Popular Porridges
Tag Archives: peanut butter
Apricot PB&J Oatmeal (& Basic Apricot Oatmeal)
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. (more…)
Community Round-Up: Favorite Nut Butters!
It is no secret that I love nut butters, and you all seem to agree with me. (Did you know there are people on this very planet who claim they “don’t like” peanut butter? Is that some sort of medical syndrome? Is it genetic? Is it contagious? I don’t understand.)
I tend to stick to plain peanut butter and just flavor it myself using the spices and extracts in my pantry because it’s cheaper, but I always have major envy of the flavors I see my readers playing with. Thus, I asked all of YOU what your favorites are.
What are your fave kinds of nut butters, & w what oatmeal? e.g. I <3 PB & Co’s Cinnamon-Raisin on Apple PB&J Oatmeal https://t.co/J2qENV5lSA
— Lauren Smith Ⓥ (@lauren_015) January 13, 2016
Your responses had me drooling!
Like me, most of you stick to plain creamy or crunchy peanut and almond butter.
- @hisworkmanship.e210 [Instagram] Peanut Delight makes a natural peanut butter that is good with pears. Basically, peanut butter makes everything peanut better 🙂
- Christina [Facebook] For baked and stovetop oatmeal, my favorites are Smart Balance creamy peanut butter and Justin’s almond butter. I like to use natural nut butters with healthy fats, but do not like that layer of oil that occurs in most kinds. Smart Balance and Justin’s do not have that puddle of oil, plus you don’t need to store them in the refrigerator.
- @healthyhappyeats_ [Instagram] I love the natural peanut butter from Costco and I eat it mostly everyday with baked banana oatmeal!!
- Tiffany [Facebook] My local health food shop makes their own peanut butter – they literally grind it up for you then and there. It’s so fresh and delicious and has no oil, salt or sugar added. Heaven! My go-to oatmeal is Peanut Butter Banana Porridge with fresh berries.
>>Try my Nutty Nana Berry Oatmeal! 
- Anna [Facebook] I love gingerbread&cinnamon oatmeal (+egg whites and sometimes chia seeds) topped with almond butter (Biona) and banana. Also raw cacao oatmeal with PB&banana is awesome!
Cherry-Berry Oatmeal with Chocolate PB2 and Toasted Coconut
I used to have a strong aversion to cooking my fruits in my oatmeal. What was the point of having fresh fruit if I were just going to boil it to oblivion in my oatmeal? However, I’ve recently come around.
First of all, the flavor is astounding. Second of all, it’s a perfect solution if you’re working with frozen fruits (as I often am when it comes to cherries). And third of all, you can still include fresh chopped berries that you add in later, so it’s the best of both worlds.
This recipe reminds me of my Black Forest Oatmeal, and I almost called it Black Forest Oatmeal 3.0 (since I’ve made so many versions of this particular flavor). However, I decided against it.
I used chocolate PB2 (obviously), but you can sub in any chocolate nut butter (yes, including Nutella), or you can take regular peanut butter and mix in cocoa powder–and maybe some sweetener if you think it’s necessary.
And don’t forget to participate in the contest to become December’s Oatmeal Enthusiast!
All you have to do is leave comments. See details here.
Random Recommendations:
- [reads] Here’s another new article of mine on ThoughtCatalog: “Dear People with Children: My Life is Not Meaningless“
- [tunes] I’ve always loved DJ Earworm’s annual mash-ups, but somehow I missed the 2014 version. It rocks. Like always.
- [tunes] Many people think Mariah Carey’s best song is “All I Want for Christmas is You.” False. It’s “Always Be My Baby.”
- [stuff] ModCloth has the best selection of skirts around. Flattering silhouettes, modest lengths, and gorgeous patterns.
Cherry-Berry Oatmeal with Chocolate PB2 and Toasted Coconut
What you'll need:
- 3/4 cup milk of choice
- 1/4 cup quick cook steel cut oats
- 5 frozen or fresh cherries, pitted and halved
- 5-10 fresh strawberries (frozen not recommended)
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- serving of chocolate PB2 or nut butter* (OR Faux-reo Cookie PB2)
- unsweetened coconut flakes or chips
- optional: chocolate chips, chunks, or chopped dark chocolate; almonds; strawberries for garnish
For topping
How to make it:
- Add liquid to a saucepan over medium heat. Bring it to a low boil and add oats. Reduce heat to medium low (it should be at a simmer).
- Add halved frozen cherries.
- Dice strawberries (the smaller, the better, in my opinion) and add HALF of them to the oatmeal along with the vanilla extract and salt.
- While you wait, toast your coconut. In a small skillet over medium low heat, add a handful of coconut. Shake the skillet occasionally so the coconut toasts evenly. When coconut starts to show tooasty golden goodness, remove from heat and set aside.
