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Author Archives: Lauren Smith
Restaurant Review: Grød [Guest Post]
TOA: The following review was written by reader Renee. Grød can be found in Copenhagen, Denmark. If you have a special oatmeal eatery in your stomping grounds, we’d love to hear about your experience!
I have been a faithful follower of The Oatmeal Artist for several years now and eat oatmeal every day for breakfast, come what may. Eating in an oatmeal restaurant has long been on my bucket list, but as I only knew of the one in New York City, I wasn’t sure when I would get the chance. However, I have been working in Paris for a semester and recently took a trip to Copenhagen. Before my trip, I learned that there is an oatmeal restaurant there called Grød. Visiting Grød was on top of my list of things to do there, and I convinced three friends to come along on Sunday morning. Grød has three locations in Copenhagen, and we chose the location in an indoor specialty food market that was near our hostel.
The menu was Danish, but they had an English translation available. There were several sweet and savory options, with additional grains other than just oatmeal. However, the savory options were not available until after 11 am. There were also several options for people with food allergies: gluten-free oatmeal or quinoa, and a choice between soymilk, ricemilk, or water. The oatmeal came in two sizes: regular or large. (more…)
Lemon Asparagus Steel-Cut Ris-OAT-to
Once upon a time, I hated asparagus. My mom would make cream of asparagus (from the can) and my dad would eat it on toast. It made the house smell like vomit, and I simply couldn’t understand why anyone would eat it. They look like green beans, and I hated those, too, so asparagus really didn’t stand a chance.
That eventually changed, and now I consider it one of my favorite vegetables. Recently, I was at a risotto shop in Greenwich Village with some friends. I ordered the lemon and pine nut risotto and added asparagus, and each bite was diviiiiiiiiine. I immediately decided to make it in oatmeal form. (more…)
Cinnamon Zucchini Oatmeal with Cherry-Rhubarb Compote
Upon my first bite of this oatmeal, I may have shouted out the f-word.
The explosion of flavor was too much for my brain to comprehend. The only option was to utter an expletive.
I figured it would be good as I made it (why else would I even try it?). I had absolutely no idea it would be that good. That captivating. That delicious. That intriguing. (more…)
The Official Oatmeal Artist Pantry List
Do you ever browse the blog and become frustrated because you don’t have a certain ingredient? Do you find yourself making substitutions frequently because you don’t have the right ingredients?
Here is a handy-dandy list of pantry staples that I recommend having that would allow you to make the majority of my recipes. For some, I provided brands that I recommend. If I did not list a particular brand, it means I have not found significant differences among the brands.
The Essentials: 80% of my recipes revolve around these items!
- Vanilla extract (McCormick, bulk size!)
- Ground cinnamon (McCormick, bulk size!)
- Cocoa powder
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
Mocha Baked Oatmeal (with Almond Butter Center) + my blog’s 3rd birthday!
Happy birthday, blog.
Today, you turn three. You’re a toddler, but better because you don’t need to be potty trained. You don’t need to be watched. I never have to worry about you coloring the walls. That’s pretty cool.
To celebrate the birth of my baby, I went with a recipe that uses all my favorite ingredients: chocolate, coffee, banana (which is optional), almond butter, and happiness. Yes, happiness.*
*not available at Whole Foods
Cherry Macadamia Baked Oatmeal
I’m learning that macadamia nuts have limitations. They are so fantastic with white chocolate chips and in cookies that I started believing they were good in everything. This is false.
I learned this after my attempt to make a macadamia nut butter. “It will taste like nutty frosting,” I thought to myself as I ground up the last of my pricey macadamias in my food processor. As soon as the coarse bits turned to a creamy paste, I eagerly tried it.
NO. Nope. No way. Would you believe how unpleasant it was? Bitter, almost. I added maple syrup and vanilla bean paste, and it improved immensely, but I still wasn’t a fan.
Luckily, this recipe worked out much better. It seems that the macadamia nut’s lot in life is to pair with sweet partners (like chocolate or fruit) in baked goods. That’s truly when it shines. Leave the nut butters to…virtually any other nut. 🙂
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Chai Oatcakes for One
Let me preface by acknowledging that “chai” is Indian for “tea” (or something like that). So when we Americans order a chai tea, we are ordering a “tea tea.” And when we post recipes for “chai oatcakes,” we are simply saying “tea oatcakes.” What we Americans consider “chai” is officially named “Masala chai.”
AKA don’t bother telling me that the name of these oatcakes are nonsensical. I’m just speaking American. [insert American flag and peace sign emojis here]
Okay, now for the more important info: these oatcakes are wonderful. It is incredible how well zucchini fluffs up oatcakes. Look at the top one in the picture! So thick and fluffy!
