With all of this rainy weather I want to do nothing more than curl up in a fuzzy blanket with a collagen latte and big bowl of oatmeal to binge watch YouTube videos and Hulu every morning. While it's not the best for my productivity levels it does give me that warm, full feeling I need to take on the day no matter how gloomy.
Lately I haven't been drinking coffee as much as usual and have been replacing it with a vanilla oat milk collagen matcha latte. I used 1 cup liquid: half homemade oat cashew milk + half water, 1 scoop of VP matcha collagen (affiliate link), and 1-2 tbsp vanilla vegan protein (been loving this Designer Protein). I blend it in my Vitamix and then serve it over ice. It tastes like a vanilla milkshake and makes me so energized without feeling jittery. While I do love this drink and will be trying my best to not go back to drinking 2-3 cups of joe a day (#moderation), I don't think I'll ever be able to cut coffee completely out of my diet. Partly because it gives me lots of energy, and partly because I love every aspect of it: the smell, the taste, the ritual of preparing a hot or iced latte.
When I smelled my mom's coffee this morning and found myself craving a cup but already caffeinated from my matcha I had the idea to compromise and include the coffee in my breakfast. That way it wasn't on an empty stomach so I could avoid the stomach troubles and jitters I often would get from consuming too much caffeine with no food. I immediately remembered my favorite latte recipe (Salted Caramel Mocha Almond) and decided to make it into a bowl of oatmeal because that's what sounded good. Thus this recipe was born.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (4 fl oz) chilled coffee (I used a Livanto espresso pod. I also love Chameleon Cold Brew)
1/2 cup plant based milk (I used homemade oat cashew milk)
1/3 cup rolled oats
1 tbsp cacao/cocoa powder (I used Philosophie Love Cacao Magic)
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp ground flax seeds
1/2 banana, mashed (sub: 1/4 cup apple sauce)
1 tsp vanilla
Cinnamon to taste
Sea salt to taste
Toppings: banana slices + almond butter (Georgia Grinders is my favorite, I used it here) + chopped dark chocolate (I used Montezuma's from Trader Joe's. I also love Lily's and Hu Kitchen) + chopped almonds + honey or maple syrup (what I used) + sea salt
Recipe:
In a small pan bring coffee + milk to a boil
In a bowl combine oats + cacao powder + chia seeds + flaxseeds + cinnamon + sea salt and stir
When your liquid is boiling add your oat mixture to it, reduce to a simmer, and stir immediately (I like using a rubber spatula to keep the oats #thicc). Then cover and let sit
After about one minute of cooking add vanilla to your oats and stir again
Let the oats cook for a couple more minutes then add in 1/2 mashed banana, stir it in until combined, and cover
After the oats and banana have absorbed all the liquid (the whole process only takes 5-10 minutes tops) remove them from the heat and let them sit one more minute
Finally transfer them from the stove into a bowl and go to town on the toppings. I'll break down how I did the styling on this bowl in the next and final step
First I layered my banana slices on half of my bowl. Second I added a big spoonful of almond butter to the middle of my bowl. Third I chopped up a couple squares of dark chocolate and sprinkled them on the other half of my bowl. Fourth I added a sprinkle of sea salt to my chocolate for flavor and garnish. Fifth I chopped up some almonds for garnish over my banana slices. Sixth I drizzled honey over my entire bowl in a swirl motion starting in the middle with the almond butter and working my way outwards.
This bowl was seriously the most decadent, filling breakfast I've had in a long time. I also loved it because it was sweet due to all the fruit, cacao, honey, etc. but also had savory elements thanks to the bitterness of the dark chocolate and sea salt. I personally always need sweet and savory in a meal to be mentally and physically satisfied so this really hit the spot. If you want some vegetables in it you could add riced cauliflower to your oats but I honestly just forgot. Either way I promise it'll satisfy any craving you've got whether it be chocolate, caramel, salty, or coffee. Start your morning the right way and don't forget to tag me or DM me a picture on Instagram if you make these. Have an awesome day!