- When you're pleased with the consistency of the oatmeal, stir in the remaining strawberries, and then transfer to a bowl. Add a splash of milk, chocolate PB2, and toasted coconut, and any other optional toppings.
Just an FYI:
* You can make your own chocolate nut butter or PB2 by mixing in a teaspoon of cocoa powder. If desired, you could also add sweetener.
7 Comments
POSTED IN: almonds, berries, cherries, chocolate, coconut, nut butter, pb2, peanut butter, strawberries
POSTED IN: almonds, berries, cherries, chocolate, coconut, nut butter, pb2, peanut butter, strawberries
Blueberry Apple Oatmeal
I’ve done so many oatmeal recipes with apples, but I’m just now exploring the concept of using apples as a base like I do with banana. This is thanks to grating. With a grated apple, you get the taste and volume of apple without the chunks. When you dice an apple, those chunks steal the focus of the oatmeal. When you’re making Apple Pie Oatmeal or Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal, that’s a good thing. But sometimes, you want apple in the background. Voila, grating.*
*Or use applesauce, if you insist.
In addition to the grated apple, I spiced the base with my usual cinnamon + vanilla combo. Why? Because it’s classic. It works in the majority of my oatmeal recipes. It’s not me being lazy. It’s me acknowledging what works. And this works. Every time. (more…)
Spiced Banana Oatmeal with Java PB2
As promised, I made a banana version of the Spiced Pumpkin Oatmeal with Java PB2. I always follow through with my promises, right?
Considering I’ve already explained the influence behind this post, I’ll just do some quoting. It started in my Banana, Mango, & Cardamom Oatmeal:
I finished my PB2 and cocoa powder before the move to Brooklyn, and at my new apartment, I decided not to buy more. Why? Because it’s all I wanted to eat. Every day. My blog was begging for new recipes, but all I ever wanted to eat was Fudgy Banana & Peanut Butter Oatmeal or Berry Blackout Oatmeal or Mocha Brownie Batter Oatmeal with Almond Butter.
. . . So I’m challenging myself to not keep those two ingredients in the apartment for a couple weeks to see what I can create in the morning without them calling my name.
The idea for this recipe actually came from my banana soft serve. I usually flavor my banana soft serve with cocoa powder and top it with PB2 (shocking, right?). Since I couldn’t do that, I had to get creative.
Triple Chocolate Baked Oatmeal
“Lauren!” you might have gasped. “Triple chocolate? For breakfast? What happened to your nutrition concerns?”
No fear. It sounds much unhealthier than it actually is. In fact, I was so curious, that I entered the ingredients list into a nutritional calculator to see how this stacked up. Considering how I rarely do this, I was stunned at how great the results were. Despite all the chocolate, it gives you nearly 30 grams of fiber (what?!), 18 grams of protein, and a laundry list of vitamins and minerals, all for under 500 calories. Unbelievable.
Of course, the one hit you will take is in the sugar department, but I think that’s the choice you make when you decide to put chocolate chips in your oatmeal. 🙂
Of course, it does contain chocolate chips, so it is a bit indulgent for breakfast, but that’s all relative, right?
If you make this with a banana like I did, this baked oatmeal is naturally sweetened, packed with nutrients, and filling. If you’re not a fan of banana-flavored chocolate, you could sub hearty sweet potatoes, rich avocado, or neutral-flavored zucchini. (more…)
8 Comments
POSTED IN: baked oatmeal, banana, bananas, chocolate, dessert lovers, nut butter, peanut butter
POSTED IN: baked oatmeal, banana, bananas, chocolate, dessert lovers, nut butter, peanut butter
Lentil PB Fudge Overnight Oats [Guest Post]
[The following post and recipe was submitted by reader Helen.]
Oatmeal is the only thing which gets me out of bed in the morning. In the cold winter months, (we have 12 here in Scotland), a big bowl of porridge is the perfect antidote to the dreary weather outside. My only issue with oatmeal is that despite keeping me feeling full for much longer than cereal, I normally still get hungry around 11am unless I bulk it up with something. Normally I use sweet potato, as it thickens up overnight oats and for chocolatey porridges makes them taste rich and fudgy. However, recently I have including a new addition… Lentils!
Like sweet potatoes, the lentils make your overnight oats thick and fudgy. They are also massively sustaining, containing three times the fibre and six times the protein of sweet potatoes! The best thing about the lentils is that they completely blend in with the other ingredients in the oatmeal in same way that the sweet potatoes do. You’d never know they were there!
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
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.
Snickers Oatmeal
IT’S MY BIRTHDAY!
After a week vacation (hooray for mid-winter break!), it’s a little painful to head back to work on my birthday, but at least it means I have plenty of people to celebrate the day with.
