If you know me, then you've definitely seen my loaded bowl of oats on my Instagram story at some point (or many points). I've been eating this hearty bowl of goodness for over four years now and after taste-testing every way to cook oatmeal online, I eventually found my perfect recipe. Quarantine has thrown my schedule off but let me tell you, when I had to wake up for 8AM class for a year straight, this breakfast was the reason I got out of bed (and actually had a morning routine).
To maximize the amount of nutrients, I like to use Bob's Red Mill's Organic steel-cut oats (thank you Costco!) since it has more protein and fibre than more refined oats like Instant Oatmeal. Whatever you're using, just adjust the cooking time.
This is for those looking for a creamy, cozy and soft oatmeal recipe!
WHAT YOU'LL NEED (1 serving)
1/4 to 1/2 cup oatmeal
1 cup water
Dash of salt
A banana
Dash of cinnamon
Milk of your choice (my favourite to use is Almond)
1 tsp ground black sesame seeds (optional)
Toppings: My favourite combination is frozen berries, a (big) glob of peanut butter, medjool dates, and nuts. I also love adding coconut yogurt and granola!
STEPS (around 10 minutes start-finish)
Combine the oatmeal, water, and salt in a small pot and cover on high heat. Stir occaisionally to prevent sticking.
Pay attention! When you start to see steam or hear near-boiling noises, it's likely about to spill over so take the lid off (3-4 minutes).
Wait for the oats to reach a rolling boil (at ~5 minutes), and reduce to medium heat.
Keep stirring and add half the banana. Use a fork to roughly mash it and stir into the oatmeal. This is the key for a creamy texture, and the banana doubles as the sweetener!
Keep an eye on the oats. Once it reaches a thick consistency, add in the cinnamon, black sesame and milk until the consistency thins out slightly again.
Keep stirring occaisionally. Once the added liquid reaches a slight boil, reduce heat to low and wait for the milk to be absorbed.
Once the milk is absorbed, the texture should be thick again. Turn off the heat and let sit while you prepare the toppings.
Add your oatmeal in a big bowl, slice the remaining half banana, and add in your toppings of choice (again, highly recommend stirring in a huge glob of nut butter).
Enjoy!
Christine