Popular Porridges
Author Archives: Lauren Smith
Brownie Baked Oatmeal – Big Batch!
The benefit of an entire 8×8 pan of Brownie Baked Oatmeal is that it is a definite crowd-pleaser. Who wouldn’t want to eat oatmeal if it tasted like a brownie? If you find yourself needing to make breakfast for a group of friends or your family, this one is a safe bet.
Savory Lentil-Oatmeal Taco Bowl
This taco bowl replaces meat with a lentil and oatmeal mixture. I went with rolled flakes to achieve a “piece-y” texture, as opposed to the creamy texture I would get from a steel cut oat. Together, the lentils and oat flakes create something similar to a ground beef, and they’re seasoned with typical “white people” taco seasonings–cumin, chili powder, oregano, paprika, garlic, onion, etc.
Oatmeal Enthusiasts: Meet…Me!
I never planned on doing this myself. It was always intended to be for guest posts. But when my featured poster had to back out, I didn’t want to throw the assignment on anyone else last minute (it can be a somewhat extensive project to just take on out of nowhere). So here I am.
You can read all about me elsewhere on the site (and, like, on every post), so what else is there to say about me? 🙂 So here are five facts about me:
(1) I love hip hop. I may dress like a 50s housewife, but I can spit every word to a variety of J. Cole, Kendrick, and Drake songs.
(2) I am the youngest of three kids. My parents recently celebrated their 32nd anniversary.
(3) I hate garlic and onion. Obviously I still eat them because food tastes pretty flavorless without it, but I generally reduce the amount from the recipe to a fifth of what they call for. The concept of “40-cloves-of-garlic chicken” that I see on Pinterest all the time is abhorrent to me, and not just because of the chicken.
(4) I set an alarm for 5:30 am every day (even weekends) because I just love mornings.
(5) I was involved in just about everything in high school, which is common in small towns: volleyball, basketball (until 9th grade), softball (until 11th grade), wrestling cheerleading (until 11th grade), football cheerleading, theater, choir, band (alto saxophone), Business Professionals of America, knowledge bowl (9th grade only). I hated most of them except theater, choir, and BPA. 🙂
^^ baby high school Lauren
Now, here is what a week of oatmeal looks like for the Oatmeal Artist herself!
Wednesday: Banana Oatmeal with Almond Butter & Grape Jelly
It’s basically Banana PB&J Oatmeal, but with almond butter. My favorite is the salted crunchy AB from Trader Joe’s. This is a pretty standard choice for me, especially when I’m at my parents’ house (which I was for Christmas).
Thursday: Brownie Batter Oatmeal + toppings
Brownie Batter Oatmeal is another classic. (I would have loved to have Cardamom Fudge but my mom doesn’t have cardamom. 🙁 ) Blackberries were on sale! I also enjoyed the wide range of baking ingredients my mom has on hand, like the walnuts and coconut.
Friday: Banana Oatmeal with Almond Butter and Blackberries
Today I babysat my nephew, Graham, so I made us a simple Banana Oatmeal and topped his with blackberries and bananas (he loves berries), and I added almond butter to mine. I was afraid to give nut butter to a toddler. Nut allergies scare me. 😛
Saturday (Christmas Eve!) – Almond Joy Oatmeal
Since I have almond butter, the original Almond Joy Oatmeal seemed like a natural choice. Plus, my mom has sweetened shredded coconut. I definitely prefer the unsweetened kind (better texture, and it’s toastable), but it’s always a fun change to have it sweetened sometimes. Kind of like how regular Oreos are the best, but every now and then it’s fun to have a peanut butter Oreo. Stuff like that. 😉
Sunday (Christmas Day)
Despite my grand ideas for my Christmas Day oatmeal, I ended up being dreadfully sick and couldn’t even keep a single grape down (believe me, I tried). So no oatmeal was had. 🙁
Monday – Grape & Rosemary Oatmeal
This is a combination of Grape & Rosemary Oatmeal and Grape & Walnut Oatmeal, with a bonus of a little almond butter. I was still a little queasy Monday morning so that little teaspoon of richness was about all I could handle. I chose to make this because I rarely buy grapes (is it just me, or do they cost a billion dollars?), but my mom always has them on hand. We also had rosemary for our holiday baking, so I used the opportunity to make this recipe again.
