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Recipes

6 Seasonal Oatmeals to Spice up Your Holidays

This article is written by a student writer from the Spoon University at Oregon chapter.

It’s the holiday season, which means it’s time for colorful lights, overplayed Christmas songs, ugly sweaters, and of course, delicious food! Specifically, it’s time for huge assortments of desserts like pies, cookies, cakes, candy, and anything sweet and tasty. While it’s easy to overindulge, the same taste of the holidays can be enjoyed without sacrificing your health. The solution? Seasonal oatmeal!

Personally, oatmeal has become my go-to breakfast. Not only is it good for you, it’s also quick and easy to make. Plus, there’s so many ways to customize it that it never gets boring. With Christmas just around the corner, these seasonal oatmeals will satisfy your cravings without busting your waistline. Just because you’re dressing like Santa doesn’t mean you have to look like him!

 Here are some seasonal oatmeals to spice up your holidays:

Basic Oatmeal

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 1 minuteCook time: 5 minutesTotal time: 6 minutesServings:1 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Photo by Julia Liu

    In a microwave safe bowl, add oats, milk, and salt.

  2. Photo by Julia Liu

    Microwave for 2 minutes. Make sure the mixture does not overflow.

  3. Photo by Julia Liu

    Take oatmeal out of microwave and stir.

  4. Photo by Julia Liu

    Repeat steps 2-3, microwaving 30 seconds at a time until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the oats look cooked.

Gingerbread Oatmeal

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 2 minutesCook time: 5 minutesTotal time: 7 minutesServings:1 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Make basic oatmeal.

  2. Photo by Julia Liu

    Add spices and maple syrup. Stir to combine.

  3. Photo by Julia Liu

    If using, crumble up gingersnap cookie and spread over oatmeal. Drizzle with additional maple syrup and/or garnish with gingerbread man.

Peppermint Hot Chocolate Oatmeal

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 2 minutesCook time: 5 minutesTotal time: 7 minutesServings:1 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Make basic oatmeal. If desired, use 1 cup hot chocolate instead of milk.

  2. Photo by Julia Liu

    Add peppermint extract, cocoa powder, and sweetener. Mix together.

  3. Photo by Julia Liu

    If desired, mix in chocolate chips and top with crushed candy canes and marshmallows. This oatmeal pairs well with a cup of peppermint hot chocolate!

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 1 minuteCook time: 5 minutesTotal time: 6 minutesServings:1 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Make basic oatmeal.

  2. Photo by Julia Liu

    Add pumpkin puree, vanilla, spices, and sweetener. Stir to combine.

  3. Photo by Julia Liu

    Add any other desired mix-ins. If using, crumble up graham cracker and sprinkle over oatmeal. Enjoy this irresistible flavor of fall!

Apple Pie Oatmeal

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 2 minutesCook time: 5 minutesTotal time: 7 minutesServings:1 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Photo by Julia Liu

    Slice the apple into sections.

  2. Photo by Julia Liu

    Place oats, milk, salt, and apple into a microwave safe bowl.

  3. Photo by Julia Liu

    Microwave for 2 minutes. Make sure the mixture does not overflow.

  4. Photo by Julia Liu

    Take oatmeal out of microwave and stir.

  5. Repeat steps 3 and 4, microwaving 30 seconds at a time until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the oats look cooked.

  6. Photo by Julia Liu

    Add cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, sweetener and any other spices or mix-ins. This heartwarming treat is sure start your day off right!

Eggnog Oatmeal

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 1 minuteCook time: 5 minutesTotal time: 6 minutesServings:1 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Photo by Julia Liu

    Add ½ cup oats, ½ cup eggnog, ½ cup milk, and salt into a microwave safe bowl. If desired, use 1 cup eggnog and omit milk.

  2. Photo by Julia Liu

    Microwave for 2 minutes.

  3. Photo by Julia Liu

    Stir contents of the bowl. Return to microwave for 30 seconds. Repeat until most of the liquid is absorbed.

  4. Photo by Julia Liu

    Add spices, vanilla, and any other mix-ins. Stir to combine.

  5. Photo by Julia Liu

    If desired, top oatmeal with an additional 2 TBS eggnog and sprinkle with more cinnamon. Now you can drink your eggnog and eat it too!

Cranberry Pistachio Oatmeal

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 1 minuteCook time: 5 minutesTotal time: 6 minutesServings:1 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Make basic oatmeal.

  2. Photo by Julia Liu

    Add vanilla and sweetener, then mix in pistachios, cranberries, and any other mix-ins.

These holiday oatmeals are sure to spice up your mood. So whether you want something warm and cozy or just want to get in the holiday spirit, try one of these recipes out. It definitely screams happy holidays. 

Peanut butter is life