Recipes
Black Forest Chocolate Cake Smoothie Bowl
This rich and decadent smoothie bowl is the perfect combination of cherry, almond, and chocolate for a satisfying treat that also makes for a balanced, nutritious, meal option…
As the weather starts to change again (which I am very sad about because I missed nearly all winter in Australia because I was visiting my family), you crave cold things with warm flavors sometimes. Like tiramisu gelato and amaretto cherries. This is that. This is my love for cherry and almond flavored anything in a sweet frozen treat. Even better, this treat is a balanced meal that’s high in protein and wonderful fats from the avocado and nut butter. For more protein, though, you can add a chocolate protein powder, or, my go-to, collagen powder.
I wanted to address the elephant in the room. I know many of us don’t love banana in smoothies and smoothie bowls that aren’t all about banana. I get it, it can be really overpowering. That being said, it’s an amazingly creamy and sweet frozen fruit, and it just can’t even come close to dominating in here under all that rich flavor from the chocolate and the almond. Frozen cherries add a bright tartness that cuts through the sweetness and the richness, and all the yummy fats from the nut butter and the avocado make this even creamier and even more frozen-custard like.
This is probably my new favorite way to make a smoothie bowl and I find it so satisfying too. The only two ingredients that might not be staples in your kitchen are the frozen cherries and frozen avocado. It’s worth stocking your freezer with some just to whip this up, basically year-round. Pair it with a delicious vanilla yogurt and some stewed frozen cherries and you have a decadent dessert that doubles as a nutritious meal!
Black Forest Smoothie Bowl
Ingredients
Instructions
Nutrition Facts
Calories
501.06Fat
19.31Sat. Fat
3.47Carbs
81.97Fiber
16.59Net carbs
65.39Sugar
47.95Protein
12.61Sodium
131.15Cholesterol
5.2
Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie Bowl
This dessert-y smoothie bowl makes the perfect refreshing breakfast full of healthy fats and fiber…
Bringing you a polarizing smoothie bowl this week. Mint and chocolate is not a combo that appeals to everyone, but if you do enjoy it, this is a refreshing break from the standard smoothie bowl flavors. Nothing wrong with a berry flavored bowl, or a tropical one, but every once in a while, something chocolatey and dessert-y is very welcome.
This smoothie bowl is not banana-free, for those of you who find banana to be very overpowering in a smoothie bowl. Because of the mint in this, the banana isn’t super noticeable in this. I would try it as is, and if you still don’t love the banana, swap it for some mango.
As with all smoothie bowls, use as many frozen ingredients as possible and go easy on the water. A good blender is recommended, and if your blender doesn’t come with a tamper, take a break every once in a while to smoosh everything down with a spoon. It’s a little bit of effort without the tamper, but it’s still worth it.
Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie Bowl
Ingredients
Instructions
Nutrition Facts
Calories
305.02Fat
11.52Sat. Fat
4.62Carbs
45.37Fiber
9.3Net carbs
36.07Sugar
22.39Protein
7.24Sodium
39.63Cholesterol
0
Blueberry Smoothie Bowl
This berry popsicle-inspired smoothie bowl is a refreshing and nutritious option for a summer breakfast or snack…
This smoothie bowl recipe is another go-to for me, alongside my Ocean Bowl. It’s banana-less, which is my usual preference, and the berry powder in this adds an almost candy-like quality to this bowl.
I love this bowl after a summer hike or a walk on the beach. It’s refreshing, hydrating, and filling. Best of all, it’s fairly easy to make and the main ingredients keep for a long time, so you can always have them on hand. To make it more filling, you could add a scoop of protein powder or collagen powder.
This recipe is super simple, the only frills are the powders which are totally optional! I added blue spirulina in this to give it a deeper purple hue, but in addition to almost all the other ingredients in this bowl, spirulina is a powerful antioxidant. Mangoes, blueberries, and açaí are great sources of vitamin C and antioxidants.
Antioxidants are important for neutralizing free radicals in the body. Oxidative stress, which can occur from pollution, excessive exercise, inflammation, certain foods like artificial sweeteners, and even mitochondrial activity, occurs when free radicals are not processed efficiently by the body. Oxidative stress has been linked to many diseases and health conditions. That’s why it’s important to try to minimize the production of free radicals in the body, and it’s also important to consume a diet rich in antioxidants.
Berry Smoothie Bowl
Ingredients
Instructions
Nutrition Facts
Calories
495.13Fat
12.91Sat. Fat
1.14Carbs
94.53Fiber
24.13Net carbs
70.4Sugar
60.35Protein
10.2Sodium
47.4Cholesterol
0
Banana Nut Steel-Cut Oats
These protein powder-free high-protein oats are refined sugar-free, delicious, and comforting. Topped with caramelized banana and your choice of nuts or seeds…
To conclude the 6 Weeks of Oats event, I thought I’d share what I thought of as being the ultimate form of the classic bowl of oatmeal. I wanted to bring out all the best features of a bowl of oatmeal. The creaminess, the coziness, and the comfort. Truthfully, what makes oats so plain and boring most of the time is the lack of time and care that’s put into them.
While I know that 15 minutes of cook-time for a bowl of oatmeal is asking a lot from those of you who have gotten used to the ease of quick oats, steel-cut oats are more than worth it. What’s even better, the 15 minutes start almost as soon as you choose to make these. Throw the oats on the stove and use the rest of the time to make your coffee and prep whatever toppings you’d like to go on top of your bowl of oatmeal.
For the ultimate oatmeal recipe I had to figure out a few components: nutritional value, ease, flavor, and texture. The usual bowl of oatmeal generally consists of oats, milk or water, some fruit, and maple syrup or honey. The most common choice of oats being rolled oats, because of its lower cook-time and versatile nature. As for the fruit, people seem to generally like to top their oats with bananas, berries, or both. It’s classic, it’s good, nothing wrong with it. High fiber breakfast with lots of micronutrients from the fruit. It could be better, though. I wanted to add protein and fats to this classic and use steel-cut oats, which is better for your blood sugar.
I don’t love protein powders, they’re usually very heavily sweetened and flavored and I don’t like the restriction that comes with that. So, normally, I use collagen powder as my choice of protein powder. Not for this recipe, though. Eggs are accessible, affordable, and very high in protein. Plus, you can’t taste them at all in this recipe! We’re only using egg whites in this recipe, but you can save your yolks for some fried rice, Crème Brûlée, hollandaise sauce, and you can even try out the viral salt-cured egg yolks everyone’s grating on top of their pastas.
So, with the egg whites, this recipe becomes a lot more satiating and balanced. The egg whites also add to the creaminess of the oats, but they don’t do much in terms of flavor. The breakfast combo that stood out to me the most from my childhood, whether it was on top of my cereal, my pancakes, or my bread, was always bananas, nuts, and honey or maple syrup (honey for most things, maple syrup for pancakes). Nuts also have the added benefit of providing healthy fats in this recipe.
Creamy Banana-Nut Protein Oats
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
- To make these oats vegan, substitute the egg whites for your favorite plant-based protein powder.
- You can make the caramelized banana with or without the coconut sugar, but it's important to use a ripe banana if you choose not to add any sugar.
- The ripeness of your bananas will also determine how sweet the oats turn out, if needed, add in honey or maple syrup at the end to sweeten them to your liking.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
493.78Fat
20.16Sat. Fat
4.83Carbs
62.32Fiber
9.12Net carbs
53.22Sugar
21.13Protein
20.59Sodium
117.72Cholesterol
178.32
Tiramisu Overnight Oats
This decadent breakfast option tastes just like the well-loved Italian dessert, while being refined sugar-free and balanced. Who wouldn’t love an easy delicious dessert for breakfast?
This one needs no introduction. Who doesn’t love the classic flavors of coffee and mascarpone in a delicious Italian tiramisu? Plus, why turn down the opportunity to caffeinate on-the-go. Your balanced breakfast, your shot of espresso, and your dessert all in one jar!
