I love dessert! I especially love dessert that tastes decadent but is healthy enough to eat for breakfast. This recipe is a winner because it balances the flavor of cake batter with fiber (from almonds and oats), healthy fats (almonds again!), and protein (vanilla protein powder). These oats are so delicious you’ll probably crave them every day. I still love them, and since I’ve perfected the recipe over the past 3 years, I’m excited to share it with you today!

  
Ingredients:

(Serves 1)

-1 serving of your favorite oatmeal, prepared with a little extra water (I love Coach’s Oats: 1/3 cup dry oats cooked with 1 1/4 cups of water for 4 mins in the microwave at 70% power)

-1 tablespoon chia seeds

-1 serving of vanilla protein powder (I use whey isolate or casein typically)

-2 tablespoons sliced almonds

-1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional) or a pinch of dark brown sugar (optional)

Preparation:

1. Cook the oatmeal according to package instructions. 

2. Stir in chia seeds and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.

3. Stir in vanilla protein powder gradually until it is fully absorbed and not clumpy.

4. Serve sprinkled with sliced almonds. Top with cinnamon and/or dark brown sugar, if desired.

  
I like to keep all the ingredients at work for days that I don’t have time to pack a lunch or feel extra hungry in the afternoon. My coworkers always ask, “who made cinnamon rolls?” because it makes the office smell so good! If you have a favorite variation of protein oats, please share it in the comments! Be sure to check out the other Recipe Redux “nut” themed entries for October below: