If you’re a fan of oatmeal raisin cookies and are looking for a wholesome breakfast option that’s as comforting as it is delicious, then you’re in for a treat!

Our Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Baked Oatmeal for One combines the flavors of a classic cookie with the nutrition of oats, creating a single-serving breakfast that’s easy to make and oh-so-satisfying.

Whether you’re pressed for time in the morning or simply craving a cozy breakfast, this recipe is sure to hit the spot.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• A pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon raisins
• 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts

Instructions

1. Preheat Your Oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Ensure your oven rack is in the middle position.

2. Prepare the Baking Dish

Use a small oven-safe ramekin or dish (approximately 8-ounce capacity) and lightly grease it with cooking spray or a touch of butter to prevent sticking.

3. Combine Dry Ingredients

In a mixing bowl, combine the old-fashioned rolled oats, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Mix these dry ingredients together until they are well incorporated.

4. Add Wet Ingredients

Add the unsweetened applesauce, milk (use your choice of dairy or non-dairy milk), and vanilla extract to the dry mixture. Stir until everything is well combined.

5. Fold in the Goodness

Gently fold in the raisins and chopped walnuts (if using). The raisins will bring a natural sweetness, and the walnuts add a delightful crunch to your baked oatmeal.

Estimated Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: 250-300 calories
• Protein: 5-7 grams
• Carbohydrates: 40-45 grams
• Dietary Fiber: 5 grams
• Sugars: 15-20 grams
• Fat: 8-10 grams
• Saturated Fat: 1-2 grams
• Cholesterol: Less than 5 mg
• Sodium: 150-200 mg

I haven’t posted a new baked oatmeal recipe in quite some time, so I proffer this one to remedy that issue!

Although I typically opt for stovetop oatmeal – and most recently steel cut over traditional rolled oats – every now and then I’ll make myself a souffle-like baked oatmeal. An egg white and a bit of baking powder allow the oatmeal to puff up in the oven without becoming too dense, and the flavor/add-in options are endless.

With this go-around, I decided on an oatmeal raisin cookie-inspired flavor profile and was more than pleased with the results.

Now, this is definitely breakfast and not dessert… in other words, this baked oatmeal pays tribute to the flavors and texture of oatmeal raisin cookies while remaining a healthful way to start your day.

If you’d like a bowl of baked oatmeal on rushed weekday mornings, you could certainly try baking a few over the weekend and reheating them throughout the week. Although I haven’t personally tried this technique – and therefore cannot testify to how the reheated oatmeal is – I bet that it works just fine.

My typical bowl of stovetop oats is almost always crowned with a spoonful of almond or peanut butter, but this particular baked oatmeal just begs for a generous drizzle of maple syrup!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Baked Oatmeal for One

by Lauren Zembron

Monday Musings, where we explore the beauty of local ingredients and whip up a delightful salad that’s not only healthy but also supports our local farmers and producers.

There’s something special about incorporating fresh, seasonal ingredients into your meals, and today, how to create a mouthwatering salad that celebrates the flavors of your region.

Ingredients

1. 4 cups of fresh, local mixed greens (such as spinach, arugula, and lettuce)
2. 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved
3. 1/2 cup of cucumber, thinly sliced
4. 1/2 cup of bell peppers (red, yellow, or green), diced
5. 1/4 cup of red onion, thinly sliced
6. 1/4 cup of feta cheese, crumbled
7. 1/4 cup of toasted pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped
8. 1/4 cup of fresh basil leaves, torn

Instructions

Prepare the Greens

Wash and dry the mixed greens thoroughly, then transfer them to a large salad bowl.

Add the Veggies

Scatter the halved cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber, diced bell peppers, and thinly sliced red onion over the greens.

Add the Cheese and Nuts

Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese and toasted pecans or walnuts over the salad for a delightful crunch and creamy texture.

Tear in the Fresh Basil

Tear the fresh basil leaves and add them to the salad. The basil adds a burst of aromatic flavor.