I’ve been seeing a lot of tiramisu overnight oat recipes on social media lately, and I figured surely everyone is onto something great here. Tiramisu is probably my favorite dessert, but just in case I’m forgetting about something else, I’ll say it’s in my top 5. These oats replicate that decadence very, very well, especially if you opt for the mascarpone option. This tip isn’t in the recipe, it’s a body text exclusive: add some vanilla bean paste (or vanilla essence) and a dash of maple syrup to the mascarpone-yogurt combo.
These oats are naturally high in protein from the yogurt and cheese, but I always like to add protein powder to my overnight oats too. I like unflavored collagen protein, and that would be my recommendation for all of my recipes, to be completely honest. It’s currently not a very accessible option for vegans and vegetarians, so if you have a favorite vanilla protein powder, I would use that here and I would also probably skip the maple syrup.
What I love about these oats is that the smell and the appearance get you really far before you’ve even tasted it. Every time I make this, I’m pretty convinced that I’ve made a tiramisu. Now, I won’t lie and say this will rival the best tiramisu you’ve ever had (although, depending on your personal taste you might prefer this one). The only thing that will taste 100% like an authentic tiramisu will be… well, an authentic tiramisu. This comes super close, though, for a bowl of oats, you will not be disappointed. Especially considering this is lower in sugar, and higher in fiber, but I’m not sure if it’s higher in protein on account of the egg yolks that normally go into a tiramisu.
If you follow my tip above for the yogurt-mascarpone cream, it will make it a little extra special and decadent. Use your favorite coffee and a good unsweetened cocoa powder and thank me later.
Tiramisu Overnight Oats
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
- To make these vegan, use a plant-based yogurt and omit the mascarpone cheese.
- If you don't have unsweetened cocoa powder on hand, shave some of your favorite dark chocolate on top instead.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
424.82Fat
17.95Sat. Fat
7.95Carbs
53.35Fiber
8.22Net carbs
45.11Sugar
19.64Protein
13.41Sodium
93.94Cholesterol
33.54Nutritional value for oats may vary greatly depending on choice of yogurt and milk. Value calculated with two tablespoons of maple syrup and without the addition of the protein powder, as values can vary greatly from powder to powder.
Matcha White Chocolate Baked Oats
Combine your morning caffeine with your breakfast for healthy, clean energy that keeps you calm and feeling good all through lunch—plus, why not wrap it all neatly in a dessert-like package? This recipe features lots of matcha. plus some matcha white chocolate for a refined sugar-free, gluten free, nutritious and make-ahead friendly breakfast option that is sure to brighten your morning
I don’t think, at this stage, it’s any surprise that I love matcha. It started when I was maybe 13, being tempted by the pretty, green frappuccino. That icy sugary concoction was the gateway to my obsession with throwing matcha powder into everything. I’m marrying, in this recipe, two of my matcha creations. Because, when it comes to matcha, more is more. I’m talking about a delicious matcha baked oats situation, with matcha chocolate drizzled on top. If you’re not there yet, though, don’t worry, just use regular white chocolate instead.
Let’s talk about the matcha white chocolate first: I first decided to make this for Valentine’s day. I played around with some vegan, refined-sugar free white chocolate, adding different quantities of matcha to it until I found the right taste. I used some of it to make chocolate-covered strawberries. The rest, I snacked on like it was my favorite candy bar. To be completely honest with you, it’s up there.
The matcha chocolate is very easy to make if you know how to melt chocolate, which you can do in a double boiler, or even easier, a microwave. I personally prefer the double boiler method, which I detail in this instagram post about the matcha chocolate-covered strawberries. Not that obsessed with matcha? No problem, this recipe will turn out delicious whether you go for the matcha chocolate or just your favorite white chocolate.
