Turning healthy is often confused with tasteless, unsatisfying dishes.
Flavor packed smoothies have been my breakfast of choice recently, but there are days when good old fashion stick to your ribs oatmeal is a must.
I’m also a fan of simple tea, but I still turn to a chai tea latte from a new shop I found when I’m looking for something warmer and filling. Being dairy free doesn’t mean giving up the latte. It just means it’s time to get creative.
And getting really creative means building layers of unexpected flavor. Steeping almond milk with chai tea and cooking it in oatmeal is the quintessential warm, hearty, mind-blowingly healthy breakfast, and it couldn’t be easier.
Fat and Happy is turning healthier but not flavorless.
Chai Tea Infused Oatmeal
- 1 cup steel oatmeal
- (I prefer steel cut oats but these take much longer to cook)
- 2 teaspoons loose leaf chai tea
- 1 clove
- 2 cardamom pods
- 2 cups hot water
- 1/4 cup soaked almonds
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- nuts for topping (optional)
Cover the almonds with water and soak overnight. Drain and rinse.
Steep the tea, clove and cardamom pods in the hot water (~5 minutes) and then strain. In a blender, blend the steeped tea, almonds, cinnamon, vanilla and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup until a smooth milk forms. Straining is not needed because any remaining tiny nuts will be cooked and add texture to the oatmeal.
Cook the oatmeal in the chai milk until desired tenderness is reached. Top with a drizzle of maple syrup and nuts.
Fat and Happy Food Blog Tips and Techniques: If you don’t have time to soak the almonds, toss them into the steeping tea so they have a chance to soften before blending them. Choose gluten free oatmeal to ensure a GF option.
For more recipes, go to Monique’s blog: FatandHappyBlog.com