Peanut Butter Oatmeal with Dates and Banana

This creamy, homemade peanut butter oatmeal is naturally sweetened with banana and dates and topped with crunchy chopped peanuts. 

I have a problem with oatmeal. It’s not oatmeal’s fault at all. No, this is an — it’s not you, it’s me situation. 

Oatmeal is part of my normal breakfast cycle. Meaning, we have an on-again, off-again type of relationship. I crave it and eat it almost everyday for weeks. Then I get tired of it and need a break. 

Well, we are on-again. So that problem I have has reared its ugly head. 

I like my oatmeal sweet. I think I’ve lessened just how sweet over the years, but it needs to have plenty of brown sugar, maple syrup or honey for me to really enjoy it. These things aren’t necessarily bad (in my opinion), but during my last on-again period with oatmeal, I was in the habit of adding a bit too much. So I’ve been trying to break myself of it. 

Several years ago I gave up all added sugars for a couple months. Then, I was combining fresh blackberries and banana to make it sweet and became a huge fan of that combination.

Blackberry season is pretty well over here. Yes, we get plenty of great fruits here very early, but for many, that means the season also ends just as everyone else in the country is getting their first bite. 

So I needed a new no-sugar-added combo. 

I’ve become a big date fan since our move to California almost 4 years ago. There are so many varieties here that I never knew existed. Fortunately we have a vendor at the farmers market that sells dates and only dates. On my last visit, he had 6 or 7 varieties on hand. 

After a bit of research, in the form of trying each one, I decided that honey dates were the winner. We’re getting to the last of the container in the fridge, but I still had a few left. 

I decided to stick with the banana and blend it with some dates in the food processor. Then I added some peanut butter. And a pinch of smoked sea salt. I think I’ve said before that a pinch (and just a pinch) of salt makes all the difference in things like oatmeal and smoothies. It really brings out the other flavors.

Once pureed, it turned into a creamy sauce that I stirred into my oatmeal. 

Absolutely perfect. Just as sweet as I like it and all with fruit. 

I topped it with chopped peanuts and I’ve already had it twice this week. 

What you’ll need:

1/2 large ripe banana
2 honey dates, pitted
1 generous tablespoon unsweetened peanut butter
Pinch of smoked or plain sea salt
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, cooked
Chopped peanuts for serving

How to make it:

Place the banana, dates, peanut butter and salt in a small food processor. Pulse until smooth. 

Stir peanut butter sauce into the cooked, warm oatmeal. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and serve.