I have a love-hate relationship with oatmeal. When I was younger, my dad forced me to sit at the breakfast table every morning and finish an entire bowl of plain-jane oats that he had so meticulously simmered on the stovetop while the rest of us snoozed our alarm clocks. Had I known, at 8 years old, that there was more to oatmeal than just Papa Nguyen’s no-flavor, ultra-healthy mush, I probably would have been a much happier camper. Especially if I had been introduced to the glorious oatmeal cookie! As an adult, I frequently experiment by adding spices and dried fruits or nuts to my morning bowl of oats (peanut butter is also an excellent addition).

According to Iowa State University [1], the oldest known oats were first found in Egypt during the 12th Dynasty (about 2,000 BC). It wasn’t until about 1602 that oats were brought to America and first planted off the coasts of Massachusetts. CBS News [2] claims instant oatmeal didn’t come about until 1966, following the registered trademark of “Quaker Oats” in 1877. Flavored oatmeal came later in the 1970’s––wonder why my dad never heard of it––while it is believed that the first oatmeal cookie [3] was baked in the 1800s.

Today is National Oatmeal Cookie Day. I’m not sure who picks these national food holidays, but I like them; and while I could write an entire blog post about cookies alone, I will pay homage to my father and (make up for) his oatmeal by listing five delicious oatmeal recipes submitted by our wonderful VegWebbers. Happy cooking!

1. Pumpkin Oatmeal [4]
2. Chai-Tea Oatmeal [5]
3. Sweet & Savory Miso-Apple Oatmeal [6]
4. Gluten-Free Raspberry-Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies [7]
5. Traditional Oatmeal Raisin Cookies [8]