{Recipe} Cinnamon Banana Oatmeal with Dark Chocolate / Matcha Peanut Butter

After having oatmeal for years, I have come to realize a few things that make them extra creamy (& dreamy):

(drizzled with dark chocolate)

1. Milk - whatever type you like! If vegan, you can choose almond/soy/coconut milk etc :)

2. Bananas - they act as a sweetener as well as a thickener when they disintegrate. I like to add them in towards the end so that chunks of banana remain ;)

3. Chia seeds - these super seeds absorb water to form a gelatinous structure, hence providing fibre at the same time!

4. Vigorous stirring after removing from heat - somehow it breaks down the oats further and forms a smooth creamy bowl of goodness

*I'm not a fan of adding sugar to my breakfasts but I can't deny it makes the entire bowl so much nicer hahaha. Try using coconut sugar if you can not just because of it's nutty fragrance, but also because it does have higher vitamins & minerals than normal sugar, as well as a lower glycemic index which means it doesn't spike up your blood sugar :)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup whole rolled oats

1/2 cup milk (any kind)

1/2 large banana - cut into slices/mashed into chunks

2-3 tsp coconut sugar (or brown sugar, honey etc)

half a banana - cut into slices/mashed into chunks

1 tsp chia seeds

1-2 tsp cinnamon 

Method:

1. In a small pot, heat rolled oats, milk, water and sugar over medium heat.

2. As the mixture boils, stir continuously and vigorously for as long as you can ;)

3. Feel free to add water/milk to your desired consistency. Do note that the oatmeal will thicken up as it cools.

4. Remove from heat and stir vigorously for about 15 seconds?

5. Add in bananas & chia seeds and stir to combine! Try not to break down all the bananas so that a few chunks remain :)

6. Transfer to a bowl and let it cool for awhile before digging in. Meanwhile, sprinkle your favourite toppings on top ^^

 (that dollop of matcha PB, yum)

I love sprinkling tons of cinnamon for that spike in my tastebuds ;) Not to mention, cinnamon helps in your metabolism too :) 

If running out of time, microwaving for 2-3minutes in 30s intervals works too! That said, cooking over the stovetop yields better texture imo :)

x