Mmm mmm good.

Sticky Banana Walnut Oatmeal

Recipe inspired from here

Remember that breakfast I ranted and raved about when I first got home from Korea?  The ever-so-amazziiiinnnngggggg Maple Rosemary Banana Split that I am fully anticipating on making again very, very soon... ahhhh, well, this morning I was craving it again so I decided I would make the base of it, and use it as an oatmeal topper!  Genius or what?  I do believe so. 

Between the two they are both so decadent and grand.  The banana split incorporated rosemary which gave it this fresh-earthy flavour to it, while the one I made this morning incorporated cinnamon so it gave it a fall flavour.  Both fantastic, and definitely my favourite breakfasts' that I've ever made.  I can't wait to try more flavour combinations with this technique. 

If there is one recipe you must try on this blog... okay fine, that was a little severe.  Let's try that again, /clears throat, if there is one recipe I highly suggest you making on this blog, it would be this.  It is so versatile, even just the topping.  How amazing would it be on pancakes, or atop some banana soft serve, oorrr... just in a large bowl eaten with a spoon and sprinkled with more maple syrup?  Oh heavens.

Please, please make this, and tell me just how amazing you think it is!?!?!?

Ingredients:

Oats:

• 1/4 cup oats
• 1/4 cup soy milk
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 banana
• Dash of salt

Sticky Topping:

• 1/2 banana
• Handful of walnuts, chopped
  
• 1 heaping tsp of cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 tbsp pure maple syrup

Directions:

Heat a small non-stick skilled.

Chop half of your banana in slices (keeping the remaining half for your oats), and chop your walnuts,


Add your maple syrup to your hot skillet, turn temperature down to medium-low.  Toss your bananas and walnuts in with your vanilla and cinnamon.  Allow to saute for about five minutes, but make sure to stir a teensy bit so the nuts don't burn.

Set aside.


Add your oats, milk, water, and salt.  Once it starts to boil, add your remaining banana half.  Mash it all in, mix your oats until reached desired consistency.  Add to your bowl.

Top with your sticky topping, and additional spices (I used a teensy amount of cinnamon, dark chocolate, and sugar).

Chickpea Salad with Mexican Mango Dressing

Recipe inspired from here 

Now for lunch.  Lately, I have been craving salads.  Salads like there are no tomorrow.  And not green leafy salads, not that there is anything wrong with them, I just however prefer salads that the base is chickpeas, black beans, broccoli, sweet potato or other vegetables that aren't lettuce or spinach.  Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love them, I just... get sick of all the crunching, well doesn't that just sound a little ridiculous?

This salad was incredibly good.  I love when salads have both fruits and vegetables.  We all know how obsessed I am with fruits, so when I can sneak a bit into a salad it makes my tum very happy.  This was a really quick salad to throw together, and it had an interesting array of flavours.  This salad would have been perfect in the summer, but thankfully we can still get mangoes this time of year so we can try salads that we missed out on making in the summer, am I right?

Ingredients:

• 1 can (19 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 small apple, cubed
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• Handful of toasted pumpkin seeds (optional)

 Dressing:

• 1 ripe mango, peeled and diced
• Juice from 1 lime
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp smoked chili powder

Directions:

To make the dressing, place all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.  Season to taste.

Peel and chop all the vegetables for the salad.

Place the drained chickpeas in a large bowl and pour the dressing over top. Add in the sliced vegetables, avocado and cilantro, and stir until the dressing is completely mixed in.

Keep in refrigerator until you are ready to eat. Garnish each serving with toasted pumpkin seeds if desired.

Now tell me, what would you put that sticky topping on?!