Caramelized Banana Breakfast Bowl

Most mornings, you'll find me reaching for eggs and a slice of sourdough. But on the off day I’m craving comfort, this oatmeal bowl really does it for me. Creamy oats, silky cacao chia pudding, vanilla bean yogurt, caramelized bananas, and maple-toasted walnuts come together for a breakfast that feels wholesome and indulgent at the same time. Don’t skip the nuts! They soak up all the banana caramelly goodness in the pan that would be a crime to leave behind.

PREP TIME: 20 minutes

Ingredients (1 servings)

For the cacao chia pudding:

• 3 tbsp chia seeds

• ¾ cup coconut milk

• 1 tbsp cacao powder

• 2 tsp maple

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

  (This will make more than you need, but save it for later and eat with some berries)

For the vanilla bean yogurt:

• ¼ cup yogurt

• pinch of vanilla bean powder (I use Lafaza Pure Vanilla Bean Powder)

• dash of maple

For the creamy oatmeal:

• ½ cup oats

• 1 cup milk of choice*

• 1 tsp maple

• pinch of salt

• pinch of vanilla bean powder

  *sometimes I mix milk with a bit of water if I don’t want overly creamy oats

For the caramalized banana and candied walnuts:

• 2-3 tbsp maple

• 1 tbsp salted butter

• 1 banana

• handful of toasted walnuts

Optional add-ons:

• hemp seeds

• nut butter (tahini, almond butter, etc.)

• berry compote

• cacao nibs

• cinnamon

Step 1: Cacao Chia Pudding

1. Blend all ingredients for 30 seconds. A blended chia pudding has a much silkier, chocolate-mousse texture compared to a traditional chia pudding. It’s my personal preference for layered breakfast bowls. Plus, it helps the seeds absorb water quickly, makes the omega-3s and antioxidants more bioavailable, and the fiber easier to digest. So its a win/win/win.

2. Set aside while you continue with steps 2 & 3, which I do simultaneously.

Step 2: Creamy Oatmeal

1. In a small saucepan, combine ingredients and bring to a low simmer for 5-6 minutes until thickened. Don’t be tempted to cook off all the liquid. It will continue to evaporate and absorb while it is off heat. It’s not as pretty to plate if it gets dry and clumpy. You can always add a splash more milk or water if that happens.

2. Keep it covered if your oatmeal finishes before step 3.

Step 3: Caramalized Banana & Candied Walnuts

1. Melt butter in warm pan with maple. I prefer a cast iron for better temperature control. You want to avoid high heat or you’ll burn the sugar, but too low and you won’t get the deep caramelization of the banana. A pale and soggy banana is very sad trust me.

2. Cook the bananas cut side down in the maple butter on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Avoid flipping them early. It’s like searing meat in a way. The more you disturb, the less even browning you will get. Flip and cook a couple minutes on the other side.

3. Remove the bananas and immediate toss the walnuts into the caramel leftover in the pan and quickly coat and warm the walnuts. About 1 minute is all it needs!

Step 4: Assembly

1. Spoon oatmeal into a bowl. Top with yogurt, cacao chia pudding, bananas, walnuts, drizzle of nut butter, sprinkle of hemp seeds, dusting of cinnamon, and a pinch of finishing salt.

2. Enjoy!