Oatmeal Recipes That Make Breakfast Exciting (PHOTOS)

When it comes to breakfast rankings, oatmeal is pretty much at the bottom of the totem pole. Very few people actually want to eat oatmeal -- especially when pancakes and bacon are an option. It's just boring. But we eat it since it's good for our health.

Lucky for your health and palate, this is one problem you can easily fix with some creative oatmeal recipes. Put a fried egg on your oats and double up on protein. Or add a little bit of dark chocolate to satisfy your sweet tooth (and it's good for us too). Check out the oatmeal recipes below, and never eat a boring bowl again.

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• Oatmeal With Kimchi & Fried Egg

  <strong>Get the<a href="http://www.mangotomato.com/2012/10/oatmeal-love-it-of-hate-it-oatmeal-with.html"> Oatmeal With Kimchi & Fried Egg recipe</a> by Mango & Tomato</strong>

• Dark Chocolate Oatmeal

  <strong>Get the <a href="http://www.pastryaffair.com/blog/2012/1/22/dark-chocolate-oatmeal.html">Dark Chocolate Oatmeal recipe</a> by Pastry Affair</strong>

• Steel Cut Oats With Caramelized Onions & Ricotta

  <strong>Get the <a href="http://www.injennieskitchen.com/2010/02/steel-cut-oats-caramelized-onions-ricotta/">Steel Cut Oats with Caramelized Onions & Ricotta</a> recipe by In Jennie's Kitchen</strong>

• Carrot Cake Oatmeal

  <strong>Get the <a href="http://www.katherinemartinelli.com/blog/2012/carrot-cake-oatmeal-recipe/">Carrot Cake Oatmeal recipe</a> by Kiran Tarun for KatherineMartinelli.com</strong>

• Creme Brulee Oatmeal

  <strong>Get the <a href="http://steamykitchen.com/13165-banana-oatmeal-cinnamon-creme-brulee-recipe.html">Creme Brulee Oatmeal recipe</a> by Steamy Kitchen</strong>

• Chai Oatmeal

  <strong>Get the <a href="http://dinnerwithjulie.com/2011/05/03/chai-oatmeal/">Chai Oatmeal recipe</a> by Dinner With Julie</strong>

• Nutella Oatmeal With Sliced Bananas

  <strong>Get the <a href="http://www.simplyscratch.com/2012/01/nutella-oatmeal-with-sliced-bananas.html">Nutella Oatmeal with Sliced Bananas recipe</a> by Simply Scratch</strong>

• Chocolate Cherry Overnight Oats

  <strong>Get the <a href="http://www.edibleperspective.com/home/2011/4/7/moo-milk.html">Chocolate Cherry Overnight Oats recipe</a> by Edible Perspective</strong>

• Steel Cut Oatmeal With Maple Sautéed Apples

  <strong>Get the <a href="http://www.erinsfoodfiles.com/2011/12/steel-cut-oatmeal-with-maple-sauteed-apples.html">Steel Cut Oatmeal with Maple Sautéed Apples recipe</a> by Erin's Food Files</strong>

• Red Berry Risotto Oatmeal

  <strong>Get the <a href="http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2010/08/red-berry-risotto-oatmeal-2.html">Red Berry Risotto Oatmeal recipe</a> by Mel's Kitchen Cafe</strong>

• Pumpkin Steel Cut Oatmeal

  <strong>Get the <a href="http://www.mypbandj.com/2012/10/pumpkin-steel-cut-oatmeal-recipe.html">Pumpkin Steel Cut Oatmeal recipe</a> by My PB + J</strong>

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Comments

[artist-53]

02:10 PM on 01/07/2013

Love oatmeal with crushed locally made organic granola.Crushed organic almonds,walnuts, any nuts, Coconut flakes,Cinnamon. I put it all together , add a bit of water, and then I kill with it the micro wave for a minute or 2. add cream or milk or nothing. Delicious. My preference is to use all organic. but doesn't have to be, I suppose.

[NC Price]

06:05 PM on 12/22/2012

I usually add whatever fruit is handy, a tiny bit of butter, and some brown sugar. For some reason the idea of chocolate in oatmeal is unappealing, as are the savory options (which might be better with grits).

[etmacgay]

08:24 PM on 10/12/2012

fun looking oatmeal ideas. I do so love my oatmeal and love dressing it up!

[Curlee]

01:03 PM on 10/12/2012

I often make banana nut oatmeal. Just add a pureed banana and chopped nuts to cooked oatmeal. A little brown sugar and a dash of cinnamon. . . yum.

[ECpeasy]

04:17 PM on 10/11/2012

You do not always need to make food exciting and rich? There is an obesity crisis.
Why not just eat prepare the food itself and taste the food itself?
Prepare oatmeal by simmering as usual. Add nothing.
Wait until cool. Add some cold water. Eat. That is oatmeal.
Add more water. That is gruel.

When you eat later in the day, you will appreciate tastes more.

[Heather Bowles]

10:27 PM on 10/10/2012

Oatmeal is great for boosting the milk supply of breastfeeding mums. These recipes help fight the breakfast doldrums, too. Thanks Huffpost!

[AngelaQuattrano]

02:17 PM on 10/10/2012

While under laboratory conditions, oatmeal is a healthy food, in real life people eat giant portions, load it up with sugary add-ins and then reward themselves with treats for being so virtuous. It's just a food.

[kittkat114]

12:34 PM on 10/10/2012

Who said oatmeal was boring? :)

My tried and true favorite is based off Serious Eats' recipe- make oats on the stove top. While cooking, add cranberries (fresh and whole) and brown sugar. I add orange zest and walnuts.

[LadyChef]

11:00 PM on 10/10/2012

Thank you. Your recipe makes sense. These other ones do nothing but pack on lbs...I would need to go back to sleep after eating any of those...

[kittkat114]

07:57 AM on 10/11/2012

Serious Eats often contributes here, but they're worth following in their own right. One of their contributors did a month-long "vegan experience" which is where I got this recipe.

I agree about the heft of these- the chocolate ones looked like a major blood sugar crash. I might try adding a tbsp of unsweetened cocoa to my oatmeal in the future, if I feel decadent.