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*This post is sponsored by ViSalus. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Given the fact that I never rarely make the same dinner twice, you will all be shocked to know that I am unwavering when it comes to breakfast.

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Seriously, if you even try to think about coming between my english muffin, two tablespoons of peanut butter (and sometimes cookie butter) and I…I will break you. No two ways about it.

You can ask The.Boy., who suggested that I didn’t really need to bring breakfast with me when we vacationed in Florida last year. And, you know, maybe we could “just wing it”.

“JUST WING” the most important meal of the day?!

Ummmm no. Not this girl.

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So now I travel with packages of english muffins and those tiny single serving packets of peanut butter that will get through airport security.

And he makes fun of me for it. It’s a thing. But it works for us.

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The only problem with this is that in addition to being the most important meal of the day, breakfast is also the best. Pancakes, waffles, eggs of all sorts, breakfast burritos, french toast, oatmeal…I’m not really ready to give all of these up just because I’m a little obsessive compulsive about eating peanut butter every morning.

Solution – breakfast for dinner.

Happiness squared.

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You might have noticed that the majority of my favorite breakfast foods up there are sweet. And..that’s really a no-brainer. Being able to eat dessert for breakfast, breakfast for dinner, and hence dessert for dinner is always a good thing.  But sometimes…it leaves you feeling less-than-full, if you know what I mean. The Vi-Shape Shake Mix is perfect for mitigating this. Basically it’s a protein powder blend that is low fat, low sodium, low calorie, low sugar, and lower carb than other brands I’ve seen.

And it actually tastes like cake mix.

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Here, I’ve mixed it into some oatmeal that I topped with roasted cherries and a drizzle of a balsamic reduction, leading to a breakfast bowl that is both decadent and totally good for you. The fiber from the oatmeal has some serious staying power while the protein from the Vi-Shape Shake Mix will leave you feeling full and satisfied.

And the roasted cherries on top are just, well…the cherries on top.

Or the icing on the cake-flavored oatmeal.

Delicious, no matter which metaphor you decide to go with.

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One year ago…Summer Lemon-Vegetable Risotto
Three years ago…Spanakorizo and Baked Falafel with Cilantro Yogurt Sauce
Four years ago…Spicy Braised Korean Chicken with Potatoes

Roasted Cherries and Cream Oatmeal with Balsamic Drizzle
Serves 2, an Eats Well With Others Original

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cherries, pitted
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1 cup oats
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 1/4 cup Vi-Shape Shake Mix (or other cream-flavored protein powder)
  • drizzle of balsamic reduction or mosto cotto

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 375. Spread cherries on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
  2. Heat 3 cups of water and a pinch of salt in a medium pot until boiling. Add in the oats, turn the heat down to low, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
  3. Stir in the almond extract and protein powder. Add salt to taste.
  4. Split oatmeal between two bowls. Top with cherries and a drizzle of balsamic reduction.

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You are reading this post on Eats Well With Others at https://joanne-eatswellwithothers.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author and or owner of Eats Well With Others. All rights reserved by Joanne Bruno.
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75 Responses to Roasted Cherries and Cream Oatmeal with Balsamic Drizzle

  1. What a creative dish! Breakfast, lunch or dinner… I’d eat this one anytime! And I’m totally with you on your love (or perhaps obsession? :)) with breakfast. Same here.

  2. You know me, I am as breakfast obsessed as you are. I’d eat this in the morning or at night (because yes, breakfast for dinner is the best).

  3. This is definitely the best looking bowl of oatmeal ever! I could drink balsamic 🙂 and I love the pooling and flood of it over that oatmeal!

  4. Simply Life says:

    I just had a bowl of oatmeal ( with peanut butter of course) but this looks like a more fun way to eat it!

  5. I am with you girl, great breakfast and healthy one too!

  6. I am with you girl, great breakfast and healthy one too!

  7. Breakfast is totally pilot-driven in the morning.. oats + fruit + protein powder + chia/flax. However, in my dwindling pantry, it became quinoa instead of oats. It was ok for a while but then I just became grumpy. 😛 Can’t wait to replenish my oat post-move. 🙂

  8. Johanna GGG says:

    Looks delicious – and the benefit of breakfast for dinner is that you have more time to prepare it 🙂

  9. Julie says:

    How interesting is this! I love the idea of trying balsamic on oatmeal.

  10. Sam says:

    Oatmeal with roasted cherries…how could you possibly go wrong? Yeah, D doesn’t really get my need for breakfast either. I have 2-3 meals that I rotate (yogurt with granola and fruit, oatmeal with nutbutter and fresh/dried fruit, or one of Heidi Swanson’s egg quesodillas). This is definitely being added to my oatmeal repertoire!

  11. bellini says:

    I believe that I had porridge every morning all my growing up years;always plain with a bit of sugar. Variety is good and cherries with balsamic vinegar even better.

  12. Corina says:

    What a lovely dish – I also like peanutbutter so so much for breakfast but would give it up once to try this!