Prepare the Dressing

In a small bowl, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, salt, and freshly ground black pepper until well combined. Taste the dressing and adjust the seasonings to your liking.

Estimated Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: 220 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 12g
• Protein: 5g
• Fat: 18g
• Saturated Fat: 4g
• Cholesterol: 10mg
• Sodium: 280mg
• Fiber: 4g
• Sugar: 4g
• Vitamin C: 40% DV
• Calcium: 10% DV
• Iron: 8% DV

I honestly could have made a meal out of just the asparagus & sweet potatoes, but everything was delicious!

My mother-in-law put together a beautiful Easter basket for us, including these gorgeous flowers, which are now gracing one of our living room window sills:

They remind me of how nice it is to have fresh flowers inside :).

3. The editorial assignment for this week’s Back Burner post is “local ingredients”.

Since most farmer’s markets aren’t yet open here in Massachusetts, I perused the aisles of Whole Foods with an eye out for the “I’m a local!” tags.

I came up with this simple – but delicious – salad featuring locally grown greens, goat cheese from locally raised cows, and two New England specialties: dried cranberries (grown on Cape Cod) and maple syrup (tapped from trees in Vermont).

You can find more recipes here!

If you’re looking for a comforting and nutritious dessert that’s also perfect for breakfast, look no further than Apple Cinnamon Brown Rice Pudding.

This wholesome treat combines the natural sweetness of apples with the warmth of cinnamon and the hearty goodness of brown rice.

It’s a delightful dish that’s sure to become a family favorite. So, let’s get cooking!

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown rice
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter bn 4for a dairy-free option)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

Cook the Brown Rice

Rinse the brown rice under cold water until the water runs clear.

In a large saucepan, combine the rinsed rice and 2 cups of milk.

Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.

Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 30-35 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.

Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

2. Prepare the Apple Compote

In a separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.

Add the diced apples, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and nutmeg (if using).

Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender and slightly caramelized.

Add the water and simmer for an additional 5 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.

Remove from heat and set aside.

3. Finish the Rice Pudding

Once the rice is cooked, add the remaining 2 cups of milk, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt.

Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for about 15-20 minutes or until the mixture thickens to your desired consistency.

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

4. Combine and Serve

To serve, spoon a generous portion of the rice pudding into individual bowls.

Top each serving with a generous spoonful of the apple compote.

Garnish with additional ground cinnamon or a dollop of whipped cream if desired.

Estimated Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: 290 kcal per serving
• Protein: 5g
• Carbohydrates: 58g
• Dietary Fiber: 3g
• Sugars: 28g
• Fat: 6g
• Saturated Fat: 3.5g
• Cholesterol: 15mg
• Sodium: 175mg

There is something about this brown rice pudding that instantly elicits from me a contented sigh and satisfied smile; some special quality that other dishes simply cannot rival.  Perhaps it is the serendipitous synthesis of chewy brown rice, creamy milk, and subtly sweet fruit – of both the fresh and dried varieties – that makes this pudding so delightful; perhaps it is the knowledge that I’m feeding my body food that is as healthy as it is delicious.

That’s right. Healthy rice pudding. Just like the brown rice pudding I posted here. This version of my favorite breakfast/dessert hybrid is made with the classic trio of apples, cinnamon, and raisins (does it get any cozier than that?). I used 2% milk for this recipe, which resulted in an extra luscious pudding; but 1% (or non-dairy milk of your choice) would be a fine substitution.

I like to prepare a large batch on Sunday and enjoy it throughout the week. A warm (reheated) bowl of brown rice pudding is incentive enough to leave the comfy confines of my bed on a cold Monday morning, but sporadic spoonfuls straight from the chilled contents in the fridge have been known to occur ;).

Now if you’ll excuse me, a soup spoon is calling my name…

Sweet Potato Brown Rice Pudding is a delightful dessert that combines the wholesome goodness of sweet potatoes and the nutty richness of brown rice with a touch of sweetness.

This creamy, comforting dessert is perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth while still enjoying a nutritious treat. It’s a wonderful way to use up leftover rice and sweet potatoes, creating a dessert that’s both delicious and sustainable.

