Top of the Apple

Whole Foods had a one-day cherry sale last week – $1.99/pound! So of course I bought a bag. It ended up being too many cherries to just eat casually so I pitted the whole bag for use over the weekend. My first use – oatmeal!

I eat oatmeal with almond butter and fruit everyday at work so if I’m going to make oatmeal my weekend breakfast it has to be a bit more special than that. I wanted to cook the oatmeal in something that would make it super creamy and naturally sweet (I usually just use water) so I used canned coconut milk. It gives it a pleasantly subtle flavor, not too sweet which was perfect because the sweet cherries really got to shine. A little bit of toasted coconut and crushed almonds for texture made for a super hearty and delicious breakfast. I’d suggest adding some banana slices if you have one, if not then just a drizzle of agave adds a sweet touch.

coconut oatmeal with fresh cherries, toasted coconut + almonds

serves 2

ingredients

• 1 cup light coconut milk, plus more for garnish
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/8 cup raw almonds, crushed
• 1/8 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup halved pitted cherries
• Agave syrup

procedure

1. In a medium saucepan, bring coconut milk, water and salt to a boil. Reduce heat and add oats. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is almost absorbed, about 10-12 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a small skillet over high heat, combine almonds and coconut flakes. Cook, stirring constantly, until edges of coconut flakes are brown. Remove from heat.
3. To serve, divide oatmeal evenly among two bowls. Add 1-2 tablespoons of coconut milk to eat bowl if all the liquid has been absorbed. Garnish each bowl with almond-coconut mixture and pitted cherries. Sweeten with agave, if desired.