Overnight wholegrain oats with date and fig puree
Recently, my lovely sister invited me for a weekend hike – with a very early start.
I was picked up at 7am, and driven to beautiful Piha and the Waitakere Ranges. The morning was clear, a little windy and icy cold – perfect for an energetic adventure – but first we needed sustenance.
As if by magic, bowls and thermoses loaded with overnight porridge appeared, complete with a sprinkling of nuts, and a mug of tea on the side. This delicious breakfast sustained us for the next two hours (more I would say!), and was the inspiration for this nourishing breakfast dish.
Because the oats are soaked overnight, they are quick to cook and already sweetened a little with the inclusion of dates. Topped with the date and fig puree, some honey toasted nuts and a good dollop of Greek yoghurt – the result is delicious and hearty.
Serves: 2-4
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups wholegrain jumbo rolled oats
- 2 ½ tablespoons chia seeds
- 3 cups whole milk, plus 1 cup extra (or use almond or rice milk)
- ½ cup roughly chopped dates
- ½ cup walnuts
- ½ cup pistachios
- ½ cup whole almonds
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 cup Greek yoghurt
Date and fig puree
- 6 dried figs, stems removed, roughly chopped
- 10 dates, halved and stones removed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Finely grated zest of half a lemon
- 1 teaspoon honey (optional)
Method:
- Put oats, 2 tablespoons of the chia seeds, 3 cups of the milk, and the dates in a sealed container in the fridge overnight.
- Dry fry walnuts, pistachios, and almonds in a large frying pan, over a medium heat, for 2-3 minutes. Add honey and cook for a further 3-4 minutes until lightly toasted and glazed with honey. Stir occasionally so that the nuts don't catch and burn. Although toasted, the nuts remain a little sticky, so store in an even layer until ready to spoon over porridge.
- To cook porridge, bring the oat mixture to a gentle boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook, stirring for 8-10 minutes until thickened. Add extra milk to achieve your desired consistency. Remove from the heat and serve immediately with a dollop of date and fig puree, a spoonful or two of yoghurt, and a sprinkling of nuts.
- For garnish, sprinkle with the extra chia seeds if desired. I find porridge serving sizes vary wildly – and while this would happily serve four of me, I know some men would demolish half of it, so use your judgement with regard to servings!
For the date and fig puree
- Put all of the ingredients in a small pot with ¾ cup water and bring to a gentle boil.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes then remove from the heat. Leave to cool for 5 minutes before mashing to a paste with a fork – or, for a smoother consistency, blend in a small food processor. For a thinner consistency simply add ¼ cup more water. Cool and store in a covered container in the fridge until ready to use.
What’s your favourite way to serve oats? Let us know in the comments below.
Written by Sarah Tuck. First appeared on Stuff.co.nz.
Related links:
Banana, date and walnut overnight oats