My Secret Ingredient for Perfect Oatmeal Will Have You Dreaming About Breakfast
Wake up on the right side of the bed with this simple ingredient swap.
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Oatmeal, as simple and practical as it may be, can also be an incredibly versatile ingredient to play around and create with. Before we go ahead and label oatmeal as dull or mundane, let’s consider the delicious world of options! Whether it’s breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, or snack time, there are endless oatmeal recipes for all cravings, occasions, and times of day. Even Ina loves her daily oatmeal!
You can whip up sweet or savory oats, no-cook overnight oats or stovetop prepared oats, oats combined smooth with syrup and milk, or packed with texture and fixings like nuts, seeds, and dried fruit, and so much more. Recently, I’ve been incorporating a new ingredient swap to the mix, and it has me going to bed genuinely excited about enjoying the oatmeal of my dreams the following day. Read on to, quite literally, get the tea on this game-changing ingredient, which may already be hanging out in your kitchen.
The Small Swap That Will Transform Oatmeal
Preparing oatmeal with tea rather than plain water can completely evolve and expand your world of oatmeal. Traditionally, oatmeal or overnight oats are made by boiling or soaking oats in water, milk, or a soy or nut-based milk alternative. However, just wait until you soak nutty, toasty, hearty oats in the distinct flavors extracted from a pot of freshly steeped tea. With subtle hints of warm spices, floral and herbal undertones, and bright notes bursting from each spoonful, you may never go back to preparing your oatmeal with plain water again. Here are some more ideas for using those tea bags.
How To Make Oatmeal Using Tea
All you need to swap water for steeped tea is a pot, water, and a few tea bags of your choice (check out our favorites down below). Bring the pot of water to a rolling boil, remove it from heat, and steep the tea bag for about 5 minutes.
Stovetop Oatmeal: Remove the teabags from the pot. Just as you would with water or milk, add the oatmeal to the pot containing the steeped tea, and prepare the oatmeal according to the instructions on the packaging. You do not need to incorporate more or less tea than you normally would. Combine the mixture until it reaches your desired consistency. For added sweetness, stir in some maple syrup, brown sugar, or honey while the oatmeal is still warm.
Overnight Oats: Oatmeal lovers suggest steeping the tea in a milk of your choice rather than water. Mixing oats with this combination will result in creamier, richer, more luscious overnight oats. If you want added texture and sweetness, incorporate mix-ins like maple syrup or honey, chia seeds, chopped dried fruit, diced berries, or roughly chopped nuts into the oat mixture before letting everything set in a mason jar overnight. Discover some more inspiration with these delicious overnight oatmeal recipes.
Our Favorite Teas for Making Oatmeal
Earl Gray Tea: With its signature hint of sweetness and spice, Earl Grey adds a citrus flavor to oatmeal. This is a more robust tea, flavored with oil from the rind of bergamot orange, and the lovely flavor will come through with each spoonful of oatmeal. If you’re new to the world of tea, check out some of our favorite Earl Grey teas.
Chai Tea: My personal favorite, chai tea has a beautiful and complex flavor profile. This tea adds a sweet and spicy flavor to oatmeal, with notes of vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and cloves and a creamy texture. If you’re for flavors that comfort you like a big, warm hug, this would be my top recommendation. If you’re unfamiliar with chai, learn more about this spiced tea here.
Chamomile Tea: Mellow and calming chamomile tea has such a beautiful aroma, and the sweet and floral flavors can transform your oatmeal into a delicious opportunity for relaxation and refocus. This soothing tea has notes of apple and honey and is perfect for a morning boost, an afternoon pick-me-up, or winding down after a long, busy day.
Fruit Tea: Sky’s the limit here! From peach to apple to strawberry to pear to blueberry, there is an entire world of fruit teas to choose from. Whatever flavors you’re craving, there is a fruit tea to complement your oatmeal. Stay on theme and take it one step further by adding chopped fresh berries and dried fruit as well. Creamy Apple Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal is ideal for your next bowl of fruit tea oatmeal.
Read the original article on All Recipes.
