Fall. The season of fresh-picked apples, maple syrup, and pumpkin spice. With the change in seasons comes the beginning of cool, crisp mornings that make you want to curl up in a blanket, eat a warm breakfast, and avoid a cold walk to Ray at all costs. Well, here’s some good news: you can achieve these dreams in the comfort of your dorm with a few easy-to-store ingredients. Here are 3 ways to get the flavors of Fall in a dorm-room-friendly breakfast.
Apple Pie Oatmeal: Think crisp apples, salt-sweet nut butter, and warm, creamy oats. A few ingredients, chopping, and microwave minutes will have this ready in 5 minutes. Plus, its balance of good carbohydrates, healthy fats, and protein will have you full and fueled for a day of work (or Netflix).
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup one-minute oats
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- sprinkle of cinnamon
- 1 apple
- 1/2 Tbsp. maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp. peanut butter
- Part of a peanut butter Larabar/other granola bar
To Make:
- Chop apple into small pieces.
- Mix oats, water, vanilla, and 1/3 of apple pieces in a microwaveable bowl. Microwave for 1.5 – 2 minutes.
- Stir in maple syrup.
- Top oats with rest of apple, cinnamon, Larabar, and glob of peanut butter.
Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte: This DIY latte is low on the sugar but high on the satisfaction.
Ingredients:
- 1 brewed black coffee
- 3/4 cup milk (grab a cup of milk from the dining hall the night before!)
- pumpkin spice seasoning
- 1/2 tsp. maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
To Make:
- Stir a few shakes of pumpkin spice seasoning into a mug of brewed black coffee. Stir.
- Put milk, maple syrup, and vanilla in microwavable Tupperware.
- Microwave Tupperware for 1 minute with cover cracked slightly open.
- When microwave is done, whisk the milk mixture vigorously until foamy. You can also try tightening the Tupperware lid and shaking vigorously.
- Pour milk mixture over coffee. Top with more pumpkin spice seasoning, and, if desired, add more sugar to coffee.
Maple Pear Almond Oatmeal: Yes, this is a second oats recipe, but that’s because oats are so versatile, full of health benefits, and easy to store and make! These oats taste amazing thanks to the juicy pears that are always at Ray in the fall. This breakfast is a welcome departure from the apple and pumpkin that dominate the season, and conjures images of fall leaves and cozy sweaters with every bite!
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup one-minute oats
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 pear
- 1/2 Tbsp. maple syrup
- 1 packet of Justin’s maple almond butter
To Make:
- Chop pear into small pieces.
- Mix oats, water, vanilla, and 1/3 of pear pieces in a microwavable bowl. Microwave for 1.5 – 2 minutes.
- Stir in maple syrup.
- Top oats with rest of chopped pear, cinnamon, and drizzle of maple almond butter.