Overnight wholegrain oats with date and fig puree
<p>Recently, my lovely sister invited me for a weekend hike – with a very early start.</p>
<p>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. </p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves:</span></strong> 2-4</p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p>
<ul>
<li>1 ½ cups wholegrain jumbo rolled oats</li>
<li>2 ½ tablespoons chia seeds</li>
<li>3 cups whole milk, plus 1 cup extra (or use almond or rice milk)</li>
<li>½ cup roughly chopped dates</li>
<li>½ cup walnuts</li>
<li>½ cup pistachios</li>
<li>½ cup whole almonds</li>
<li>2 teaspoons honey</li>
<li>1 cup Greek yoghurt</li>
</ul>
<p><em>Date and fig puree</em></p>
<ul>
<li>6 dried figs, stems removed, roughly chopped</li>
<li>10 dates, halved and stones removed</li>
<li>1 teaspoon vanilla extract</li>
<li>Finely grated zest of half a lemon</li>
<li>1 teaspoon honey (optional)</li>
</ul>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p>
<ol>
<li>Put oats, 2 tablespoons of the chia seeds, 3 cups of the milk, and the dates in a sealed container in the fridge overnight.</li>
<li>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.</li>
<li>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.</li>
<li>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!</li>
</ol>
<p><em>For the date and fig puree</em></p>
<ol>
<li>Put all of the ingredients in a small pot with ¾ cup water and bring to a gentle boil. </li>
<li>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.</li>
</ol>
<p>What’s your favourite way to serve oats? Let us know in the comments below.</p>
<p><em>Written by Sarah Tuck. First appeared on <a href="http://Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz.</span></strong></a></em></p>
<p><strong>Related links:</strong></p>
<p><a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/07/apple-and-oatmeal-cake/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Apple and oatmeal cake</span></em></strong></a></p>
<p><a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/06/banana-date-and-walnut-overnight-oats/"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Banana, date and walnut overnight oats</span></strong></em></a></p>
<p><a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/06/carrot-cake-porridge/"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Carrot cake porridge</span></strong></em></a></p>