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 1 cup mashed sweet potatoes
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries
• Whipped cream or yogurt for garnish

Instructions

Prepare the Sweet Potatoes

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).

Wash and scrub the sweet potatoes, then pierce them with a fork.

Place them on a baking sheet and bake for 45-60 minutes, or until they are soft and easily mashed.

Allow the sweet potatoes to cool, then scoop out the flesh and mash it until smooth. Measure out 1 cup of mashed sweet potatoes.

Mix the Ingredients

In a large saucepan, combine the cooked brown rice and milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture begins to simmer.

Add Sweet Potatoes and Sugar

Stir in the mashed sweet potatoes, granulated sugar, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt. Continue to cook and stir until the mixture thickens, which should take about 15-20 minutes.

Temper the Eggs

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs. To avoid scrambling the eggs, temper them by slowly adding a ladleful of the hot rice and sweet potato mixture to the beaten eggs while whisking constantly. This gradually raises the temperature of the eggs without cooking them.

Combine the Mixtures

Once the eggs are tempered, slowly pour them back into the saucepan with the rice and sweet potato mixture, stirring constantly. This will thicken the pudding and give it a creamy texture.

Estimated Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: 280 calories
• Total Fat: 3.5 grams
• Saturated Fat: 1.5 grams
• Cholesterol: 65 milligrams
• Sodium: 150 milligrams
• Total Carbohydrates: 57 grams
• Dietary Fiber: 3 grams
• Sugars: 34 grams
• Protein: 6 grams

I almost forgot how delicious my Apple Cinnamon Brown Rice Pudding was. I have someone to thank for “stumbling” the recipe, as the increased traffic to that particular post reminded me of how much I enjoyed the creamy, thick, slightly sweet, and hearty rice pudding.

Instead of making the apple cinnamon flavor again, I decided to feature another seasonal ingredient: sweet potatoes.

If I could choose one and only one food to live off of for the remainder of my life, it would probably be roasted sweet potato puree. Velvety smooth, perfectly sweet and flavorful in its unadulterated state, and inarguably one of the world’s healthiest foods, homemade sweet potato puree is a staple in our refrigerator.

I’ve adopted the habit of buying a three pound sack of organic sweet potatoes from Trader Joe’s (excellent prices for organic produce!) every weekend, roasting them (pierce a few times with a fork, place on parchment paper-lined baking sheet, bake at 400 degrees F for about 1 hour, or until super soft), and then pureeing the flesh in a food processor. Once cool, I transfer the puree to an air-tight container and refrigerate for use throughout the week. I add sweet potato puree to stovetop oatmeal, Greek yogurt, sandwiches, and smoothies.

Sweet potato puree is also wonderful in desserts, given its inherent sweetness and luscious texture. My inspiration for this recipe was sweet potato pie – reinterpreted into a healthy brown rice pudding. The spices typically found in a sweet potato pie made their way into the pudding, but only a fraction of the sugar was used. I relied instead on the naturally sweet flavor of the sweet potatoes and brown sweet rice: an exciting new find at the grocery store.

This rice pudding is not only great as a healthy dessert, but also as a hearty breakfast. If you adore stovetop oatmeal as much as I do, then you will love this warm brown rice pudding as an occasional stand-in. Simply toss it in the microwave and heat with an extra splash or two of milk for a cozy start to a blustery day.

Sweet Potato Brown Rice Pudding

Carrot cake and rice pudding are two beloved desserts on their own, but have you ever thought about combining them?

In this unique recipe, we’ll show you how to make a mouthwatering Carrot Cake Brown Rice Pudding that’s sure to delight your taste buds.

This dessert is a perfect blend of creamy rice pudding with the warm, spiced flavors of a classic carrot cake. Let’s dive right into this delightful treat!

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown rice
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Instructions

1. Cook the Brown Rice

Rinse the brown rice under cold water until the water runs clear.

