I know I should eat breakfast, but sometimes the wfpb breakfast recipes seem like way too much work right after I’ve woken up. Usually I will eat a bowl of rolled oats with banana or apple and cinnamon topping. It’s kind of my go-to thing. I get bored of it occasionally and make fruit smoothies, but sometimes I want something more “substantial” to eat. This hot cinnamon-apple cereal from The PlantPure Nation Cookbook helps fill me up and makes enough for leftovers the next couple of mornings. The brown sugar/Sucanat gives it a great flavor along with the applesauce and spices.

Ingredients:

Servings: 4, about 2-2½ full bowls

• 1 cup steel-cut oats [Do not use rolled or instant oats!]
• 1 cup plant-based milk
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• A couple shakes of ground nutmeg
• 1 apple, peeled, cored, and diced small [Take or leave the peeling. I peeled mine and it’s a little less crunchy]
• 2 tbs. Sucanat [or replace with brown sugar if, like me, you don’t have Sucanat available. Brown sugar helps to replace the molasses-y flavor of Sucanat. I only use about 1 to 1½ tbs. brown sugar when replacing the Sucanat]
• 1 cup hot water
• ¼ tsp. sea salt [or omit, not super necessary]
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• Optional Toppings: Extra plant-based milk for serving, your favorite berries, or nuts!

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 20-30 minutes, until the oats are tender and the liquid is close to being completely absorbed. In the picture below (on the right), I had it simmering for about 25 minutes.

Remove from the heat and serve with whatever toppings you like! I used cherries and blueberries on my bowl.