So, about the baked oats: When I first tried baked oats, I found them very dense and rich in most recipes. They’re very dessert-y in that way, so I think it’s important to cut through that richness with some fruit. I’m also a huge advocate for throwing in a serve or two of your five a day into your breakfast! Some of my favorite pairings with matcha are raspberries, coconut, and mango. If you lean into the flavor from the coconut oil, fresh mango and shaved coconut would be perfect toppings for this. Especially if you use a refined sugar-free white chocolate sweetened with coconut sugar, like I did for this recipe. The raspberry version and the tropical coconut-y version both present slightly different variations on this delicious breakfast option, that you can prep the night before.
Matcha White Chocolate Baked Oats
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
- To make this recipe vegan, replace the egg with one flax egg, which is one tablespoon flaxseed meal and three tablespoons of water, left to thicken for 15-30 minutes
- You can also substitute the honey in this recipe for maple syrup
- To make this recipe gluten-free, make sure you use gluten-free oats
- You can replace the coconut oil with butter or avocado oil
- To make greasing your pans and dishes easier, buy an oil spray—my favorite is a non-aerosol avocado oil
- Almond extract is a touch controversial (at least among my friends) but adding the tiniest bit of almond extract to this (1/4 teaspoon) adds something a little extra
- This makes two servings and can be reheated the next morning in the oven, covered with aluminum foil, for about 15 minutes
- To make the matcha chocolate vegan, use vegan white chocolate
Nutrition Facts
Calories
365.6Fat
13.8Sat. Fat
8.03Carbs
51.92Fiber
6.08Net carbs
45.83Sugar
22.25Protein
10.53Sodium
183.55Cholesterol
89.17Nutritional information calculated excluding white chocolate which may vary greatly depending on type, quantity used, and individual ingredients.
Breakfast Burrito Bowl Steel-Cut Oats
These spicy, zesty oats borrow from classic Mexican flavors to make an unexpected breakfast option that is sure to brighten your Monday morning
As promised in my first 6 Weeks of Oats post, here is a savory oats recipe. Two things to address here: the savory component, and my choice of oats. If you’ve never tried savory oats before, trust me, it works! Like any other grain, oats are pretty neutral. A blank canvas. Like rice, you could dress them up with spicy and savory elements (like a delicious pilaf) or you could make them into a decadent dessert (like rice pudding).
I don’t know about you, but one of the most annoying parts of having a traditional bowl of oatmeal for me is how warm, sweet, and thick it is. Those things aren’t bad by any means, but when combined together, for something as substantial as a meal, it becomes too rich for me. Using stock instead of milk helps to cut through the richness of oats. The zesty lime helps too.
Let’s address my choice of oats. I always have rolled oats and steel-cut oats in my pantry. Rolled oats are perfect for overnight oats or for blending into oat flour for your baking needs. I just can’t get behind the texture (or lack thereof) once you cook the oats. At the cost of adding just a few more minutes to your cook time, steel-cut oats give you a much nicer texture that never feels boring, but still provides you with that comforting richness.
Here’s my pitch: We love a good breakfast burrito. We love a good burrito bowl. Why not make a breakfast burrito bowl on oats, though, instead of rice? It’s yummy, it’s satiating, it’s highly nutritious, and it can be prepped in advance to cut down on time. Additionally, if you don’t already have all the spices needed (or if you can’t be bothered with mixing a bunch of spices in the morning), a sachet of store-bought taco seasoning mix will do the trick!
Breakfast Burrito Bowl Steel-Cut Oats
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
- Soak the onion or shallot slices in some cold water while you prep the rest of the ingredients to remove the bite and make them more breakfast-friendly.
- To make this vegan, replace the eggs with a tofu scramble or add black beans to the salsa.
- You can replace the stock in this recipe with a bouillon cube and some water.
- To elevate this recipe, use fresh garlic (1-2 cloves depending on how garlicky you like it) instead of the garlic powder going into the oats. To avoid the extra bite that would come from this, cook the garlic with the rest of the oat components for 15 minutes, instead of adding it in at the end.
