Cherry Nana Oatmeal with Chocolate Nut Butter

I never expected cherries and bananas to complement each other so well, but they really do. The sweetness from the bananas brings out the flavor of the cherries, and that cherry infusion adds enough wow-factor that no cinnamon is necessary–and I rarely make a banana oatmeal with just fruit and vanilla extract!

What you’ll need:

• 3/4 cup milk of choice, or water*
• 1/4 cup quick cook steel cut oats*
• 1 ripe or overripe banana
• 5 or more fresh or frozen cherries, pitted and quartered
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp chocolate nut butter** (optional)

How to make it:

1. Bring milk to a low boil, add oats, and reduce heat to a simmer. (If you’d like to add a teaspoon of flax or chia seeds, do so now.)
2. Mash banana (reserve a bit for topping, if desired) and stir into the oatmeal. Stir in the quartered cherries as well.
3. Once more of the liquid has absorbed, add vanilla extract and salt to the oatmeal. Stir.
4. When you’re pleased with the consistency of the oatmeal, transfer to a bowl. Top with sliced bananas and more cherries, chocolate nut butter, and any other additional toppings (shredded coconut, nuts, etc.).

Just an FYI:

Truthfully, the base of this oatmeal is good enough on its own, and it can be made with just a handful of ingredients. However, given my fundamental need to have nut butter in my stomach on a daily basis, I added the chocolate nut butter. I have no regrets. Obviously, Dark Chocolate Dreams or Nutella or my Faux-reo Cookie PB2 would work great, but I had almond butter on hand, so that’s what I used.