In a large saucepan, combine the rinsed rice and 2 cups of milk.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 45-50 minutes, or until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.

Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Add more milk if needed.

2. Prepare the Carrot Cake Mix-In

While the rice is cooking, grate the carrots and drain the crushed pineapple.

If you’re using raisins, you can soak them in warm water for 10 minutes to plump them up.

3. Sweeten the Rice Pudding

Once the rice is cooked, stir in the heavy cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and a pinch of salt.

Cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens and becomes creamy.

4. Combine Rice Pudding with Carrot Cake Mix-In

Add the grated carrots, crushed pineapple, chopped nuts, shredded coconut (if using), and soaked raisins (if using) to the rice pudding.

Stir everything together and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes until all the ingredients are well incorporated.

5. Prepare the Cream Cheese Drizzle

In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth.

Add the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract, and mix until you achieve a smooth, pourable consistency.

Estimated Nutrition per Serving

• Calories: 295 kcal
• Total Fat: 9g
  • Saturated Fat: 3g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
• Cholesterol: 69mg
• Sodium: 227mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 47g
  • Dietary Fiber: 3g
  • Sugars: 28g
• Protein: 7g

Oatmeal for breakfast and seasonal treats for dessert are all well and good this time of year, but sometimes you just want something a little different.

This vegan brown rice “pudding” – featuring ingredients and flavors found in carrot cake – is just the ticket, whether you’re yearning for a unique warm breakfast or a healthy dessert.

Now, I put “pudding” in quotation marks because this is not your typical rice pudding made with eggs, milk, and tons of sugar.

No.

This is a hearty porridge-like dish chock full of nutritious foods, which means not only will your mouth be happy…

… your body will be too!

Carrot Cake Brown Rice Pudding

by Lauren Zembron

Texture and consistency are huge components of how enjoyable a certain food is to an individual. Every time I’ve tried a chia pudding recipe, I couldn’t get past the gelatinous chia “pearls”… no matter how delicious the flavor of the combined ingredients. I really wanted to love everything about chia pudding given its health benefits, but I just couldn’t enjoy it the way I was preparing it.

So when I started seeing blended chia pudding recipes, my hopes soared. All of the perks of chia seeds in a creamy, smooth pudding? Sign me up.

The key is to soak the chia seeds in liquid for an extended period of time before blending. For the quickest clean-up, soak the chia seeds right in your blender container; then all you need to do is pop it on the base, add the remaining ingredients, and blend away.

The resulting consistency is perfectly smooth & creamy: exactly what I want for pudding.

This particular chia pudding features the classic flavor combination of coffee & chocolate, and is sweetened only with Medjool dates (with the option of enhanced sweetness from maple syrup or honey). You can enjoy it for breakfast, a snack, or dessert. You can top the pudding with whatever you’d like; photographed here are chocolate shavings and cacao nibs.

I already have another flavor in the works!

Smooth & Creamy Mocha Chia Pudding

by Lauren Zembron (inspired by The Edible Perspective)

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Keywords: blender breakfast dessert snack vegan chocolate pudding

Ingredients (4 servings)

• 1/2 cup chia seeds
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk + more, if necessary
• 1/2 cup brewed coffee, cooled to room temperature
• 1/2 cup tightly packed pitted soft Medjool dates (for me, it was 6 dates)
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp instant espresso powder
• pure maple syrup or honey to taste, if desired
• shaved dark chocolate with espresso beans and/or cacao nibs, for serving, optional

Instructions

Combine chia seeds, 1 1/2 cups almond milk, coffee, and pitted dates in a large bowl or blender container; stir. Refrigerate at least 8 hours, or overnight.

Blend the chilled ingredients until smooth.

Add in the cocoa powder, vanilla, and espresso powder. Blend until very smooth.

Stream in extra almond milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, to reach desired consistency. If the pudding isn’t quite sweet enough for your taste, add liquid sweetener, 1 teaspoon at a time, until desired sweetness is reached.

For optimal results, chill finished pudding in the fridge for 2 hours before serving.