Salted Caramel Overnight Oats (HCLF)

If you've ever spent more than two seconds on my blog, you probably know about my undying love for salted caramel. I've been a salted caramel enthusiast for about five years now, dating way back to my pre-vegan days. I went vegan before salted caramel hit the mainstream and I thank God for that each and every day.. it definitely wouldn't have been healthy.

I've been on a mission ever since then to create healthy salted caramel dishes, and once I discovered the beauty of the medjool date, I haven't looked back once. Now, overnight oats aren't exactly the prettiest meal. They are, however, such a simple dish, and are perfect for those mornings when you have zero time, or simply don't feel like cooking. They're also great for those warmer mornings when you still want porridge. (I.E. all you people in the other hemisphere that aren't in freezing cold winter right now!)

What you'll need:

• 1 cup of rolled oats
• 2 medjool dates
• 1 ripe banana
• 1 tsp vanilla essence/extract
• 1 cup of water
• a pinch of salt (OPTIONAL!)

What you'll need to do:

1. In a blender (or food processor), mix together the banana, dates, vanilla and water until completely combined.
2.  Get a container, or jar if you're feeling particularly hip, and add in the cup of rolled oats.
3. Mix in the liquid from the blender until it completely covers the oats.
4. It shouldn't be TOO runny - if you're finding it is, add in some more oats until you're happy with the consistency.
5. Put in the fridge overnight, or for at least eight hours.
6. Take out in the morning and serve! You can always add in some extra fresh fruit on top, but this is totally optional. The oats taste great by themselves!

If you don't eat salt, feel free to leave it out. It isn't a must.. although it is extremely delicious. Let me know if you try this recipe out!