Recipe
Get Spooky with These 3 Halloween Oatmeal Recipes
I have a confession: I never really got into Halloween as a kid. I loved the candy, of course, but I was always stumped when it came to coming up with a costume, and the creepy decorations in my neighbors' lawns unnerved me. Now that I'm free from the societal expectation to dress up, I can focus on the best part of the holiday: the treats! Artificial, sugar-loaded candy bars abound during this time of year, but even your hearty morning oatmeal can join in on the Halloween fun. I've developed three spooky, Halloween oatmeal recipes that you can make in just a few simple steps on the stovetop. If you don't have access to a stove, have no fear! You can make these overnight-oats style by cutting the milk in half.
First off, I present this luxurious Vampire Oatmeal, studded with chocolate chips and glistening with a sweet, blood-red strawberry sauce. Shredded coconut "fangs" make a sophisticated addition to this elegant bowl. It's just begging you to take a bite.
Vampire Oatmeal
- Prep Time: 2 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 12 mins
- Servings: 1
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup nondairy milk
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup frozen or fresh strawberries
- 1 teaspoon shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1 tablespoon dark chocolate chips
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Not enough chocolate? I hear you. With this next bowl, take a step into a rich, shadow-filled cocoa forest, bearing crunchy pecan "bark" and earthy pistachio "leaves." Juicy blackberries finish off this subtly sweet ensemble. Maybe this dark forest isn't so scary after all.
Haunted Forest Oatmeal
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Servings: 1
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup nondairy milk
- 1 banana
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon chopped pecans
- 1 tablespoon chopped pistachios
- 1/4 cup blackberries
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This last Halloween oatmeal recipe is my take on a witch's potion, filled with an odd assortment of ingredients that come together to make something magical. The addition of peanut butter makes these oats ultra creamy, and three special mix-ins (pumpkin seed "dragon scales," sunflower seed "werewolf claws," and ruby-red dried cranberries) add a great crunch and burst of sweetness to this steaming pot of goodness.
Witches' Cauldron Oatmeal
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 10 mins
- Servings: 1
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup nondairy milk
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin seeds
- 1 teaspoon sunflower seeds
- 1 teaspoon dried cranberries
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If you struggle to get in the Halloween spirit like me, give one of these creative combos a try. If you aren't feeling inspired though, don't sweat it. Let the kids in your neighborhood have their trick-or-treating fun, and then snap up all that discounted candy the next day. After all, nothing conjures up festive feelings quite like a two-for-one deal.