Creamy Chocolate Oats

Finally got this recipe up on the blog! A lot of you have asked how I make my everyday chocolate oats (literally every single day) and now the wait is over. It's not a revolutionising recipe or anything, just a simple but dangerously delicious and addictive one. Once you're stuck with one breakfast, it's hard to make a change. And let me tell you, I have been stuck with these oats for quite some time now. Hopefully you guys have more will power and determination than I have... 

Topped with banana slices, a peanut butter sauce and raw cacao nibs

Ingredients:

- 1/2 cup oats 

- 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

- 1/4 cup water

- 3 fresh dates (30-35 g)

- 1 heaped tbsp cacao or cocoa powder (or a tiny bit less if you find the taste too strong or bitter)

- salt to taste

How to:

1. In a small pot over low heat, bring the oats, almond milk, water and salt to the boil and let simmer. Stir often so the oats don't stick to the bottom.
2. As the oats are cooking, prepare your date paste. Peel and pit the dates, this is easier if you have really fresh, gooey dates or have soaked the dates in hot water for about 10 minutes beforehand.
3. Place the peeled dates in an itty bitty bowl or glass and mash them with a splash of water until smooth. (I like to use a shot glass for this!)
4. Transfer the date paste into the pot and stir until it's been well incorporated into the oats. 
5. Add the cocoa powder and stir again.
6. Let simmer until you have reached desired consistency, then spoon up in a bowl, add toppings of your choice and serve immediately!

Pumpkin Pie Oats

As September progresses, it's gradually getting colder, the trees are changing colour and different kinds of pumpkins are starting to pop up here and there in the grocery stores. My favourite winter squash is the butternut squash; sweet, creamy and incredibly versatile! I promise to share my best pumpkin soup recipe with you in the future, but for now these pumpkin pie oats will have to do. They're well worth a try!

Pumpkin Pie Oats

1/2 cup oats

1 cup almond milk

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

3 tbsp puréed pumpkin or butternut squash

3-4 small dates, mashed or chopped or 1 tbsp liquid sweetener of choice

A pinch of salt

How to:
1. Add oats, almond milk and a dash of salt to a small saucepan and bring to the boil. 
2. Let simmer on a low heat for a few minutes until it has thickened up a bit. 
3. Add the pumpkin pie spice, pumpkin purée and dates and stir until they have been well incorporated. 
4. Cook for a few more minutes or until you've reached your desired consistency. pour the porridge into a bowl and top with yummy fruit, nuts or nut butter!

Creamy Chocolate Overnight Oats

I love to cook my oats on the stove top, the taste and texture really is superior to those of microwaved porridge, but, let's be honest here. Cooking them the traditional way does take a bit more time. Most mornings, that extra time doesn't bother me at all. I'm an early bird (ok, maybe not, but I'd like to think that I am. However, I always set my alarm to the-whole-world's-still-fast-asleep-why-are-you-up o'clock, so what difference does it make?) and I don't mind spending some more time making my breakfasts taste good. But there comes a time in every 17-year-old's life when all you want to do is sleep. Well, several periods of time to be precise. When getting ready for school seems as impossible a task as climbing the highest mountains and when dozing off, sprawled out on the couch at 3 p.m., becomes a habit rather than an exception.  For me, one of those lazy sleep-cycles has just emerged and most days I just want to remain horizontal for as long as I can. What to do with the morning oats then? The oh-so-simple answer is; have them prepared the night before! Genius!

So why haven't you seen more of these über quick breakfasts on my Instagram then? Well to be honest, I've never really liked them, except for a recipe I tried a few months ago, for carrot cake overnight oats (from one of my best Instagram friends Meghan's blog! Thanks Meghs!) which I really liked. But yesterday, I decided to make a recipe of my own, just so that I could stay in bed for a few more (precious) minutes. Turns out that this recipe was actually so good that I have to share it with you guys! So here goes, Creamy Chocolate Overnight Oats!

Recipe:

1/2 cup oats

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp. almond milk

1/4 cup plant-based yoghurt of choice

1 tbsp chia seeds

1-2 tbsp liquid sweetener of choice (I used about 2 tbsp of date purée)

1/2 tbsp cacao or unsweetened cocoa powder

A pinch of salt (optional, but I've found it really elevates the chocolate flavour)

How to:

1. Simply mix all of the ingredients in a bowl or a pretty jar, and stir until they're evenly combined. Put in the fridge for a few minutes, then take it out and stir again so that the chia seeds don't clump up. 

2. Let the oats sit in the fridge until they've thickened up, preferably overnight so you have your breakfast ready to go the next morning! Top with fresh fruit, nut butters or whatever you prefer. Eat, and relish the fact that you get to have chocolate for breakfast. Vegan, gluten-free, healthy and absolutely scrumptious chocolate oats.