Coffee or tea?
Six years ago, I would have responded, “Neither.” I started drinking tea toward the final months of my senior year of high school as a way to calm my ever-tormented digestive system. I wasn’t crazy about it at first, but I learned to tolerate it. Now, I drink a glass of tea almost every day. (I’ve also learned to like coffee, too, but that’s beside the point.)
This is not an oatmeal recipe for beginners. People who are trying oatmeal for the first time should look for recipes with bananas, lots of fruit, peanut butter, or chocolate; I find that those are the most “newbie-friendly” recipes. This is a fun and unique recipe, but it will appeal most to those who both A) love tea, and B) already love oatmeal.
This is one of my many tea-themed recipes. For others, check out Pear and Chai Oatmeal, Dirty Chai Oatmeal, or Montana Gold Oatmeal. Also, the recipe below is kind of a “blueprint” for any kind of tea-steeped oatmeal, so you can play with different combinations to make it your own. In the pictures, I used an orange cinnamon tea and added orange slices to it. I’ve also used ginger-peach tea before, which I obviously paired with sliced peaches.
What you'll need:
- 1 tea bag
- 1/3 cup hot water
- 1/4 cup almond milk
- 1/2 cup regular rolled oats
- 2 pitted dates, chopped finely
- 1/2 tsp chia seeds
- fruit, nuts, and/or spices (optional)
- pinch of salt
How to make it:
- Add 1/3 cup hot water to a mason jar and add your tea bag. Steep for about 5 minutes.*
- Add remaining ingredients to the mason jar.
- Cover with lid and shake, shake, shake until combined.
- Store in the refrigerator overnight (or for several hours). Eat cold or warm up in the microwave!
Just an FYI:
*Previously, I wrote that you should steep this for an hour. However, I've since learned that this doesn't make the tea stronger; it only makes it more bitter. Steep for the recommended time on the box of tea. It should end up strong simply because it's steeping in only 1/3 cup water. **Be practical. Pick fruits/spices that would pair well with your tea. For example, my tea was Orange Cinnamon flavored, so I added orange slices and a dash of cinnamon. If you need help, tell me what kind of tea you're using, and I'll give you suggestions!
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