Quick Breakfasts
Yogurt Breakfast Bowl with Quick Toasted Oats
Plain yogurt, fruit, and a small panful of crisp toasted oats.
You do not need a jar of granola to give a yogurt bowl some crunch. A few spoonfuls of oats toasted in a pan make a simple topping, and you can sweeten them lightly rather than coating them heavily.
Keep the yogurt plain and let the fruit do most of the flavor work. Bananas are easy to find, but chopped apples, pears, or berries all fit. The topping is at its crispest once it has cooled.
THE RECIPE
Yogurt Breakfast Bowl with Quick Toasted Oats
Amounts scale automatically. Keep piece sizes similar; pan size and cooking time may need adjustment. Round whole ingredients sensibly.
Ingredients
Method
Toast gently
Heat oil in a small pan over medium-low heat. Add oats and stir for 3–4 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden.
Flavor the topping
Turn off the heat. Stir in maple syrup and cinnamon, then spread the oats on a plate to cool. Be careful: the syrup can make the pan hiss briefly.
Prepare the fruit
Wash fruit as appropriate. Slice banana and cut larger fruit into bite-sized pieces.
Build the bowls
Divide yogurt between bowls. Add fruit and the cooled oat topping. Eat soon so the oats retain some crunch.
Small details that help
Use a low flame
Oats can go from golden to scorched quickly in a small pan.
Cool before topping
Warm oats can soften the yogurt and release steam into the topping.
Store components apart
Keep yogurt chilled; keep any cooled dry topping in its own airtight container.
Substitutions & ways to make it yours
Dairy-free bowl
Use a plain plant-based yogurt that you enjoy.
No syrup
Leave it out for an unsweetened toasted-oat topping.
Extra crunch
Add a spoonful of chopped nuts or seeds, checking dietary needs.
A couple of useful questions
Is this granola?
It is a quick toasted topping rather than oven-baked granola, so expect loose oats instead of clusters.
Can I use instant oats?
They are smaller and toast unevenly. Rolled oats give a better texture.