  13. I love breakfast! It’s my favorite meal of the day and there is nothing worng with having it for dinner too! I love how you took your oatmeal and made it savory with the cherries! Awesome dish!

  14. Foodycat says:

    I don’t exercise enough to need added protein powder, but everything else about this fills me with joy. And British cherries are coming into season soon!

  15. Amy says:

    Um. I want this for breakfast, lunch, AND dinner.

  16. Is it bad that I keep looking at that oatmeal and wanting it to be ice cream? 🙂

  17. Erica Berman says:

    Yum! So funny, I am similar: I have to have my oatmeal for breakfast EVERY morning (and bring it with me when I travel), so other breakfast for dinner is something I love (pancakes, waffles, etc.), because it feels like eating dessert for dinner!

  18. Lynn says:

    Ooh – and cherries are so good right now, too.

    I’m the same – I have plain yogurt, granola and blueberries Monday – Friday and toast or English muffins with poached eggs Saturday and Sunday. I’m thinking this might be a good deviation. 🙂

  19. I love oatmeal in any form – just pinned this to my “oats” pinterest board.

  20. That look s amazing. I’m saving a batch of balsamic cherry syrup for cocktails for when my girlfriend visits. Maybe we can have this for breakfast! Yum.

  21. Lori says:

    Ha, I’ve never really though of thought. I never make the same dinner, but usually the same breakfast. I need to switch it up with this. I have yet to roast cherries! It looks amazing.

  22. I’ve never thought of having balsamic on breakfast food, but it sounds totally up my alley!

  23. Jessie says:

    Oh my gosh, you bring those single serving sized packets of PB through airport security, too? I remember I stuffed a quart bag with those when I went to China (and discovered that China does, in fact, have PB. Whoops). Breakfast for dinner is the perfect solution! I love the look of this decadent cherries and cream brinner oatmeal with balsamic … mmm 🙂

  24. Ohh so classy! I could see this being served at a swanky brunch establishment. I want to try the roasted balsamic cherries in a dessert, methinks…

  25. I’m the same way with breakfast (and I go through month or so-long phases with dinner, too). I get really upset when my boyfriend tries to tell me how boring I’m being – doesn’t he know that there’s nothing better? Anyway, the breakfast for dinner solution is a perfect one. I sometimes do breakfast for dessert, too. The balsamic reduction on this oatmeal sounds like such a wonderful flavor booster!

  26. Gloria Baker says:

    Joanne I love cherries and these look wonderful:) a beautiful plate!!

  27. Monica says:

    So funny…I’m much the same way. I have a rotation of 2-3 breakfasts that I really don’t want to break from at all. Breakfast for dinner is a great solution. What a creative recipe.

  28. I have oatmeal for breakfast every morning! And this looks so good, such a bright array of flavors. This would definitely wake me up.

  29. Eileen says:

    I totally once had airport security confiscate a jar of peanut butter from my carryon–on my way home, after getting it through on the way out with no problem. CURSES. That’ll teach me not to forget to make sandwiches in advance, I guess. 🙂 This oatmeal sounds great–cherries and oats are just one of those prrfect combinations, aren’t they?

  30. SallyBR says:

    That is oatmeal dressed up for a party, and stealing the show…

    roasted cherries… wow! Beats the breakfasts provided in this conference by a H-U-G-E shot.

    on the bright side, I am in no danger of gaining weight during this trip… oh, well…

  31. Now THIS is my kind of breakfast! What a gorgeous dish and a great combination of flavors. Cherries and balsamic? I never would have guessed!

  32. Ha ha! I love how you travel with your english muffins and peanut butter! I’m a fan of breakfast but, for dinner 🙂 This dish looks and sounds so good. I love cherries but, this combination sounds amazing!

  33. Anything with cherries and I am SO there…they have always been my favorite fruit. This sounds stellar. Of course, so does english muffins w/ pb, so… 😉

  34. I run in the morning, so breakfast is a necessity. I don’t really have rules about what foods are breakfast-appropriate. I’ll eat leftovers for breakfast then have yogurt (and roast veggies) or eggs for dinner.

  35. I’m not an oatmeal person but I think you may have converted me. This looks scrumptious and I love the idea of a balsamic drizzle. Delicious!

  36. I just picked cherries today, and I absolutely love them with balsamic. Interesting idea with the oatmeal. I’d love this with some yogurt on top too.

  37. roasted cherries and balsamic vinegar?! swooning 🙂

  38. Love that you made an oatmeal dish with the Visalus too! I’ve never thought to pair cherries and balsamic together and especially not alongside oatmeal but it all sounds so good together .. and breakfast for dinner is always a good idea!

  39. That Girl says:

    Too funny. I have yogurt just about every morning for breakfast, and I’m sitting here at the computer making a “breakfast meal plan” so I can spice it up a bit.

  40. Lol Joanne that is cute. We all have our things right? That looks good -I am very excited about Cherry season!

  41. Amy says:

    This is such a beautiful and healthful breakfast. I love those ripe and juicy cherries. So gorgeous.

