When Life Gives You Leftover Oatmeal, Make A Smoothie

I'm a big protein smoothie guy, but even with the number I tank on a given day, I had never actually heard of adding oats to smoothies until pretty recently. It's true: You can just throw oatmeal into a smoothie, and it's actually pretty dang good. Oatmeal gives your smoothie a luscious, thick texture. It's extra filling to boot, so you won't find yourself craving another little snack shortly after you have it (a problem I've definitely had with lighter smoothies). This works with both leftover oatmeal made from rolled or quick oats. You can actually just dump uncooked oats into your blender, too, but I prefer cooked oatmeal. 

I like to make a big batch of plain oatmeal and stash whatever I don't eat in an airtight container in the fridge. Whenever I want to bulk up a smoothie, I'll add a few big spoonfuls per serving to whatever I'm making, whether it's a fridge clean-out green smoothie or something a little more decadent. You can also add whatever fresh or frozen fruits you like, Greek yogurt for extra richness, and a pinch of salt for a better-tasting smoothie. Peanut butter, banana, cinnamon, and oatmeal make up one of my favorite sweet treats, and it tastes close to an oatmeal cookie, too.

Now let's talk about the right way to make an oatmeal smoothie. Tips that apply to most other smoothies also apply to oatmeal smoothies. Really, the main thing is to blend your smoothie well so you avoid a clumpy, lumpy, bumpy drink, which sounds like the worst way to start off your day. The easiest way to avoid chunks in your smoothie is to slap the ingredient you want blended the most (in this case, the oatmeal) into the blender first. Plop in your oats and liquid of choice and blend, blend, blend. Keep going until there aren't any lumps, and then you can add the rest of your ingredients. Go for your highest setting and most powerful blender for extra assurance.

I've also found that warmed oatmeal blends better than cold, straight-from-the-fridge oatmeal. If texture's a big deal to you, you'll want to pop your leftovers into the microwave for a few seconds to take the chill off before adding them to your blender. The heat helps break up clumps, giving you a less grainy texture. With these tips at hand, you can have a filling and creamy smoothie without any questionable textural hiccups ruining your breakfast. Or lunch. Or dinner. Really, who am I to judge?