It’s super common to top oatmeal with maple syrup or a pinch of brown sugar. For an extra special twist, caramel sauce is truly a treat.
What you’ll need:
- 3/4 cup milk of choice, or water
- 1/4 cup quick cook steel cut oats (I used BetterOats)
- 1 ripe or overripe banana
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- caramel sauce, for topping (I used a vegan caramel-flavored agave)
- handful of walnuts, for topping (whole, halved, or chopped–it’s up to you)
How to make it:
- Bring liquid to a boil, add oats, and reduce heat to medium. (If you’d like to add flax or chia seeds, do so now. I recommend flax.)
- Mash up banana and add to the oatmeal. Stir. Let cook for a few minutes, continuing to stir occasionally.
- After a couple minutes, stir in vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.
- When you’re pleased with the consistency of the oatmeal, transfer to a bowl. Serve with a drizzle of caramel sauce and a handful of walnuts, and any other additional toppings (shredded coconut, nuts, etc.).
I actually made this recipe once before, but with pecans. It didn’t get posted. You know why it didn’t get posted? Because my cat jumped on top of the table and knocked down all my props for the photoshoot, as well as the oatmeal itself, shattering the mason jar and spilling gooey oatmeal all over the floor. #ThanksTipsy
I guess I was super bitter about it because I had no desire to remake it and do it all over again. Until now!
Recently, I was with my vegan friends at Little Choc Apothecary, which is an all-vegan crêperie in Williamsburg (Brooklyn). As you can see from this picture I took over a year ago, it’s THE REAL DEAL.
Anyway, at this recent get-together, a friend ordered a sweet crêpe with bananas, caramel sauce (vegan!!), and walnuts. She insisted that we all try it because it was so gosh darn amazing, and I must say, she was right. It only took me three seconds for my brain to jump to oatmeal. 🙂
As with all of my caramel recipes, it’s important for you to find a caramel sauce you enjoy. Unpleasant caramel leads to unpleasant oatmeal. I use a caramel-flavored agave sauce that I found on Amazon. Truthfully, I don’t love it, but for convenience’s sake, it’s a decent option. You can also make your own (google “date caramel” or “coconut milk caramel,” for example). If you’re not vegan, you obviously have a wealth of easier options to choose from.
As I said before, originally I created this with pecans. That was great. But I must say, the walnuts are even better. So in a way, Tipsy did me a favor by putting that recipe on hold until I had the walnut idea. Soooo… #ThanksTipsy
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