Earl Grey Zucchini Oatmeal with Chocolate Hazelnut Butter

I haven’t made “zoats” in a while, so here we go.

What you’ll need:

• 2 tsp loose earl grey tea leaves
• 3/4 cup milk of choice, or more water*
• 1/3 cup grated yellow squash or (peeled) zucchini
• 1/4 cup quick cook steel cut oats*
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• optional sweetener, such as maple syrup, to taste
• 1-2 tbsp chocolate hazelnut butter, such as Justin’s

How to make it:

1. Place tea leaves in a tea infuser ball. Set milk in a saucepan over medium-high heat, and add tea.
2. Once it’s simmering, allow 5 minutes for the tea to infuse.
3. Remove tea infuser, and add zucchini and oats and return to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
4. Once more of the liquid has absorbed, add vanilla extract, salt, and optional sweetener.
5. When you’re pleased with the consistency of the oatmeal, transfer to a bowl. Add a splash of your milk of choice, the chocolate hazelnut butter, and any other desired toppings (such as chopped hazelnuts, fresh fruit, or coconut).

Just an FYI:

I got into earl grey tea through the London Fog, which is a drink I’ve noticed is becoming more popular throughout the country. (If you love London Fogs like I do, try my London Fog Oatmeal.)

This past spring, thanks to a few gifts from friends, I started drinking loose-leaf tea. Although loose-leaf teas are a bit of a hassle, they tend to have stronger, fresher flavor than the stuff in tea bags, and I suppose you could make the argument that they reduce waste (since you reuse the stainless steel tea infuser).

That stronger flavor makes them perfect for infusing oatmeal. Just like with my London Fog Oatmeal, I added grated zucchini to get a serving of vegetables fruit. Did you know zucchini is technically a fruit? (Disturbingly, Wikipedia describes zucchini as “the swollen ovary of the zucchini flower.” I hope that doesn’t ruin your appetite.)

I love Justin’s chocolate hazelnut butter. #notsponsored. It actually tastes like hazelnuts, unlike the more famous Nutella. And it has half the sugar. I think this nut butter has a pretty unique flavor, so I thought it would make a great complement to the subtle earthiness of the earl grey tea.

Random Recommendations:

• [people] follow @TheVeganRD and @TaylorWolframRD on Twitter for great, well-informed vegan nutrition info
• [eats] the matcha-flavored mochi from Trader Joe’s is delish, refreshing, and vegan