30 Days of Oatmeal: Vegan Red Bean

It's time for a savory oatmeal recipe! This one is reminiscent of vegan red beans and rice. (Shameless plug: I'm a big fan of the Budget Bytes recipe blog. Beth Moncel's recipes are savory, scrumptious, and low cost.)

Anyway, back to the oats. In this recipe, I incorporated the creaminess of oats with the traditional spices of red beans. (I used pinto beans in lieu of red beans, however, as that is all we had in the house.) I added salsa to emulate the onion and peppers usually added to red beans.

Try this recipe and tell me what you think!

Ingredients:

1/2 c quick cooking oats
1 c water
1/4 t garlic
1/4 t thyme
1/4 t oregano
1/4 t smoked paprika
Dash cayenne
1/2 c pinto beans (or red beans if you have them)
2 T medium salsa

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, bring oats and water in a boil. Lower to a simmer.
2. When oats reach desired consistency, stir in the spices. Then add the salsa.
3. Fold in the beans and allow them to warm.
4. Transfer the oatmeal to a bowl and enjoy!

30 Days of Oatmeal: Thai Apple Oats

Those who know me well know I love Thai food, especially Thai noodles. The savory, spicy, sweet sauce made from rice vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, and a few other ingredients is one of my favorites. Drawing on the Thai condiments in my cupboard, I developed this recipe.

Warm apples sautéed in sesame oil, chopped peanuts, and if you're brave, a little rice vinegar in the oat base. Are you ready?

Ingredients:

1/2 t sesame oil
1 apple, chopped (I used gala)
1/2 c quick cooking oatmeal
1 c water
1/2 t cinnamon
1 T rice vinegar
1/2 c unroasted peanuts, chopped
Sea salt for topping

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, warm the sesame oil. Add the apples and sauté over medium heat until slightly brown.
2. In another pan, combine the oatmeal and water and bring to a boil.
3. Lower heat to low and simmer until oats reach desired consistency.
4. Stir cinnamon and rice vinegar into oats and transfer to a bowl.
5. Top oats with a scant layer of sea salt, the chopped peanuts, and the sautéed apples.

30 Days of Oatmeal: Pumpkin Chili Cheese

Maybe I should have called this recipe risotto. I didn't taste the chili as much as I tasted the oregano, and with the addition of pumpkin, oh, was it creamy and rich.

Add gooey melted cheese, and this is a satisfying savory breakfast (or perhaps dinner!).

Ingredients:

1/2 c quick cooking oats
1 c water
1/2 c pumpkin puree
1/4 t chili powder
1/4 cumin
1/4 t garlic powder
1/4 t onion powder
1/4 c shredded cheese

Directions:

1. In a small sauce pan, combine oats and water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium.
2. When oats reach desired consistency, add pumpkin puree and spices. Stir to mix.
3. When oats are warmed, transfer to a bowl and top with the shredded cheese.

30 Days of Oatmeal: Green Pea Risotto

I've read a lot about risotto, a dish made of rice cooked in broth. In an effort to build more savory oatmeal recipes into my repertoire, I tried to recreate it using spices and green peas.

I'd call this a moderately successful recipe. It was good, but not amazing. Cooking the oats in vegetable broth instead of water would make this far more tasty.

Ingredients:

1/2 c quick cooking oats
1 c water
1/4 t garlic powder
1/4 t onion powder
1/4 t oregano
1/2 t parsley flakes
1/8 t ground black pepper
Sea Salt
1 c frozen green peas, thawed.

Directions:

1. In a small sauce pan, bring oats, water, and spices to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low.
2. Once oats reach desired consistency, stir in green peas to warm.
3. Transfer oats to a bowl and enjoy!