Is there any fruit I won’t combine with PB&J? The answer is no. I will not rest until every fruit has been PB&J-ified.
Once upon a time, I scowled at apricots. “They are a bad version of peaches,” I said. I stand by my claim that they are inferior to peaches (which are my favorite fruit), but I no longer hate them. This came about after eating dried apricots multiple times a week for my morning snack and added diced apricot to my beloved kale salads.
Thus, when fresh apricots appeared at Trader Joe’s, as they do every January, I happily bought a crate. Despite having many apricot ideas on The List, my first thought was PB&J. Naturally.
However, when I made this recipe, I realized that apricots have incredible potential. Just as I have recipes for Basic Banana Oatmeal and variations, you can do the same with apricot. It has a surprisingly versatile flavor. I have always noticed how peaches lose some of their pow in oatmeal, but I finally recognized that this can be advantageous. If you’re the type of person who loves a simple base with wow-factor toppings, apricot oatmeal could be your next adventure.
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What you'll need:
- 3/4 cup milk of choice
- 1/4 cup quick cook steel cut oats
- 1-2 fresh apricots (I used 1 and a half)
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp lemon juice (or lemon zest) [optional, but recommended!]
- 1-3 tsp maple or apricot syrup
- pinch of salt
- 1-2 tbsp jam or jelly of choice (try apricot!)
- 1-2 nut butter of choice
How to make it:
- Bring milk (I use 1/2 c almond milk and 1/4 c water) to a boil, add oats, and reduce heat to medium. (If you’d like to add a teaspoon of flax or chia seeds, do so now.)
- Dice, grate, or puree apricot and add to oatmeal. I grated one full apricot and diced half an apricot.
- Once more of the liquid has absorbed, add vanilla extract, cinnamon, lemon juice/zest, maple or apricot syrup, and salt. Stir.
- When you’re pleased with the consistency of the oatmeal, transfer to a bowl. Add a splash of your milk of choice and any other additional toppings (coconut, pomegranate, nuts, etc.). If making PB&J oatmeal, swirl in your jam of choice and top with nut butter.
4 Responses to Apricot PB&J Oatmeal (& Basic Apricot Oatmeal)