- Toasting the spices prior to adding them into the oat mixture will really bring out the flavors. Something to consider if you have the extra time to spend on this.
- Also for when you might have more time, charring the corn in the salsa makes a huge difference.
- Alternatively, to save time and prep this ahead, you can prep the salsa and the oats in advance (the oats and salsa will both keep in the fridge for around 5 days), and reheat in the morning with a couple of tablespoons of water.
- Hard-boiled eggs can be safely kept in the fridge for up to 7 days, to save even more time in the morning.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
350.07Fat
17.23Sat. Fat
3.23Carbs
37.61Fiber
7.94Net carbs
32.83Sugar
6.92Protein
15.75Sodium
261.63Cholesterol
167.28
Blueberry Lemon Poppy Seed Baked Oats
These dairy-free, refined sugar-free baked oats have the classic flavors of a blueberry lemon poppy seed muffin, elevated by a lemon-vanilla yogurt and some stewed blueberries, making this a healthy, yet decadent, breakfast option that will make your whole house smell like lemons and vanilla…
I have some big-ish news! Starting this week, I will be posting a new oat recipe every Monday for six weeks. That’s six creative and delicious (not to mention very easy) oat recipes.
I’ve got recipes coming up for baked oats, overnight oats, and even savory oats, so there’s something for everyone—even if you don’t like oats. Take me, for example, I really didn’t get the hype around oats. The texture, flavor, and all-around rich and dense mouthfeel really didn’t appeal to me. That being said, the idea of oats always sounded really good to me, health-wise, and I do like the flavor of oats in the right context. So these are going to be, naturally, me-approved recipes, but that means a little bit more in this context: if you like oats, I’m sure you’ll love these recipes. If you don’t like oats, I know at least one of these recipes will work its way into your heart. Sincerely, a fellow not-huge-fan-of-oats.
So, about this recipe: if you’ve never tried baked oats, you’re missing out. It’s very close to having cake for breakfast. I’m not going to lie and say it’s exactly the same, but it’s its own cake-adjacent vibe, like banana bread or muffins. It is a vastly different experience to your classic oatmeal, though.
What makes this recipe better than most other baked oats recipes? The straightforward answer is the brightness and acidity of the lemon. One thing I don’t love about traditional oatmeal recipes is how dense and rich they are, I get tired of eating them very quickly. The brightness of the lemon in the baked oats and in the lemon vanilla yogurt, combined with the freshness of the stewed blueberries, just makes this recipe relatively light. Bonus points: your house will smell like a lemon loaf all morning.
This recipe is dairy-free and refined sugar-free, but it’s not vegan. I do have tips at the end to make this recipe vegan and gluten-free.
Blueberry Lemon Poppy Seed Baked Oats
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
- To make this recipe vegan, replace the egg with one flax egg, which is one tablespoon flaxseed meal and three tablespoons of water, left to thicken for 15-30 minutes
- You can also substitute the honey in this recipe for maple syrup
- To make this recipe gluten-free, make sure you use gluten-free oats
- If you’re not a fan of coconut, replace the coconut yogurt with greek yogurt or soy yogurt, and the coconut oil with butter or avocado oil
- To make greasing your pans and dishes easier, buy an oil spray—my favorite is a non-aerosol avocado oil
- For vanilla extract, for any recipe, use vanilla-bean paste, it’s a touch more expensive but it’s a very quick and easy way to make your desserts a little more refined and better tasting
- Almond extract is a touch controversial (at least among my friends) but adding the tiniest bit of almond extract to this (1/4 teaspoon) adds something a little extra
- This makes two servings and can be reheated the next morning in the oven, covered with aluminum foil, for about 15 minutes
Nutrition Facts
Calories
424.30Fat
17.22Sat. Fat
10.07Carbs
63.50Fiber
7.36Net carbs
56.13Sugar
29.39Protein
12.54Sodium
143.31Cholesterol
97.88Nutritional value for oats made on almond milk
This cinnamony treat is the perfect way to start your morning, with coffee, protein, and lots of flavor…