 or 5 minutes, or until the banana has broken down and the oats are cooked. The banana will make the oatmeal super fluffy. Sprinkle the flax seeds on top and add extra banana to the top if you like.
10. Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal
During the fall months, everything seems to be pumpkin spice flavored, so why not your oatmeal? Simply stir in some canned pumpkin and a bit of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice to your oatmeal while it is cooking. This will turn your oatmeal into something that will remind you of pumpkin pudding or pumpkin pie.
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11. Almond and Apricot Oatmeal
Simply too good for words!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of oats
- 1.5 cups of unsweetened almond milk
- 2 teaspoons of butter
- 3 tablespoons of dried apricots, chopped
- 1 tablespoon of raw, organic honey
- 2 tablespoons of almonds, chopped
- Pinch of salt (if the nuts are salted, skip this)
Instructions:
Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat until it begins to bubble. Continue to stir until you see small speckles in the butter that turn brown. Immediately add the oats and toast them over low heat, stirring constantly, until the oats are lightly toasted. Add all remaining ingredients and return the fire to medium high. Bring to a boil, then reduce the fire to a simmer. Cook for 4 or 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the oats have cooked, serve immediately. You can top with a few more almonds for garnish.
12. Banana Oatmeal
When you have overripe bananas, don’t pitch them in the trash, slice them and freeze them for your oatmeal for later. While you are cooking your oatmeal, add one of those frozen bananas to your oatmeal. It will literally melt into the oatmeal, making it fluffy and very sweet. You can also top it with some fresh banana slices just before you serve it.
13. Strawberry Oatmeal
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of oats
- 2 cups of unsweetened almond milk
- 1 cup of frozen or fresh strawberries, cut in half
- 2 tablespoons of chia seeds
- 2 tablespoons of pumpkin seeds
- 1 tablespoon of raw, organic honey
Instructions:
Add everything to a pot except for the pumpkin seeds. Cook over medium high heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Be sure everything is well mixed. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 5 or 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until the strawberries are very soft and the oats are cooked. Serve immediately and garnish with pumpkin seeds.
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14. Jam It Up Oatmeal
If you are out of fresh fruit, you can always stir in some jam instead. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Pineapple, apple butter, grape, or blackberry jam makes for a really interesting change of pace from the usual strawberry jam.
15. Coconut Milk Oatmeal
For some subtle flavor, simply substitute coconut milk for regular milk. You can also toast some freshly grated coconut in a bit of butter and add this to your oatmeal in addition to the coconut milk. Of course, if you are a huge coconut fan, toast some coconut, use coconut milk, and then add more coconut to the top for coconut overload!
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