I’m usually pretty so-so about my chai recipes, but this one is my favorite. The punch of the chai spices were perfect for these oatcakes, and a drizzle of maple syrup on top was all it needed to taste like a million dollars. (What a stupid simile. I bet a million dollars taste pretty dirty and bland.)
Oatmeal Enthusiasts: Meet Erica!
It was easy to choose Erica (@missoatstagram) as my Oatmeal Enthusiast this week. Take a look at her gorgeous photos!
Hi fellow oatmeal lovers!
My name is Erica, and I’m a 19 year old college student studying dance, finding my way in NYC, and of course eating a daily bowl of oats! (When not roaming the streets of the big city, I can be found on Instagram @missoatstagram).
Growing up, my mom has always been an incredible and avid baker and cook (following in the footsteps of her Italian mother and grandmother), and I guess the gene was passed down to me as well. I especially love baking, and find it incredibly soothing. In high school (and even now when I go home for breaks), I can always remember asking my mom “what can I bake?” Don’t get me wrong, baked goods are wonderful, but at some point your mom cuts you off because the flour supply is constantly low and there’s only so many baked goods a family can eat. Well, with a desire to bake, but a limit on how much I could, I found this blog. You mean I can make a single served baked oatmeal for breakfast? I was sold, and from there my casual, every once in a while oatmeal breakfast turned into a daily ritual and well, obsession.
Although I was originally drawn here for the baked oats, I slowly started trying other recipes on the blog, and have since discovered the beauty of stove-top oats. I may still have baked (and overnight) oats on occasion, but I have since transitioned to the beauty of a big bowl of warm stove-top oats each morning. My “base” is typically the same with 1/2 c old fashioned oats, 1/2 c water, 1/2 c almond milk, 1 T chia seeds, and from there I get creative.
Oatmeal is “me time.” In this insanely busy and tiring college life filled with lots of dance, academics, a social life, and all the craziness NYC has to offer, I find the whole process incredibly calming from stirring the oats to sitting down with a big bowl of deliciousness. I think my roommates are now used to my morning oatmeal cooking, but for a while they were intrigued and perplexed I would spend so much time in the morning preparing oatmeal.
This could seem like an exaggeration, but oatmeal, most importantly, is currently saving me. I’d prefer not to go in depth with my personal difficulties, but I will admit I have also been struggling and am in the process of overcoming many mental hurdles I have temporarily covered by over-controlling my intake and exercise. But I’d rather focus on the positives here, and how oatmeal is really a key component in my recovery. Skip oatmeal? NEVER. Oatmeal (and all the wonderful things you can do to it) has been so helpful in re-teaching myself how to properly nourish my body.
So thank you to oatmeal to giving me the fuel to dance and do what I love. Thank you to oatmeal for calming me when I’m stressed. And thank you Lauren for choosing me as this months Oatmeal enthusiast!
Day 1: Pumpkin Pie Oats
I am often confused when it turns fall and everyone suddenly becomes obsessed with pumpkin. Pumpkin should be enjoyed all year round! Not only is pumpkin delicious, the creamy consistency you get when pumpkin puree is added to oats is too good! I was also lucky enough to find some pumpkin morsels hidden in the pantry from October, so added them on top along with greek yogurt, almond butter, banana, and dried fig (too many yummy toppings to chose from!)
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10 Spring Recipes for Holiday Celebrations
Perhaps you are hosting guests this weekend for Easter, or you simply want to impress friends or family for brunch some weekend. Now is your chance to prove that oatmeal is not just for winter!
Most of the recipes below make a single serving. However, it’s easy to make them as larger servings. To make any recipe as steel cut oatmeal, for example, use four cups liquid and one cup steel cut oats (makes four servings). For the mix-ins, just triple everything. (Your instinct may be to quadruple everything, but I have found that is excessive for some reason. For example, if I use one banana in a single serving, I usually use 2 or 3 bananas–not 4–in a steel cut recipe for four servings.)Here are 10 spring-themed recipes that would impress a crowd:
Morning Glory Oatmeal
Instead of morning glory muffins, how about this oatmeal? It’s a pleasing, springy combo of shredded carrot, zucchini, and apple. Num! (more…)
Sweet Potato and Chocolate PB2 Oatmeal
Okay, so I might be a little out of season with this one. The truth is, I love sweet potato. 365 days a year. My heart knows no boundaries with food. Sure, I may crave certain foods a little more during certain seasons, but sometimes I want peaches in February or sweet potatoes in April.
