Popular Porridges
Tag Archives: bananas
Pumpkin Banana Oatmeal
I think my internal calendar is confused…
Lately, I’ve been going through a pumpkin phase. It’s not very summer-ish of me, but I can’t stop making oatmeal with pumpkin! I just find something so warm, cozy, and comforting about pumpkin. It reminds me of cool autumn days, light sweaters, football games, and trees ablaze with orange and red leaves. Favorite season? Yep.
Oatmeal “Green Monster” Smoothie
Have you ever woken up sweating, and the thermometer already reads 77 degrees, even though it’s still early in the morning?
Those are the mornings when oatmeal is not so appetizing. I eat porridge year-round, but some days, the thought of a bowl of hot cereal steaming up into my already-hot face is a little . . . nauseating. On those days, it’s good to have a back up–like a “Green Monster” smoothie.
But I didn’t want my oats to feel left out, so I threw them in as well. 🙂
Lemon Poppy Seed Oatmeal (2 ways)
If you can believe it, I didn’t try lemon poppy seed until I got to college. In my depression/identity crisis, I basically ate my feelings, so I made frequent trips to the on-campus eateries throughout the day. One of the treats I became addicted to was the lemon poppy seed bread. It was dense, chilled, and super sweet.
When I started eating oatmeal the following year, I initially set out to recreate dessert recipes. I tried banana bread, carrot cake, cheesecake, french toast, and chocolate chip. Basically, oatmeal was my attempt to make dieting suck less (before I discovered whole foods).
Variations on PB Oatmeal
Considering my love for peanut butter, it’s no surprise that it frequently finds its way into my oatmeal! I was editing my 3 Basic Oatmeal Recipes post this morning, and I was baffled at how to display all the possibilities for peanut butter oatmeal without it being cluttered and confusing. Finally, I realized it deserved its own page. Think of all the variations I’ve created!
Here is a list of possible variations for my basic peanut butter oatmeal:
Chunky vs. Creamy:
The most obvious variation is to experiment with both chunky and creamy nut butters. I normally buy creamy PB, but chunky PB is exceptional in oatmeal! Give it a shot!
Peanut Butter & Banana:
Add a mashed banana (or half of one) after adding the oats, OR add banana butter when serving.
PB&J:
Stir in jam or jelly while the oatmeal is cooking OR drizzle/whirl it into the top of the oatmeal when serving. You could also make it with banana or apple.
PB2:
Whisk in 2 tbsp of PB2 before your liquid begins to boil for an extra flavor boost.
Honey-Nut:
Drizzle honey generously when serving. You could also add apples!
Not Peanut Butter:
Try using almond, cashew, or any other nut butter in place of the peanut butter.
Chocolate Peanut Butter:
Use a chocolate PB (like this one, or even something like Nutella), OR add 1-2 tbsp cocoa powder in place of the cinnamon.
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POSTED IN: 5 ingredients or less, almond, bananas, chocolate, jams and jellies, nuts, PB and J, peanut butter
POSTED IN: 5 ingredients or less, almond, bananas, chocolate, jams and jellies, nuts, PB and J, peanut butter
Blueberry Banana Oatmeal
Tomorrow is my final day of student teaching. For three months, I have devoted my time to the middle school and these students; it will feel incredibly strange waking up Thursday morning as simply another college student, and not a student teacher.
Anyway, it’s also amusing that I went three months eating oatmeal for breakfast every. single. day. I can only think of two occasions that I didn’t. One time, it was because I had run out of oats. The other time, it was because I was recovering from a kidney stone and felt too nauseated to stand over the stove to cook (so I reheated my banana oat waffles).
To be honest, most days my oatmeal was pretty simple. I stuck to apple cinnamon or grapefruit (thanks to the ginormous box of grapefruit my mom bought me!). For these final three days of student teaching, I’ve been in a more “celebratory” mood, and my oatmeal has reflected that. Having fresh blueberries on hand was truly a treat! In addition to my super awesome baked blueberry muffin oatmeal (which I’m incredibly proud of), I also made this blueberry banana combination. I just love pairing berries with bananas–such a great duo!
Blueberry Banana Oatmeal
What you'll need:
- 1 cup milk of choice, or water
- 1/2 cup rolled oats (I use Country Choice Organic)
- 1 ripe banana
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- handful of fresh blueberries*
- sliced almonds for topping
How to make it:
- Bring milk (I use an equal mixture of almond milk and water) to a boil, add oats, and reduce heat to medium. I also add a spoonful of milled flax at the same time as my oats.
- Mash up a ripe banana and add to the oatmeal. Stir.
- Once more of the liquid has absorbed, add vanilla extract, a tiny pinch of salt, and cinnamon. Stir.
- If you'd like to add any extra ingredients (coconut oil, raisins, sunflower seeds), do so now. When the oatmeal is close to finished, add a handful of fresh blueberries and stir gently. You could also wait and add the blueberries as a topping at the very end, but I prefer cooked berries to raw ones.
- When you're pleased with the consistency of the oatmeal, transfer to a bowl. Serve with another splash of your milk of choice, sliced almonds, and any other additional toppings (shredded coconut, nuts, etc.).
Just an FYI:
*You could use frozen blueberries, but you'll need to add them much sooner, like when you add the banana.
