Popular Porridges
Tag Archives: big batch
5 Back-to-School Oat-tastic Solutions for Students & Teachers
Some people think students and teachers live a different world. WRONG. I became a teacher because I wanted to be a student forever, and it’s the closest I could get.
Either way, both students and teachers have some early mornings and long days. And both groups are known for skipping meals–particularly breakfast!
Here are 5 solutions for enjoying your oatmeal during that dreaded morning rush!
1. Overnight Oatmeal!
Easiest solution. I receive dozens of comments a week about the ease and “brilliance” of overnight oatmeal (I can’t take the credit for the invention of this meal, sadly). You could make this the night before, or you could prep several to last the week so you don’t have to think about it every night. In the morning, the oats are soft and pillowy. If you don’t have enough time to eat at home, this oatmeal travels well because it can be eaten cold or (if you have access at school) warmed up in the microwave! My recommendations: Chocolate Banana Overnight Oatmeal, Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oatmeal, and Banana Bread Overnight Oatmeal (follow the stove-top recipe but reduce the amount of liquid to 1/2 a cup).
Carrot Cake (and Carrot Banana) Steel-Cut Oatmeal
TWO recipes today! You’re welcome.Carrot Cake Steel-Cut Oatmeal isn’t that exciting; it’s basically an adaptation of my regular Carrot Cake Oatmeal. The only difference is it takes longer to cook (and it serves four instead of one, but that’s just an issue of multiplication and division).
Thus, I’m including a variation. A banana variation, because potassium. (Everything about that last sentence is making the grammarian in me cringe, but whatever.)
I can’t say much about the Carrot Cake version–it’s exactly what you would expect. Instead, let me tell you about the banana version.
Stewed Fig and Apple Steel-Cut Oatmeal
Happy Tuesday! Happy last week of school for me! Happy birthday to my older brother, Christopher!
There are so many reasons to be happy this week. One of the reasons includes starting every morning with this oatmeal. The inspiration actually came from my dislike of the appearance of fresh figs. Why are they so unattractive? Thus, I thought to myself: maybe if I stew them or make a compote, I can enjoy the flavor of figs without the ugly appearance.
Well, it turns out that stewed figs are, in fact, uglier than a regular ol’ fresh fig. Bummer.
(more…)
How to Make 4 Different Oatmeal Recipes with One Pot
Every weekend, I prepare several servings of oatmeal to heat up throughout the week for breakfast. This either requires me to make a big batch and eat the same oatmeal every day of the week, OR spend half an hour making multiple different recipes and cleaning an annoying amount of pans.
As it turns out, you can make FOUR kinds of oatmeal from one batch, and you’ll only have ONE pan to clean afterwards! This is valuable if you prepare your oatmeal for the week like I do, or if you are preparing for a group of people who all want different kinds of oatmeal.
The easiest way to do this is to pick a main ingredient or “theme” that the oatmeal recipes in common. For me, it was (surprise, surprise…) banana. My four bowls below are Banana Chai, PB&J, Lemon Poppy Seed, and Banana Bread.
Can you believe Lemon Poppy Seed and Banana Chai can come out of the same pan??
Here’s what to do:
- Start by preparing your oatmeal according to the directions. I used steel-cut oatmeal, so I used 4 cups liquid and 1 cup oatmeal.
- Let cook for at least ten minutes on medium or medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
- If you have any ingredients that all recipes will have in common, add now (I added mashed banana). Don’t forget a couple pinches of salt!
- Once the oatmeal reaches the right consistency, scoop it out into the tupperware container you’re going to store it in one serving at a time. (If you’re serving a group, you can just put them into bowls instead of tupperware.)
- Add the ingredients for a specific recipe into one of the containers of oatmeal and stir it in with a spoon or fork. Repeat with other three containers.
- Done! Do not add special toppings (nuts, coconut, etc.) until serving.
**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!
Cinnamon Fig Steel-Cut Oatmeal
Do not fear cinnamon! I often add just enough in my recipes to give it a warm, cozy taste, but whenever I add more, I never regret it. For this particular recipe, I took a deep breath and added a full 1/2 teaspoon. It looked like too much for a moment: it even turned the oatmeal! However, after one bite, I knew I had made the correct choice.
I highly recommend going with the full 1/2 teaspoon. You’ll never know unless you try. If you must, you could always start with a 1/4 teaspoon and slowly add more until you think you have enough…but that would make you a wimp. 🙂
(more…)
Crowd-Pleasing Recipes for a Holiday Breakfast
I originally planned on posting a new recipe this morning, but the pressure of posting something “holiday related” became too much. Instead, I realized some people may be hosting a Christmas breakfast tomorrow morning, and perhaps oatmeal will be involved.
(In my perfect world, oatmeal would be served at every morning gathering and everyone would love it as much as you and I do. Sigh.)
Here are seven oatmeal recipes that a) can feed a crowd, and b) are at least mildly holiday-themed.
Crowd-Pleasing Recipes for a Holiday Breakfast
Nothing says Christmas more than the intense spices of gingerbread! Unlike
the cookies, this oatmeal would make an incredibly nutritious holiday breakfast; it’s
entirely sweetened by bananas! Not a banana fan? No worries–the cinnamon, cloves,
and ginger make that banana entirely undetectable.
Maple Sweet Potato Oatmeal
I think I’ve overcome my dislike of maple syrup. I’ve recently realized that it was never maple syrup itself that I loathed, but instead the general experience of eating the classic American pancake breakfast (aka Bisquik). I hate the taste of premixed white flour pancakes, and combined with sweet syrup, I was destined for a post-breakfast bellyache. It’s no wonder I associate pancakes and syrup with misery.
On the other hand, maple syrup and oatmeal has become one of my most beloved ways to start my mornings. Not only does it sweeten an earthy porridge, but it adds an unmatchable flavor that I’ve truly come to appreciate…maybe a little too much. 🙂
(more…)
Lemon Steel-Cut Oatmeal
Every time I think all my lemon ideas have dried up, another springs to my mind. As of this moment, I can’t say I have any more lemon recipes to give you. However, I’m sure within a couple of months, I’ll miraculously think of another. It’s simply inevitable.
Chai Stewed Apples Oatmeal
I’ve given up coffee. It was tough for me. Really tough. I’ve spent the last year sampling soy lattes at every coffee shop in New York City, but the past few months have been trying. Within hours of licking the last bits of froth off my mug, I would always find myself feeling woozy and having cold sweats. Every. Single. Time.
Instead, I’ve had to reinvest in my love for tea.
I really wish I could order chai more often at all my favorite coffee shops. Sadly, most places make theirs from a concentrate or powdered mix that already includes dairy. Bumsville.
(more…)
Apple Pie Steel-Cut Oatmeal
My grandma makes a killer apple pie. The apple filling reaches the perfect point between firm slices and mush. I don’t want to have to chew my apples when I’m eating pie, but I don’t want to slurp them like applesauce, either. She nails this balance every time.
The extra special twist is that her apples come from her backyard. An apple tree was planted in her yard each time a new grandkid was born. This means my brother, sister, cousins, and I each have our own apple tree. We take great pride in the apples that grow from them. Each time my grandma makes a pie, someone asks, “Whose apples are these?” There was a stretch of time when my tree was the champion, pumping out dozens of apples throughout the harvesting season. My apple tree is a boss. (more…)
