sweet and pea

This is Elena’s favourite breakfast. Chocolate first thing in the morning feels like such a treat, but this oatmeal is full of wholesome ingredients. Changing the fruit and nut combination from date/hazelnut to apricot/almond or fig/walnut would be easy and delicious, as would omitting the cocoa for cinnamon. The ways to make oatmeal are endless, but when you find one this good you stick with it!

This recipe is easy to double or even triple and can be frozen.

Time: 45 Minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 ripe banana, chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup steel cut oats

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 cups hot water

1/4 cup hazelnuts, roasted and skinned + more for garnish

1/4 cup dates

1 tablespoon cocoa

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350C and spread hazelnuts out on a baking sheet, bake for 10-12 minutes
2. Allow hazelnuts to cool for 5- 10 minutes then place roasted hazelnuts into a jar and shake for a few minutes until skins come off, discard skins
3. Melt coconut oil in heavy bottomed sauce pan over low heat
4. Add chopped banana to coconut oil and cook on low until banana is soft, this will only take a few minutes
5. While banana cooks, place dates, skinned hazelnuts, and hot water, into a high speed blender and allow to soak for a few minutes, then blend until smooth and creamy
6. Add vanilla, steel cut oats, date and hazelnut mixture and salt to banana, cook over low, stirring often until oats are soft
7. Mix cocoa into oats (add more cocoa as needed to achieve the desired flavour)
8. Serve with chopped hazelnuts