Why Oatmeal Recipes?
When you’re in a rush, these amazing vegan oatmeal recipes that are both affordable and easy to make, are a total lifesaver. They’re super quick to make, and you can easily customize it to your taste with as many add-ons as you’d like!
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Oatmeal is an absolute staple in a vegan diet! But, don’t worry because contrary to popular belief, oatmeal does not have to be boring! There are so many add-in ingredients that can transform oatmeal from a plain, boring dish, to a delicious and tasty one. There’s cocoa powder, chocolate chips, vanilla, coconut, almonds, peanut butter, jam, berries, and so much more. Just think of all the delicious possibilities!
Plus, oatmeal can be super cheap, especially when bought in bulk. I was curious to see the options they had available to order on Amazon, and I found THIS quaker oats box that comes with 2 64 oz packets for a little less than $12! That’s 90 servings of oats, so each serving costs you a little over a dime!
First things first, to make oatmeal you need Oats!
Now, there are several different types of oats, and while these may all end up tasting pretty much the same, it’s important to know what you’re putting in your body. There are two main kinds of oats: rolled and steel-cut. In rolled oats, the whole grain oat seeds are steamed and then rolled flat with steel rollers, helping shorten the cooking time.
Rolled Oats
Under the rolled oats categories, there are old-fashioned oats (that have the most texture), quick-cooking oats (rolled thinner so that they cook faster), and instant oats (which are the quickest to prepare). In general, these are all pretty similar aside from the cooking time, but be careful because oftentimes sugars, salts, and additives are added to instant oats.
Steel-cut Oats
Steel-cut oats on the other hand are not rolled flat but cut up into smaller pieces, giving it more uneven sizes and more texture. These do take longer to cook, and they have a slightly mushier texture, but many people love these kinds of oats.
All in all, oats are a pretty healthy option for breakfast. They’re made with whole-grains and packed with plenty of vitamins and minerals (including Manganese, which is important in regulating metabolism). They’re are filled with fiber that helps you stay full for longer, and include all the healthy and complex carbs you need to keep your energy level up too!
All Types of Oats
One serving of oats is about 1/2 cup per person, but I usually end up serving myself more than this amount. It’s totally okay if you use more or less than the determined serving.
- Rolled Oats
- Old-fashioned oats (most texture)
- Quick-cooking oats
- Instant oats
- Steel-cut oats
What liquid should I use to cook my oats?
First of all, the cook oats you first need to cook them in a liquid. For every 1/2 cup of oats, you want to use about 1 cup of liquid to cook it on your stovetop or simply in the microwave. Just follow the instructions on the oats package, and you’ll be all set for the cooking time.You can use any kind of milk you’d like (I use almond milk), with any fat percentage too. The higher fat percentage, the creamier the oatmeal will end up being. You can also choose to keep your oats plain, just using water to cook them, but this usually makes for some very plain oatmeal.
- almond milk
- oat milk
- cashew milk
- (any other nut milk)
- Real milk if you’re not vegan
- Just the water you cook it in (makes plainer oatmeals)
How to Sweeten Your Oats
Now, this is a crucial add-on to make sure that you’re oatmeal does not taste bland. For the maple syrup, agave nectar, and brown sugar, I recommend starting with just a teaspoon of the sweetener, to begin with. After tasting the oatmeal, you can always add more. For the berries, I always like it when half of the berries are mashed or blended into the oatmeal. Some other people find it weird, but it gives the whole oatmeal the delicious taste of the berries and provides all the sweetness you need! For your oatmeal, I suggest you choose one or two of the following sweeteners.
- Maple syrup
- Brown sugar
- Agave nectar
- Berries
Healthy Fats
I know that society has deemed all fats as bad, but according to nutritionists, what we’ve been told is not completely true. We’ve labeled food items as good and as bad, but we need a large variety of food to survive, and that includes fats! We need fat to live and there are plenty of healthy fat sources that have even been proven to be beneficial to heart health. Add a teaspoon or more of one or two of these healthy fat sources and your oatmeal will not only taste better but will be more nutritious and filling too!
- Nuts: almonds, walnuts, cashews, pecans, etc.
- Flax seeds
- Chia seeds
- Coconut shavings
- Nut butter
Other add-ons:
These other add-ons are where you can let your imagination go wild in oatmeal recipes! There are so many different combination and I’ve had a lot of fun experimenting with these. I’m sure there are so many more options than I have listed here, but these are all the ones I can think of off the top of my head.
- Cinnamon
- Cocoa powder
- Chocolate chips
- Banana and other fruits
- Granola
- Dried fruits
- Jam
Creative Oatmeal Recipe Ideas:
These are just a few of the combinations for oatmeal recipes that I particularly enjoy, but I suggest you play around with combinations that sound good to you. That way, you can find an oatmeal recipe that YOU love!
- Oats with apples, almonds, cinnamon, and brown sugar.
- PB&J oats: peanut butter, jam or fruit
- Chocolate Heaven oats: cocoa powder, vanilla, chocolate chips, almond slivers, coconut shavings.
- Fruity Oats: Berries as sweeteners, chia seeds, banana
- Tropical Delight: coconut shavings, banana, strawberries
For more oatmeal recipe ideas, check out this site HERE.
Curious for more?
Can’t get enough of Eco Food Stuff? Check out some of our other posts, including our top 10 essentials for a zero-waste kitchen. Want some more recipes? Check out these recipes for tofu tacos and our protein packed vegan tofu rice bowl with edamame.
