Chocolate Zucchini Proats

I've been trying to eat more protein since my dystonia diagnosis and all the physical therapy I've been doing. But I'm also struggling to eat my veggies. These overnight oats covered all my bases and left me with a little more free time in the morning since they were pre-made. This recipe was a win for me, so I thought I'd share it with you, too.

I like bittersweet chocolate, so if you like things sweeter, feel free to add sweetener. Otherwise, enjoy as is.

Ingredients:

1/3 c quick oats
1 c grated zucchini
3 t dark cocoa powder
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t ginger
1/4 t cardamom
2 scoops protein powder (I like the organic pea protein from Trader Joe's
1 c water

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients thoroughly in a bowl or large jar.
2. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
3. Enjoy in the morning!

30 Days of Oatmeal: Vanilla Nutmeg Pear Oatmeal

In my pursuit of 30 Days of Oatmeal, here's another recipe:

To be honest, it wasn't my favorite. I find pears just a bit bland, and they don't soak into the oatmeal the way applesauce or stewed apples do. I didn't like the crunchiness of the chopped almonds, either. I would have rather had nut butter. Nonetheless, there are people who are immensely fond of pears and chopped nuts, and perhaps this recipe will suit their fancy.

Ingredients:

1/2 c quick cooking oats
1 c water
1/2 D'anjou pear, diced
1 t vanilla extract
Dash of nutmeg
Chopped almonds for topping

Directions:

1. Bring oats, pear, and water to a boil and reduce heat to medium.
2. When pear is tender and oats reach the desired consistency, stir in the vanilla and a heavy dash of nutmeg.
3. Transfer oatmeal to a bowl and top with chopped almonds.

30 Days of Oatmeal: Apple Almond Cardamom

 If you haven't noticed, oatmeal is a major part of my life. Not only is it a comfort food that I enjoy in various forms (overnight, hot, and granola), but it is cheap, full of whole-grain carbohydrates and fiber, and helps lower cholesterol. I feel more satisfied, more energetic when I eat oatmeal, but I often don't because I get lazy. I don't want to get out a measuring cup, pour in the water, boil the porridge, etc. I just want to grab some ready made food and eat.

In the spirit of New Year's resolutions, I've decided to challenge myself to create 30 new varieties of oatmeal. I'm reminding myself that I'll have some duds along the way, that every bowl won't photograph stupendously, and that sometimes, I need to do things because they're good for me, not because that's what I want at the moment.

So without further ado, here's recipe #1: apple almond cardamom oatmeal.

This wasn't the best recipe, kind of bitter and unsatisfying, until I added the honey drizzle. The honey melded the almond, apple, and earthy cardamom into a delectable blend of sweetness. Mmm! More experimentation with cardamom in the future....

Ingredients:

1/2 c quick cooking oats
1 c water
1 apple, diced
1/4 t cardamom
1/4 t almond extract
Honey for topping

Directions:

1. Bring oats, apple, and water to a boil and reduce heat to medium.
2. When apples are tender and oats reach the desired consistency, stir in the cardamom and almond extract.
3. Transfer oatmeal to a bowl and drizzle with honey.

Chocolate Spice Oats

You can probably tell from this blog that I like chocolate. Here's my most recent rendition:

Dark cocoa powder + some of my favorite spices + peanut butter on top = Mmm!

Ingredients:

1/2 c quick oats
1 c water
1 T dark cocoa powder
1/4 t cardamom
1/4 t cinnamon
1/2 t ground ginger
2 T natural peanut butter

Directions:

1. Combine oats and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Once oats reach desired consistency, stir in cocoa powder and spices.
3. Transfer oats to a bowl and top with peanut butter.

Salted Cardamom Banana Peanut Butter Oatmeal

Yep, I'm on a cardamom kick! It's SOOO good. This time, I added it to some traditional banana oats.

Mmm! Top it with some pink Himalayan sea salt to bring out the natural sweetness of the banana. Finish off with a dollop of natural peanut butter and dig into the creamy goodness!

