The day I made this creamy, coconuty bowl of oats was a cold, dreary and rainy day. Not usually my preferred kind of day, but it was perfect for this heart and body warming dish.

Have you ever had toasted hazelnuts? Holy cow they’re amazing. You’ve had nutella I’m sure; that delightful chocolate hazelnut spread. Well I know this is a stretch, but toasted hazelnuts taste and smell so much like nutella, it is almost as if you can taste nutella. David refuses to agree with me on this one, but I’m sticking to my guns.

Once the cold weather arrives, I go into hot tea mode and chai is one of my favorites. I love trying to incorporate it into dishes - like these Chai Spiced Carrot Muffins - or just drinking it as a latte with a little milk and honey. This time I brewed a concentrated bit of tea and cooked the oats in it.

Chai-Spiced Coconut Oatmeal with Toasted Hazelnuts

Serves 1

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup raisins

1/2 cup chai tea (1 tea bag or 2 TBS of loose leaf chai tea steeped in 1/2 cup hot water)

1/4 cup coconut milk

1 tsp cinnamon

Handful of toasted hazelnuts (toasting directions below)

Honey or pure maple syrup (if using sweetener)

• Place oats and cinnamon in sauce pot and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly. Lightly toasting your oats before adding liquid brings out a stronger oat flavor.
• Add tea, raisins and coconut milk. Turn heat down to medium-low and cover; stir periodically.
• Toasted hazelnuts: I prefer to toast them in a saute pan on the stove over medium heat, frequently shaking the pan so not to burn their sides (ouch!). This ususally takes no longer than 7 minutes.
  • You could also place them on a foil lined baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees for 7-10 minutes.
• When oatmeal is done, pour into bowl and top with a bit more coconut milk and a little honey (if using). Sprinkle on some hazelnuts and viola!