This warming bowl of oatmeal starts with a base of oats and almond milk. We mix in chia seeds, black sesame seeds, goji berries, and honey. This oatmeal is super nourishing and full of flavors from the nutty seeds to the sweet berries. Use the ingredients you have and skip the ones you don't. Complex in flavor, but so easy to make!
Why This Recipe Works
There are a million different ways you can prepare oatmeal. And a million different topping combinations you can use. This is one of my favorites.
It starts with a base of oats and almond milk. Use any brand of oats you like, use any brand of almond milk you like.
We love cooking the oats in almond milk because the almond milk makes the oatmeal creamier without being heavy. The subtle nuttiness of the milk also compliments the other ingredients in the recipe very well.
As the oatmeal cooks on the stove, add the chia seeds (bonus: chia seeds help to make the oatmeal "thicker" in texture).
Then add the ground black sesame seeds. We like the seeds ground because: 1) it blends into the oatmeal so good and, 2) it infuses a wonderful nutty flavor into every spoonful. Use whole black sesame seeds in a pinch.
When the oatmeal is nearly done cooking, swirl in a bit of honey for sweetnesses. Finish with a sprinkle of goji berries. Tadah, it is ready to eat!
This oatmeal makes for a nourishing and hearty breakfast. Whether you're preparing a single portion or enough for a large group, it is very easy to make.
Flexible and Forgiving
This recipe is flexible and forgiving. Don't let the lack of one ingredient hold you back.
No goji berries? No problem. Just skip it. No chia seeds? That's fine. Feel free to also replace our topping ingredients with other fruit, nut, and berries you have on hand.
Main thing is that you have the oat and almond milk. Everything else is a very tasty bonus.
Toppings
Growing up in an Asian household in Hawaii, many ingredients popular in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) naturally worked their way into our daily life.
Instead of strawberries and brown sugar, our oatmeal featured goji berries and honey. Black sesame is one of my favorite ingredients and compliment the other flavors in this oatmeal beautifully.
This trio of goji berries, black sesame, and honey is marvelous...I wish I could put it on everything!
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need:
- Oatmeal
- Almond milk
- Chia seeds
- Black sesame seeds, ground (or black sesame powder)
- Goji berries
- Honey
Step by Step Directions
Let's get cooking!
Cook oats with almond milk.
Combine the almond milk and oatmeal in a small pot. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to medium. Cook for 15 minutes on medium heat (or until the oats are almost done cooking).
Note: Use any of type oats you have. Sometimes I use quick cooking oats. Other times I used fancy, very slow cooking oats. Just follow the cooking time instructions on the bag/box of oats.
Add chia seeds and black sesame seeds.
Add the chia seeds and the ground black sesame seeds. Cook for another 5 minutes.
Add honey and goji berries. Enjoy!
Stir in the honey. Top with goji berries. Spoon into bowls. Eat and enjoy ^_^
Protip: Soak the goji berries for a 5 minutes in warm water before using. This will help rehydrate and plump up the berries.
FAQs and Tips
The oatmeal will keep for up to 2 days in the refrigerator (rewarm it on the stovetop or in the microwave). However I like to make exactly enough for however much I plan to eat that day...it's always tastier fresh.
You don't have to, but it's best if you can. I use a very small mortar and pestle we keep on the kitchen counter (comes in handy for grinding up any other spice).
The ground black sesame seeds blend very nicely into the oatmeal (it makes the oatmeal a slightly grey-ish color which isn't the most beautiful, but is delicious).
If you have whole black sesame seeds and no way to grind them, then just use the whole seeds. It is better to have whole black sesame seeds than no black sesame seeds.
Yes! Sometimes we use soy milk, other times coconut milk. And when there is no milk in the fridge, we use water! It's technically no longer "almond milk oatmeal" at that point, but it is still tasty ^_^
I'm not tied to any one brand, but I do love the oats from Bob's Red Mill. They have so many different types of oats (quick cooking, old fashioned, extra thick, steel cut rolled oats!) and I am slowly trying my way through all of them.
Oh boy, so do we! Here are other great recipes featuring black sesame seeds:
- Black Sesame Pudding
- Black Sesame and Soy Milk Pudding
- Black Sesame Soy Milk
- Black Sesame Paste
- Black Sesame Toast
- Black Sesame Sauce On Steamed Tofu
- Black Sesame Soup
Almond Milk Oatmeal Recipe
See below and enjoy ^_^
Almond Milk Oatmeal
This warming bowl of oatmeal starts with a base of oats and almond milk. We mix in chia seeds, black sesame seeds, goji berries, and honey. This oatmeal is nourishing and full of flavors from the nutty seeds to the sweet berries. Use the ingredients you have and skip the ones you don't. Complex in flavor, but so easy to make!
Ingredients
- 1 cup oatmeal
- 2 cups almond milk
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds, ground (or black sesame powder)
- 1 tablespoon goji berries
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- Combine the almond milk and oatmeal in a small pot. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to medium. Cook for 15 minutes on medium heat (or until the oats are almost done cooking).
- Add the chia seeds and the ground black sesame seeds. Cook for another 5 minutes.
- Stir in the honey. Top with goji berries. Spoon into bowls. Eat and enjoy!
Notes
- If you can't ground the black sesame seeds or find black sesame powder, use whole black sesame seeds. It's better to have whole black sesame seeds than no black sesame seeds.