Banana Oat Waffles
One of the best decisions I ever made was stealing my mom’s waffle maker. Not only have I gotten a LOT of use out of it, but has she never complained in the entire year that I’ve had it (I’m not sure if she has even noticed!).
I used to make waffles so I could reheat them for breakfast in the mornings, but that’s no longer the case. Since I literally eat a bowl of oatmeal every morning, I now save waffles for lunch and dinner. (Yes, I’m one of those people that regularly eats breakfast for dinner.)
Almond Joy Oatmeal
I truly did have great ambitions for the blog this week. I had a couple new ideas for breakfast oatmeal, a lengthy list of savory oatmeal possibilities, and even a couple baked goods in mind. But then I went ahead and got myself a kidney stone.
Yes, Wednesday morning, I awoke bright and early with a kidney stone slicing its way to my bladder. How pleasant! I practically sang and danced all the way to the emergency room. Never in my life have I been filled with such joy and endless optimism!Yeah right. In truth, it was easily the most painful experience I’ve ever been through. Luckily for me, it was only one small stone, and it passed pretty quickly. I’ll count my lucky stars this time.
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POSTED IN: almond, bananas, chocolate, coconut, dessert lovers, hidden banana, nuts, tropical
POSTED IN: almond, bananas, chocolate, coconut, dessert lovers, hidden banana, nuts, tropical
Strawberry Banana Oatmeal
This morning, I had full intentions of making my Chocolate Strawberry Oatmeal. As I started heating up the almond milk on the stove, however, I had a sudden change of heart. I wanted something different. Something without chocolate. I’ve done the chocolate thing too much lately.
How have I not tried the strawberry-banana combo yet with oatmeal? It’s so obvious; it has to be one of the most classic flavor combinations out there!
Banana Oat Muffins
As much of a debutante I am with the stove, I’m even worse with the oven. I used to love baking when I lived with my parents. My mom decorates cake as a hobby/side job, so I had tons of baking tools and recipes at my disposal. I used to bake cupcakes for my boyfriend-at-the-time’s family for their birthdays; it’s no wonder I was so popular at their house! 🙂
However, I lost my interest after I got sick of doing the dishes. That’s the worst part about baking: tons and tons and tons of dishes.
I also lost interest when I went to college and eventually got an apartment. Once I was buying my own groceries, buying ingredients like powdered sugar, cream cheese, and mass amounts of eggs seemed like such a waste, especially when I was devoting my financial resources toward whole foods and organic produce.
Lately, however, I’ve been into baking again, but a different kind: healthy baking. Eggless, sugarless, dairyless baking. It’s an interesting challenge, but it gives me something different to include in my bento box at school.
When I say healthy baking, I don’t mean a cookie with some oatmeal thrown in. I’m so tired of people bastardizing the word “healthy” (I’m looking at you, Pinterest users!). “Healthy” is not reduced-fat cream cheese. “Healthy” is not sugar-free jello. “Healthy” is not apple pie, strawberry ice cream, or banana bread. Including a fruit does not negate the sugar and fat. It’s still a dessert. You could say “homemade.” You could say “lightened up.” You could say, “Made from fresh-picked apples!” But it’s not “healthy.”
I’m talking about dense and hearty gems concocted from mashed bananas, peanut butter, flax, oatmeal, and other whole ingredients. No sugar. No butter. No egg. No white flour. I look for the most healthful ingredients, and cut out the unnecessary ones. This is what attracts me to vegan recipes so often–the ingredients are typically unprocessed and nutritious. After all, vegan bakers are experts at replacing butter and eggs!
My bakery items are not what most people would consider “dessert,” but for my everyday purposes, they’re perfect. It’s like taking a healthy and nutritious bowl of oatmeal and turning it into a baked good.
Like these banana-oat muffins. Filling, flavorful, and hearty. And to push them over the top, I spread peanut butter on them. 🙂
I adapted them from this recipe. Although the actual recipe is very respectable, I used flax instead of eggs, and instead of chocolate chips, I went for a more banana-bread-like flavor, so I skipped the chips and added cinnamon instead. Mmm!
If you’re also interested in unsweetened (and/or vegan!) baking recipes, check out this blog–she has lots of great healthified takes on classic desserts (although I’m unsure of the Stevia thing, so I avoid that)! I’ve made the chocolate chip cookies (contains some brown sugar) and breakfast cookies. They were both great!
UPDATE: I’ve revamped these muffins! Click here for the updated version.
**You can also find hundreds of other oatmeal recipes (as well as tons of other meatless recipes) on my Pinterest account! You can also like The Oatmeal Artist on Facebook. Thanks!
Thin Mints Oatmeal
[This post has been updated with new photos on 8/28/2015.]
My friends, let me tell you the story of how Thin Mints Oatmeal came to be…
I have a love-hate relationship with bananas. In general, I kind of hate them. I rarely eat them plain; their taste and texture make me gag a little if I’m not in the right mood. On the other hand, they are just wonderful. They are a natural sweetener, super cheap, and versatile. I can put them in sandwiches, smoothies, oatmeal, or baked goods, which is why–despite my on-and-off hatred of them–I almost always have some on the counter.
(more…)
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POSTED IN: bananas, chocolate, cookie lovers, dessert lovers, herbs, hidden banana, mint
POSTED IN: bananas, chocolate, cookie lovers, dessert lovers, herbs, hidden banana, mint