Ingredients:

1/2 c old-fashioned oatmeal

1 c water

1/4 t cardamom

1/2 t vanilla

1 banana (half mashed, and half sliced) 
Himalayan sea salt

2 T natural peanut butter

Directions:

1. Bring water and oats to a boil and reduce heat to medium.

2. When oats reach the desired consistency, stir in the cardamom, vanilla, and mashed banana. Simmer oatmeal on low until the liquid absorbs and the porridge is rich and creamy

3. Transfer oatmeal to a bowl and top with the sea salt, sliced bananas, and peanut butter.

Salted Pear and Cardamom Oatmeal

I'm really into cardamom now. This time, I paired it with fresh pears and peanut butter and Himalayan sea salt. Strange? Yes, but oh so good.

Ingredients:

1/2 c old-fashioned oatmeal

1 c water

1/4 c unsweetened applesauce
1/4 t cardamom

1 T (or more) natural almond butter

1/2 a Bartlett pear, diced

Himalayan sea salt

1 T (or more) natural peanut butter

Directions:

1. Bring water and oats to a boil and reduce heat to medium.

2. When oats reach the desired consistency, stir in the applesauce and cardamom. Simmer oatmeal on low until some of the liquid from the applesauce absorbs and the oats become thick and rich.

3. Transfer oatmeal to a bowl, and top with the sea salt, peanut butter, and diced pear.

Strawberry Almond Cardamom Oatmeal

Remember when I tried that strawberry cardamom oatmeal? I really didn't like the earthy, spicy flavor of the oats. But I think I figured out the trick: add oatmeal to the applesauce. Are you surprised? This is my favorite trick, after all.

Then add the fruit and some almond butter on top. Mmm!

Ingredients:

1/2 c old-fashioned oatmeal

1 c water

1/4 c unsweetened applesauce

1/4 t cardamom

1 T (or more) natural almond butter

4 fresh strawberries, sliced

Cinnamon

Directions:

1. Bring water and oats to a boil and reduce heat to medium.

2. When oats reach the desired consistency, stir in the applesauce and cardamom. Simmer oatmeal on low until some of the liquid from the applesauce absorbs and the oats become thick and rich.

3. Transfer oatmeal to a bowl, and top with the almond butter, sliced strawberries, and cinnamon.

Salted Cardamom Apple Oatmeal

I made The Oatmeal Artist's strawberry cardamom oatmeal last Sunday, and honestly, I was disappointed. I found the porridge bitter and tart, not sweet and spicy like I wanted. Even the coconut cashew butter tasted bland. The Oatmeal Artist's statement, "I will not rest until I add cardamom to every single thing I can think of," got me thinking, however. I paid a good price for my little bottle of cardamom. I do like its spice. But how? Enter salted cardamom apple oatmeal.

This is how: Tender apples stewed with cardamom and vanilla, a dollop of coconut cashew butter, and a sprinkle of pink Himalayan sea salt. This is the best bowl of oats I've had in awhile, hands down.

Ingredients:

For the stewed apples:
1 small apple (I used gala), diced
1/4 t cardamom
1 t vanilla
3 T water
(Technique adapted from The Breakfast Drama Queen's Apple and Cherry Strudel Oatmeal)


For the oats:

1/2 c rolled oats
1 c water
 
For topping:

The Oatmeal Artist's Coconut cashew butter

A sprinkle of sea salt

Directions:

1. Combine apple, cardamom, vanilla, and water in a small sauce pan. Cook until liquid reduces to a thick syrup and apples are tender.

2. Remove apple from pan. Add water and oats. 

3. Bring water and oats to a boil and reduce heat to medium.

4. When oats reach the desired consistency, add the stewed apples. Stir to combine.

5. Transfer oatmeal to a bowl and top with coconut cashew butter and sea salt. (The sea salt is a must as it both enhances and blends the flavors.)