On a scale of 1 to 10, how excited are you about oatmeal?
No matter what your answer, get ready to get a lot more excited about the humble oat. I am thrilled to host a guest post by Lauren, a.k.a. The Oatmeal Artist. Her whole blog is devoted to healthy and delicious oatmeal recipes. And I found out about this girl and her blog in the most random way. Please keep reading to find out more…
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Hey, everyone! My name is Lauren, and you and I already have at least one thing in common: we like cooking on the cheap. For me, this means starting my day with a bowl of porridge. Once considered a “peasant food,” oatmeal now boasts quite a fan following! I know this because the readers of my blog, The Oatmeal Artist, never stop raving about their obsession with oatmeal. I, of course, understand this addiction; I’ve eaten oatmeal for breakfast religiously for the past two years.
An exception to this daily routine occurred just a few weeks ago when I returned to my college stomping grounds to visit one of my dear friends, Tiffany. On our second day together, we planned to meet freakishly early at our favorite coffee shop. They make some killer homemade granola and divine baked oatmeal, but due to some poor decisions we made the night before, I arrived in less than mint condition. So instead, I ordered my go-to hangover breakfast: peanut butter on a toasted bagel.
At one point during our munch-and-chat session, I glanced across the room and something caught my eye. I spotted the wide and shallow bowl, the silver spoon, the steamed milk…and I spiraled down into deep food envy—another customer was experiencing my beloved baked oatmeal. I loathed myself at that moment for being too ill to order that precious bowl of baked oats, floating in steamed milk with berries bouncing around like little duckies around it. But alas, I possessed nothing but dehydration and a toasted bagel. Curse that gin and tonic!
A few hours later, I returned to the apartment I was staying at, checked my email, and found some new blog comments. My mouth dropped:
Haley and I had been sitting across from each other at the coffee shop that morning—she eating the oatmeal, and I the bagel. Mind. Blown.
Luckily, most mornings I get to enjoy my oatmeal as usual. In fact, even during the school year, when my alarm goes off at 5:30 and I have to be at school and ready to educate by 7, I still manage to have my morning oats. How did I do it? Overnight oatmeal.
Overnight oatmeal is a magical creation. It literally prepares itself. You throw the ingredients in a mason jar (or any sealable container), mix them up, and the oats absorb the liquids overnight, making them soft and pudding-like. No cooking necessary! You can eat them cold, but I throw mine in the microwave for a minute and a half because I like the comfort of hot porridge.
Be sure to check out The Oatmeal Artist’s Facebook page to stay up-to-date on all of Lauren’s latest recipes and happenings.
And if you’re new to my blog, let’s be friends! Like my Facebook page. (Don’t worry – I only post cool stuff!)
Applesauce Overnight Oatmeal Recipe
Yield: 1 serving
This recipe is almost embarrassingly easy, as well as wonderfully thrifty! Of course, there’s room for personalizing it because you can use homemade applesauce, like I did. If you’re thinking that applesauce is too much work to make from scratch, guess what? I made mine in less than ten minutes using the microwave. And yeah, it’s just as good if not better than any applesauce I’ve ever had. If, however, you opt for a plain store-bought applesauce, make sure you add some cinnamon (or apple pie spices!) to give it some more life.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup milk of choice
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon or apple pie spice (optional, depending on applesauce)
Pinch of saltDirections:
1. Combine all ingredients in a sealable container (like a mason jar).
2. Stir the mixture, OR seal it tightly and shake vigorously until everything is thoroughly combined.
3. Place in the fridge overnight (or several hours). In the morning, eat cold or warm up for 1-2 minutes in the microwave.