Nutella and banana is, I feel, the classic Nutella combination. We have a place in Newcastle that sells freshly made Nutella and banana crepes, and they're pretty much the only sweet ones I see anyone purchase, ever. But you know where this combination works even better? In baked oatmeal. First thing in the morning, when you can just feel a good day ahead, and so want breakfast to kick it off right. Or when you have the feeling today will be an absolute piss take, and you at least want breakfast to go right.
The Nutella flavour comes from combining Meridian's hazelnut butter (this was my own jar, although Meridian kindly sent me one as a gift after reading my post of my nut butter collection: http://ecstaticallyem.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/my-nut-butter-collection.html ) , and unsweetened cocoa powder. You then get a sweet flavour, and moist creamy texture, from the banana. Oats fill you up, the banana slices on top caramelise slightly, the cocoa gives you a buzz, and all combine to generally make you feel as if you could take on the world. Or at least run for the bus. Spoons at the ready guys and gals...
Ingredients
- 40g porridge oats (NOT THE SACHETS. Proper oats okay, they cost about 70p for a 1kg bag from Asda guys, come on)
- 1/4tsp baking powder
- 1/3cup milk of choice (I opted for Alpro coconut rice milk)
- Pinch of cinnamon (stabilises the blood sugar, boosts the metabolism, tastes great, and all that jazz)
- 1/2tsp vanilla essence
- 1 large banana
- 2tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1tbsp hazelnut butter + 1tsp to top
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200*c (190*c if you have a fan oven)
- Take the banana and slice off 5 circles for decoration; put to one side. In a large dish mash the rest of the banana until smooth.
- Into this same dish add the oats, baking powder, milk, cinnamon (just a little pinch), vanilla, cocoa powder, and 1tbsp hazelnut butter. Beat together until well combined.
- Pour into an oven proof dish, and top with the banana slices. Place into the oven for 22 minutes, until crisp on top.
- Remove from the oven and allow to sit for two minutes, just so as you don't burn yourself. Then top with the 1tsp of hazelnut butter, and enjoy...
Labels: baked oatmeal, banana, breakfast, cocoa, comfort food, Food, hazelnut butter, healthy, healthy recipe, meridian, Nutella, oats, student