Tuesday – Mocha Berry Blackout Oatmeal
It’s basically Berry Blackout Oatmeal with a Mocha Brownie Batter base. I used coffee extract instead of coffee granules for the first time, and I must say, I’m not a fan. It tastes a bit like a bad cold brew. I shall stick to the instant granules! The oatmeal is topped with dried cranberries, the last of my blackberries, and some chopped unsweetened baking chocolate (like the 100% cacao stuff). My mom will not be thrilled when she opens up that package and sees that sliver missing. ?
The next day, I had Rosemary Brownie Batter Oatmeal. I wish I could have taken a photo but I got up really early (to get back on my usual sleep schedule) and it was still pitch black out.
Would you like to be an Oatmeal Enthusiast in 2017?
Head to my Contact page and shoot me an email. I’d love to feature you!
Weekend Musings: Beware of New Year’s Diet “Advice”
The following contains my personal opinions and a synthesis of my own research through the years. However, I am not a professional and only wish to start a conversation, not give medical advice.
Hi friends!
As I navigate the check-out aisle at Walgreens, new posts on BuzzFeed, my feed on Twitter, and shared posts on Facebook, I am bombarded by unwanted “diet advice.” You know the kind:
How to Lose that Holiday Weight!
The Detox You Will Actually Enjoy!!
Cleanse Those Holiday Goodies Away!
Get Your Bikini Bod Back!
Ten Recipes to Undo All That Eggnog!!
The exclamation marks are a must. ?
At their best, these articles contain nutritious and unprocessed recipes yet typically just emphasize the caloric content and temporary extreme restriction. At their worst, the articles include body shaming, misogynistic notions of what a woman’s body should look like or what women should care about, unrealistic guides from celebrity trainers, and misleading (or downright wrong) advice about “healthy eating” (e.g. DRINK GREEN JUICE TO BURN YOUR FAT AWAY!).
(I almost linked you to actual articles for examples, but I refuse to give them any more traffic.)
I am not against using the notion of a “new year” to make positive changes to your life. After all, I did this when I first started eating less meat. I am asking you to be careful about the goals you are setting and the action plan you choose to achieve them.
I have two main issues with these articles:
Best of 2016
See also: Best of 2012 / Best of 2013 / Best of 2014 / Best of 2015
In many ways, 2016 was a pretty tough year. I don’t think I need to elaborate on that as we all seem to be on the same page about this dumb excuse of a year. 🙂 But in other ways, this year was big for me. I really found my passion in school–bilingual education–and my mental health improved by a billion. I feel almost as balanced and stable as I did pre-teaching, just way more jaded. But I can deal with that. I got not just one but two jobs. My nephew can finally say my name and recognize me. My boyfriend brings a lot of joy and adventure into my life. The initial work of my thesis has gotten a lot of praise. I even learned a good chunk of Spanish!
Oatmeal-wise, this year has challenged me as I have fallen in love with experimenting with unique ingredients and sophisticated flavor combinations, yet I also want to keep my recipes easy, quick, and inviting. I wish all my recipes could be made with five ingredients, and I don’t want to scare anyone off with my persimmons. 🙂
As usual, I have assembled the top recipes from the year for us to reminisce together!
1. Fan Favorite Recipe
These German Chocolate Cake Oatmeal Bites, much to my surprise, received more views than all other recipes from 2016. I did not see that coming!
Pear Orange Fudge Oatmeal
This recipe adds big flavor from the fudgy chocolate and bright orange, and the pears add a hint of sweetness and a refreshing coolness.
Oatmeal Recipes for Christmas – 2016 Edition!
Every year I assemble my most Christmassy recipes in one post. I would have liked it to be inclusive of other winter holidays, but alas, I have no expertise in Jewish cuisine (although I did rock that tzimmes recipe for Passover).
This year welcomed many new additions to the Christmas-themed lineup, many in the form of PB2 toppings! But this roundup also includes old favorites because peanut butter blossom cookies will never go out of style. (more…)
Savory Pumpkin and Kale Steel Cut Oatmeal with Sausage
Looking for healthy, hearty meals during the holiday season, without sacrificing the classic flavors of fall and winter? This steel-cut, savory porridge might be exactly what you’ve been looking for.
Weekend Musings: Turning Cooking from Work to Relaxation
One of the reasons I love cooking is because I find it a therapeutic process. I find the kitchen a great place to relax because there are so many great sounds, sights, smells, and tastes. It’s a great time to tap into your awareness of what’s happening around you–because everything that’s taking place is so gosh darn pleasant.
But I know that not everyone feels this way. Some people think it’s not fun and more like a chore. Some people would rather order Seamless because the reward (eating food that someone else made for you) is higher than laboring in the kitchen to make it yourself. (more…)
