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Peanut butter and banana oats with apple pie, date caramel and blueberries

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A warm, filling breakfast with apple, cinnamon, ginger and lots of other great flavours.

Ingredients

For the caramel
1 cup apple cider
1t fresh ginger, grated and minced
1/4t dried, ground cinnamon (or to taste)
1/4 cup scant dried dates, pitted and chopped
1T water

For the oats
1/2 cup quick rolled oats
1/2 cup water
1/4t coarse sea salt
2 small bananas (about 1 scant cup)
1T unsweetened, unsalted peanut butter
1/4 cup blueberries
Sea salt to taste

Optional: 1t maca powder

Directions

Start the caramel, then the oats. Whisk the spices with the apple cider. In a small saucepan over medium low heat, reduce the cider mixture to about to 2-3T syrup.
The reduction will take about 20 minutes, but it depends on the pan and the heat. When the cider has reduced to 1/4 cup and stir until it has reduced to a syrup and caramelized. Be careful to not scorch the apple cider at the end.

While the cider reduces, start the oats. In a small sauce pan with a lid bring the water to a light boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook until the water has been absorbed.
Puree the banana until smooth. Add the peanut butter and stir to combine. Add the mixture to the oats and stir to combine. Cover, and over low heat, simmer another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside a few minutes to cool.

When the cider has caramelized, combine with the dates and the water. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add the maca to the oats if you’ll be using it and stir to combine.
Spoon out the oats into an appropriate dish. Add 2T caramel to the oats and stir to marble and top with the remainder. Add the blueberries and enjoy!

Chocolate oat fudge brownie with date caramel, cashew cream frosting

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A simple treat with no added sugar, salt or oil, no baking, and just 6 ingredients.

Ingredients

2/3 cup packed soft, dried dates, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup and 1T unsweetened plant milk (I use soy)
2T cashew butter
3T cocoa powder (I used a fairly trade, Dutch process brand)
1 1/4 cup quick rolled oats, separated
1 cup water

Optional: A pinch salt or a tiny pinch red chili with the oats, or a little white miso with the cashew mixture will bring out the other flavours. You can use other nut butters, but cashew is naturally sweet. Add a little mashed banana to the oats for additional sweetener if you like. Quadruple the recipe for a 9″ x 13″ dish.

Method

Let the dates soak in the 1/2 cup plant milk for about 10 minutes while you make the oats. Warm the plant milk if you’re using a less powerful immersion blender.

In a small sauce pan with a lid, toast 1 cup oats on medium heat for 2 – 3 minutes until they are lightly toasted. Add the water, cover and simmer for 5 – 8 minutes (follow the instructions for your oats) until the water has been absorbed.

Remove from heat. Add the cocoa powder. Stir to combine. Add the remaining 1/4 cup oats. Puree until mostly smooth. Set aside to cool.

Add the cashew butter to the dates and plant milk. Puree smooth. Let rest 2 – 3 minutes. Puree again. Add about 2/3 mixture to the oats and stir to combine.

Press the oat mixture into a 3″ x 9″ glass baking dish. Add the remaining 1T plant milk to the cashew mixture and stir to combine.

Frost the pressed oats with remaining cashew mixture (it will be creamy but will thicken as it cools). Chill uncovered for 1 hour. Cover loosely. Chill over night to setup. Cut and serve when ready.