cardamom oatmeal with roasted plums (recipe!)

we had a particularly dreary winter this year. it was long. it was neon grey (am i in seattle?). it was cold. it was a bit lonely.

so upon the first of april, the earth woke up. immediately we were launched into one of the warmest and sunniest springs i’ve ever experienced. because of how warm and dry it has been for the past four months, our growing season here in south bohemia was accelerated and everything started ripening extremely early. my tomatoes were ready to eat in early july! squash is already in season, for example.

one fruit that i always associate with autumn here in bohemia is plums. they’re usually ready at the end of august or sometime in september, so i sure was surprised when my friend gave me a humongous bag from her mother-in-law’s garden. i mean, she said “some plums”! (not complaining.)

slightly related note: i love when friends with gardens send you away with humongous bags of fruit. you got too much fruit or veg in your garden and don’t know what to even do? i’m your gal. better than buying it at the supermarket, for sure.

so as it’s already plum season, i wanted to share with you my favorite recipe for a late summer / early autumn breakfast using delicious, juicy ripe plums in a way you may have not thought to enjoy them! it’s also absolutely full of nutrition as every one of these ingredients has body and health boosting abilities, making it a great start to the day. 

cardamom roasted plum oatmeal

serves two, prep & cooking time 15 -20 min

you’ll need…..

1 cup of rolled oats
1 tb chia seeds
1 tb ground flax seeds
1 tsp ground cardamom (you can sub cinnamon if you don’t love cardamom, but really, give it a try!)
1 ¾ cup milk of your choice (i sometimes cut this with water when i’m low on milk!)
½ cup walnuts
4 – 5 plums, pitted and sliced into quarters
brown sugar for sprinkling

1) preheat the oven to 150°C / 300°F. in an oven-proof pan or plate, place the walnuts and the plum slices into the oven. “roast” for 5 – 10 min.

2) put the oats in your oatmeal cooking pot or pan of your choice. add all the seeds, the cardamom, and milk. heat the oatmeal on the lowest flame, stirring frequently. the oatmeal is finished when the mixture is hot and the consistency is to your liking – turn off the heat at this point and let sit.

3) check on your nuts & plums. the nuts are done when they have turned a browner color and are fragrant. the plums should be noticeably fragrant and look juicier than their prior form.

4) divide the oatmeal into two bowls and sprinkle a little bit of brown sugar on top. (i prefer about a teaspoon on each bowl). cut up the walnuts and sprinkle the bits on top. finish with placing the juicy plum slices on top.

pin it, below!

let me know if you make this! it’s a great change from the typical old oatmeal or porridge from the rest of the year. have you ever tried roasting plums before?

happy summer! now i’m off to continue making all the plum things and considering various preservation techniques. eat well and enjoy the bounty of this time of year! a life lately-ish post soon with a bit about upcoming summer plans. 

ps, you might also enjoy my favorite autumn breakfast, pumpkin pie oatmeal.