5 Ways to Enjoy Oatmeal

~ Chocolaterunsjudy

oatmeal

Mr. Judy used to think he didn’t like oatmeal. Until I introduced him to the ways I eat oatmeal. I’m not sure he’s really a fan, but he eats what I give him without complaint. Occasionally we have actual oatmeal, but more often oatmeal appears in different forms in our house.

I might actually have to write another post on this, because there are lots more ways I enjoy oatmeal!

This week’s Friday Five from Cynthia from You Signed Up for What?, Courtney from Eat Pray Run DC, and Mar from Mar on the Run is all about food and drink, in case you couldn’t figure it out.

Best way to use an almost empty nut butter jar!

Overnight Oats
I was not a huge fan of overnight oats the first time I tried them. And I didn’t understand the whole overnights oats in a peanut butter jar, either.

It took some recipe trying, some tweaking, and some experimenting, but now overnight oats — especially in a used almond butter jar — is my preferred pre long run/race meal.

I like my oatmeal thick, so I tend to add less liquid. I’ve come to find that although I love greek yogurt, I don’t like it in my overnight oats. And the very best thing about overnight oats? The versatility: they can be eaten warm or cold.

I brought two almost empty almond butter jars to my last half. I brought a small tetra container of coconut milk (usually I use almond milk, but I couldn’t find small tetra containers of it — tetra are those small containers like milk cartons that don’t need to be refrigerated until opened). And finally I brought a couple of ziplocs with the ingredients for my overnight oats.

Our room had a mini fridge. Put the ziploc contents in the almond butter jars, add the coconut milk, stir, and let sit in the fridge over night. Worked like a charm.

Follow my Overnight Oats board on Pinterest

Breakfast cookies that traveled across the country

Breakfast Cookies
It doesn’t take a whole lot to throw together a breakfast cookie the night before. Basically it’s pretty much overnight oats but in cookie form. And then I pan fry them in the morning.

Who doesn’t want cookies for breakfast?

Follow my Breakfast Cookies board on Pinterest

Actually, these pancakes don’t have oatmeal . . . but they could!

Pancakes
There are so many recipes for oatmeal pancakes, and I may just have tried them all. I don’t eat pancakes as often as I used to, and now rarely have them before a long run/race. Sometimes I find myself craving some after a long run/race. They’re super simple to whip up.

Follow my Pancakes board on Pinterest

IMG_2992
Sometimes only a cookie will do

Cookies
I often make simple cookies out of oatmeal, bananas, and some chocolate chips. Unlike the Freihofers chocolate chip cookies, I can refrain myself to a just a few (and there’s no added sugar). They satisfy my sweet tooth without creating cravings.

But sometimes I get a little more creative with my cookies, too. I might try a recipe and send the rest into work with Mr. Judy. Because sometimes you just need to bake (or you do if you’re CRJ).

Follow my Cookies board on Pinterest

IMG_5239
Again, balls without oatmeal, but they could . . . 

Protein Balls
Most of the protein balls I’ve been making lately don’t have any oatmeal in them. I find I do better if I don’t go overboard with oatmeal, and since I am most likely to reach for a ball after a run (or swim!), I need the protein more than I really need carbs. Usually I’ll have a banana with a couple of balls after exercise — so I get my carbs from the banana.

Follow my Protein Balls board on Pinterest

Tell me in the comments:

Are you an oatmeal lover?

What’s your favorite way to eat oatmeal?

What’s your favorite thing to bake or favorite baked good? 

29 thoughts on “5 Ways to Enjoy Oatmeal”

  1. I use 1/2 chobani coconut yogurt and 1/2 water in my overnight oats. Lately I’ve been making my banana bread baked oatmeal recipe every week. I also like breakfast cookies and oatmeal pancakes – I make extra and then pop one in the toaster before heading out for a run.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I use almond milk for my overnight oats. And yes, although sometimes I do single serving pancakes when a craving hits, I often make pancakes/waffles so I can enjoy them throughout the week.

      Like

      Reply

  3. Really great ideas to make oatmeal! I tried overnight oats once and some flavors I enjoyed much better than others. I really should try it again though! I need to try making breakfast cookies, yum!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Breakfast cookies are awesome. The particular kind I make a lot are really easy to throw together the night before, but of course you can get more elaborate.

      It took me a while to find a few recipes for overnight oats I really liked. Like years? But this year I finally really got into it!

      Like

      Reply

    1. I have a lot of baked oatmeal recipes I enjoy; I’ve just found recently I do better weight wise if I’m more conservative with the oatmeal.

      At least right now while my mileage is pretty low.

      Like

      Reply

      1. Thank you. I’m not sure I’m looking forward to it but even if I’m super slow for some reason, it will be over in 45 minutes or less. This race tends to be pretty crowded with walkers who have strollers and they don’t know how to line up at the end so there is constant trying to pass people who take up the whole sidewalk. It’s at a community college campus and you run around the buildings.
        Maybe I’ll make some pre-race oatmeal.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. It’s always a pain with people who don’t know how to line up, even if I’m glad they doing something active.

        Already made my overnight oats for tomorrow morning.

        Like

  7. I don’t understand the overnight oats thing either. Maybe because I have never tried it ??? But cookies, breakfast cookies or pancakes ? Look yummy but I don’t eat much oatmeal. I should probably experiment a bit more with it.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I didn’t like overnight oats at first. But then when I realized you could warm it up and that I like it thick so I had to use less liquid then a lot of recipes called for — now I really love it.

      I actually do find I do better with my weight when I eat less oatmeal, but I just love it, and it’s so versatile! I have savory recipes for it that I really like, too.

      Like

      Reply

  8. Sadly, I love oatmeal raisin cookies lol LOVE them, and i like mine rather dry. I don’t eat oatmeal for much else.
    I love having a cookie at breakfast! It is the best time 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  9. I love oatmeal. I tried overnight oats and wasn’t impressed enough to spend the time making it.

    I have so little time at home, baking & cooking does not take precedent at least when it is nice out.

    The one thing I like to bake is apple pie with hand-picked apples – YUM!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. That’s the beauty of overnight oats — you don’t have to eat them cold. I warm them up in the microwave. So the chocolate chips are all nice & melty.

      You can also put them in a thermos after — that’s what I did on the half I took the bus to this year.

      Granted, you can do that with regular oatmeal too, but overnight oats are quicker.

      Like

      Reply

    1. Wow, never had actual oatmeal?

      I didn’t have it growing up because my mom doesn’t like it — she’s not much of a breakfast person in general — although oddly enough my dad does like it.

      But I got hooked on it when we lived in VT. And back then it was just straight oatmeal.

      Now there are so many options with oatmeal.

      Good luck on your tri today!

      Like

      Reply

Leave a comment