Happy Monday Lovelies! I thought we would start the week with a great batch of oatmeal. Last week I posted the Strawberry Banana Oatmeal recipe; this week, our flavors are cherry and cacao, which both offer numerous health benefits. Sweet cherries are high in potassium, which helps to keep fluids balanced in the body and offset the blood pressure-raising effects of sodium. They are also packed with anthocyanins (check out this article), beta carotene, and vitamin C. Cacao nibs (cacao beans that have been roasted, separated from their husks, and broken into smaller pieces), are packed with magnesium (helping with muscle and nerve function), iron (necessary for red blood cell production), and antioxidants (counteracting free radical damage in the body). If you don’t have cacao nibs, you can substitute chocolate chips (get non-dairy to keep this recipe vegan).
Have a wonderful week!
- 1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 banana, thinly sliced
- 3/4 cup fresh cherries, pitted and chopped
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp almond extract
- 2 tsp cacao nibs
- optional: a few drops liquid stevia to sweeten
- In a small saucepan, combine oats, milk, and banana over medium heat.
- Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5-8 minutes until mixture thickens. Use fork to mash banana into oats.
- When oats are close to being done, add in 1/2 cup of cherries, vanilla extract, almond extract, and stevia (if using), stir.
- Remove from heat, pour oats into serving bowl.
- Top with remaining cherries and cacao nibs.
yum!!
xxoo,
nikki
http://www.dream-in-neon.com