When I’m thinking of what to have for breakfast, I keep thinking of how I want my bowl to look different than the past one thousand shots I’ve shared with the world. If you’ve been reading and double-tapping my Instagrams since the beginning, you’ll know I’m a huge fan of Purely Elizabeth granola and I love sweet potatoes. Don’t get me wrong, I still love both of those but in 2016, I want to branch away from my usual dishes and start creating some new recipes. Even if I’m just re-making ones I grab from my favorite bloggers, I need something NEW.
A huge problem I have with changing up what I eat is convenience and flavor. For one, I know I love the taste of sweet starchy veggies rather than say, eggplant and green beans. Same goes for wanting bananas and apples over oranges and melons. But I’m starting and hoping to bring new foods into my life this year. The other night, for example, when I was craving a banana and nut butter, I opted for some canteloupe instead. Branching out can really feel good let me tell you.
Despite the fall season passing, my love for apples, cinnamon and all of the spice-filled granolas sticks with me year-round and it’s something I like to have every now and then even when it’s warm out. I’ve always been a fuji or honey crisp girl but the other day, opals were on sale and WOW. I don’t think I’ve ever craved a piece of fruit more since I took my first bite. They have a mild sweetness and are not as harsh as honey crisp. Believe you me, I bought a whole bag of ’em and I don’t think I’ll be seeing honey crisp anytime soon.
So in hopes of switching up my day to day routine and trying to branch out more, I’m bringing you a twist on my favorite basic morning oats featuring opal apples, figs and Whole Foods’ house made granola that is filled with raisins and sweetened with apple sauce. While the rest of the world is hooked on dates for a natural sweetener, I have been loving figs for the past year. When I was younger, Fig Newtons were always the go-to cookie of choice in my house.
Now, I’m taking a healthier alternative by throwing the real deal figs in my oats instead thanks to the babes over at BodyOM.
- ½ cup of oats
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp maca powder
- 1 tbsp cashew butter (I use Woodstock Foods brand)
- 1 opal apple, diced
- 1 small fig, cut into ¼ths
- ⅓ cup cashew milk (I used my homemade vanilla recipe)
- ⅓ cup Whole Foods homemade granola (or your own)
- Begin by cooking your oats with water in the microwave (or over the stove until thick) for 2-3 minutes.
- Take out and mix in 1 tsp maca for extra energy for the morning, followed by your nut butter, apple and fig. Leave half of the oatmeal visible without toppings.
- Next, pour your granola on the side where the oatmeal is showing and then pour cashew (or any other nut milk) milk over top so it is somewhat like cereal.
- Grab a spoon and enjoy!
This has everything I want in an oatmeal bowl and more. Sweetness, crunch and creaminess.
I’m sure you’ll feel the same way if you love sweet fruits and need your sugar fix in the morning. If so, this is a much better alternative to a bowl of cereal but more unique than a smoothie.
Leaving your apple, figs and nut butter to the side to make way for the granola is CRUCIAL because then you have a little hole to dump your granola into. The milk also will stay mostly right underneath the granola rather than floating all over the place.
I hope you enjoy this just as much as I do!
-Addie
