Oatmeal with Hazelnuts and Brown Butter

I don't often eat oatmeal for breakfast, so when I'm in a breakfast rut I turn to this recipe to inject novelty into the monotony. Even if oatmeal is a staple for you, you might still find novelty in this version because of the unusual and decadent blend of ingredients.

Lightly sweetened with maple syrup, this oatmeal is rich and creamy from crème fraiche stirred in at the end. It's nutty from a drizzle of brown butter (or melted ghee) and layered with crunchy, chewy texture from toasted hazelnuts and prunes or dried apricots. An elevated, indulgent, and satisfying breakfast ready in under 10 minutes.

Oatmeal with Hazelnuts and Brown Butter

Serves 1
Notes: Recipe calls for brown butter. As the oatmeal cooks, I'll add a pat of butter to a small skillet and let it melt and brown over medium-high heat. This takes about 3 minutes. It will continue to brown in the skillet once off the heat.

• 1 cup water

• 1/3 cup rolled oats (not quick-cooking)

• Pinch of salt

• 1-2 tsp. maple syrup

• Spoonful of crème fraiche (~ 2 Tbsp.), or plain, unsweetened full-fat yogurt

• Drizzle of brown butter (~ 2-3 tsp.), or melted ghee

• 2 prunes (or dried apricots), roughly chopped

• Handful of toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped

1. Bring water to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. (It goes quicker with the lid on.) Stir in oats and salt. Bring water back to a strong simmer and cook until oats are soft, about 5 minutes.

2. Remove from heat and stir in syrup and crème fraiche. Transfer to a bowl. Drizzle over brown butter and top with roughly chopped prunes (or apricots) and hazelnuts.

   *Recipe slightly adapted from Super Natural Every Day cookbook.