I have to admit, I am a sucker for breakfast food. However, the one thing that never quite grasped my interest was oatmeal. It goes against everything my taste buds crave with its one dimensional taste and awkward texture.
When this recipe for baked oats started circulating on the internet, I was intrigued. Could I finally find the cure to my deep-rooted hatred of oats?
Here is an overview of the ingredients and instructions that I followed as well as a link to the original recipe.
- 60g oats
- 1 banana
- 1 tsp sweetener (honey, agave nectar, etc.)
- 160mL milk
- 4g (1 tsp) baking powder
- Blend all ingredients in a blender
- Pour mixture into bowl and top with topping of choice, whether it be chocolate, fruit, etc.
- Microwave for 1-3 minutes*
*I found mine to be done at the 3 minute mark.
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To arrive at the final verdict, I will be assessing the recipe based on three different aspects: accessibility, difficulty and taste.
This recipe calls for a handful of ingredients, many of which can be substituted to fit dietary restrictions or simply taste. For example, I opted to switch out honey for agave nectar, which is another type of sweetener. Another way which you could modify the recipe is by using an alternative dairy product. After your mixture is complete, you are free to top it off with whatever you like.
While the ingredients for this recipe were very simple, the equipment was not. Some might not have access to blenders or microwaves, which hinders the ability to make the recipe in the first place. In terms of accessibility, the ingredients are great, but the appliances are not.
Now, onto difficulty. For those who do have a blender, it will do all the work. Apart from pouring the mixture into a bowl, you’ll find that this recipe is extremely “hands-off.” It’s as easy as reheating leftovers.
At this point, everything was going smoothly. Easy ingredients, easy preparation – what could go wrong?
The minute it left the microwave, I dug my spoon into the piping hot bowl. As much as I had hoped that this recipe would be my gateway into oatmeal heaven, it plunged me straight into the depths of oatmeal hell.
The oats had no flavor whatsoever other than the occasional hints of banana. You might as well just eat a banana and save the wasted anticipation and sheer disappointment for another time. Much like the appearance, the texture was unsatisfactory, to say the least. The only way I can describe it is a cross between Jell-O and mushy peas.
For those of you that, for some reason, wish to try this recipe for yourselves, I’ll give you a few pieces of advice.
Firstly, I suggest adding more sweetener than what the recipe calls for. Other ingredients I’d recommend adding are spices and/or extracts, such as cinnamon and vanilla- anything to enhance the flavor and make it more pronounced.
My last piece of advice: Take my word for this recipe and go about your day.
Please just stick with overnight oats. Or instant oatmeal. Or even raw oats.
Final verdict: Flop.
