Dark chocolate & banana baked oats

As it starts to get colder in the mornings, I'm switching up my go-to granola breakfast and looking for something a little more warming. Baked oats are so quick and easy, and perfectly warming, so they are looking like a possible winter go-to... but it's too early in the season to tell just yet.

What they've got going for them:

• healthy, depending on what you put in them

• warm and filling, which is kind of a must in winter-time

• they can be prepared ahead of time, very important for week-day breakfast

• there are endless variations, great if you get bored with one flavour

• you can use up fruit that's getting to it's BB (best before), so it's sustainable...

All great stuff of course, but what I like best is how they can be made the night before and then just thrown in the oven in the morning, while I'm getting ready for work. They bake quickly, then I take them out and dollop on some coconut yoghurt and that's it - a delicious, warm breakfast DONE.

Try this:

Ingredients

1/2 a large banana (this is a great recipe for using up old bananas)

1 egg

1/3 cup of milk (cow, coconut or oat all work well)

1/2 tsp vanilla paste

1/2 cup of oats (I use a mix of wholegrain and rolled, but use what you like)

1 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tbsp LSA (or protein powder)

1/4 tsp baking powder

A pinch of salt

Method

Heat oven to 170c. Grease two ramekins or oven-proof mugs with baking spray (not essential, but it makes the ramekins easier to clean later on!). Pop all of the ingredients into a blender and whizz until the mix is well combined. I like some whole oats left in mine, so I don't go overboard - but if you wanted a really fine, cake-y texture whizz until there are no big oat chunks left. Divide the mix evenly between the two ramekins and bake for 16-18 minutes. The baked oats are ready when they're set on the outside, but the centre is still a bit gooey. Enjoy!

Makes two breakfast-sized portions.