Coconut Chai Oatmeal

Oatmeal time. This meal is healthy, easy, cheap and as my mom says, it “sticks to your ribs” and keeps you full all day. This meal is dairy free, vegan and gluten free if you use gluten free rolled oats.

Coconut Chai Oatmeal

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups rolled oats (use GF if celiac)

• 2 cups unsweetened almond milk

• 1 cup brewed chai tea

• 1 cup canned coconut milk *see notes

• 1 tsp. chai spice (if you can't find chai spice you can substitute pumpkin spice)

• 2 tbsp chia seeds

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 4 tbsp maple syrup

• Dash salt

• 2 bananas, sliced

• ½ cup toasted coconut
  
  

*I used a can of full fat coconut milk that I refrigerated overnight. This separates the coconut water from the coconut cream, which sits at the top of the can.  I scooped out about ½ a cup of the cream and whipped it up with a wire whisk and a tablespoon of sugar and set aside. I used this as a whipped cream-like topping. I stirred together the rest of the cream with the coconut water and used that as my “one cup of canned coconut milk” for the recipe. Not a necessary step but I thought it looked nice and tasted extra great!

DIRECTIONS

In a large saucepan stir together oats, almond milk, chai tea and canned coconut milk. Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.  Add additional liquid of your choice if you prefer a thinner oatmeal (aka more almond milk, coconut milk or chai tea). Remove from heat and stir in chai spice, chia seeds, vanilla extract, maple syrup and salt. Divide oatmeal into 4 bowls and top with sliced bananas and toasted coconut.