Oatmeal with Caramelized Bananas, Toasted Coconut, and Walnuts

Monday through Friday breakfasts around here are pretty boring. Just to give you an idea they usually involve a bowl, some milk, and lots and lots of fiber. Bottom line? If it can't be made and consumed in less than 20 minutes you won't find it on our table any morning that involves an alarm clock.

But on the weekends we like to be a little more extravagant. We like to start our weekends off by padding around the kitchen in PJs and fuzzy slippers, drinking coffee with too much sugar, and waiting for the house to fill up with the smells of apple smoked bacon and puffy yeast waffles.

I love, love, love these mornings. There's just one small problem. After a big, wonderful, carb-loaded breakfast, all I want to do is take my flannel PJs and head right back to bed. Some days this is okay. But if your plans for the day involve doing anything remotely productive, pancakes may not be the wisest decision.

That's why there's oatmeal. I know what you're thinking. Really Courtney? It's the weekend and you want me to make oatmeal? Plain, healthy, mushy oatmeal?

That's exactly right. I'm telling you to take your precious weekend morning and make boring old oatmeal. But then I'm telling you to top that oatmeal with brown sugar crusted bananas, buttery toasted coconut, and crunchy walnuts. Then pour some cold milk on top, sprinkle with a little bit more brown sugar (it is the weekend after all!), and I promise you'll have a breakfast worth waking up before noon for.

The best part? This is one weekend breakfast that won't cause uncontrollable napping.

Now if you can afford to spend the whole weekend, in a blissful sugar-induced coma I suggest trying this banana, coconut, walnut topping on a scoop of ice cream with a chocolate drizzle. It's the breakfast of nap champions.

Oatmeal with Toasted Walnuts, Coconut, and Caramelized Bananas
Yield: 2 servings
Recipe by bakeeatrepeat.blogspot.com

Ingredients:
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats (use gluten free if needed)
2 cups water
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon butter
1 banana, sliced 3/4 in. thick
Handful chopped walnuts
Handful sweetened coconut
Milk and additional brown sugar, if desired

Directions:
1. In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, add oats and simmer for 5 minutes, or until oats are soft and most of the water has been soaked up. Remove from heat and divide into bowls.
2. Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium heat. Add coconut and toast until browned, stirring occasionally, approximately 2 minutes. Add walnuts and toast an additional 2 minutes. Remove from skillet and sprinkle over top oatmeal.
3. In the same skillet, melt the 1 Tablespoon of butter. Add banana slices then sprinkle brown sugar over top. Cook for one minute then flip. Cook the other side about one more minute, or until both sides are golden brown.
4. Divide bananas up between the two bowls then serve hot with milk and additional brown sugar, if desired.