  42. Honey says:

    This is amazing… who would have thought to add balsamic to oatmeal. You are a genius. Sure you wanna study medicine? LOL! I still don’t get how you have time to blog.. when my sister was in med school and after.. she was just crazy, all the time!

  43. Hannah says:

    Breakfast for dinner is simply the best kind of meal, no matter what the actual food is. I’ve gotta say, I would have never ventured to try such a bold combination of sweet and savory on top of my daily morning oatmeal, but for dinner, then anything is possible! Brilliance, yet again, Joanne.

  44. Hotly Spiced says:

    I love the look of the cherries. I think they’d be great with the oatmeal but I’ll have to try this with the balsamic vinegar. Is the balsamic one of the sweeter ones? xx

  45. I’m the same way with lunch, so I don’t think it’s compulsive at all. 🙂 Cherries are my favorite, and this looks wonderful!

  46. oohh I love a good oatmeal recipe! Also, I hope you’re planning on entering Bob’s Red Mill Oatmeal making contest (http://www.sparforthespurtle.com/). Because I have no doubt that you would completely dominate with all of your creative ideas:)

  47. G’day! LOVE cherries and love oatmeal, TRUE!
    GREAT suggestion adding the protein powder and significantly cuts down the carbs too!
    Cheers! Joanne

  48. Cherries and oatmeal…I know what I am going to have for the dinner! Yum!

  49. Those cherries look so plump and delicious! This oatmeal would be good for any meal.

  50. Yeah breakfast for dinner!! That’s my idea of life too =D
    I wish I could get cherries here…

  51. Nutmeg Nanny says:

    Oh wow, this looks glorious! I am loving this recipe, I can not wait to try it 🙂

  52. I used to make breakfast a more important part of my daily routine, but, now I am lucky if I get a bite of an apple. This recipe will make me slow down and savor each bite of creamy oatmeal.

  53. Cherries make everything better!

  54. grace says:

    this is gorgeous. i never thought i’d say that about a bowl of oatmeal. 🙂

  55. Ashley says:

    I’d eat breakfast at any time of the day. These roasted cherries look divine!

  56. This sounds so comforting and warm and filling and wonderful, especially on this very dark and stormy day. 🙂 LOVE the roasted cherries especially. 🙂

  57. Kari says:

    I would adore having this for dinner. Like you, I am fairly predictable with breakfast, but I love breakfast foods, and so squeezing them into different times of the day works wonderfully. This protein powder sounds great too!

  58. Natalie says:

    for the longest time my go to bfast at work was peanut butter and oatmeal. recently i’ve been making smoothies instead and missed my pb/oatmeal too much so now i have that at lunch!!!

    ps. balsamic? genius!

  59. You know Joanne I cant even imagine what V-shape mix is but the combo of cherries oatmeal and balsamic is genius. id have it for dinner too

  60. Ha – English muffins + PB is one of my breakfast standbys too. But I could definitely spice up my routine for a bowl of this gorgeous oatmeal!

  61. this is something I could try! And peanut butter is a perfect meal any time of the day 🙂

  62. I’d never thought of having balsamic vinegar in oatmeal. I tried it out this morning and it was amazing, paired with almond butter! Thanks for the idea 😀

  63. Having breakfast for dinner or dinner for breakfast- it can be confusing. But what’s certain are those cherries- maginficant!

  64. Creatures of habit, are we too! And one habitual morning ritual for us is to have a wonderful bowl of oatmeal with fruit. With cherries in season, this is perfect . . . and the balsamic is a touch of perfection for me!

    xo
    Roz

  65. Beth says:

    Mmm, I love roasted cherries! What a good idea to pair them with oatmeal.

  66. I can’t get enough of breakfast for dinner either! This oatmeal looks fantastic! Roasted cherries sound so yummy and the addition of a little balsamic is genius 🙂

  67. LOL! I also make something different almost every night yet am religious about my 2% greek yogurt with berries and Fiber One breakfast.

    This oatmeal looks amazing! How did you even think of putting a balsamic reduction on oatmeal. Mind-boggling. I am also going to hustle to the store and find this Vi-Shape Shake Mix. Thanks!

  68. Laura says:

    I agree with everything you said about breakfast. And now I am dying to try balsamic vinegar on oatmeal.

  69. Mario Marrs says:

    I’ve been visiting your blog for a while now and I always find a gem in your new posts. Thanks for sharing.

  70. […] As much as I love them raw, I am enchanted my this luscious take on oatmeal. A heavy does of cream and roasted cherries really make breakfast a treat. {from Eats Well With Others} […]

  71. kathy power says:

    how do you make balsamic reduction or can i just drizzle some from the bottle over oatmeal and cherries. thank you Kathy

    • joanne says:

      I usually make balsamic reduction just by simmering balsamic vinegar a bit on the stove until it becomes thick and syrupy. You can also buy balsamic syrup in some grocery stores.

      Alternatively, you can just drizzle balsamic vinegar on top but it’s going to depend on how sweet it is. If it’s super tart and not very sweet at all, it probably won’t taste that great.

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