Cocoa and Coffee Oats

Did you enter my Yumnuts giveaway yet? If you like healthy and wholesome snacks that also taste really good, then you'll love Yumnuts. (Unless, of course, you have a nut allergy.) I've been eating them left and right ever since they were sent my way, particularly the chocolate cashews. They sort of taste like Oreos. Most recently, however, I got creative with the cinnamon almonds. They topped of this mug of oats quite nicely.

It's SO oats season! Nothing beats a big bowl of healthy grains. It might be my most favorite way to start my day. Now, I realize that many of you put coffee ahead of your oats, which is fine and totally normal. Sometimes I do, too. So the other day, I thought to myself: Would coffee in a bowl of oats taste good?

Turns out, it does (at least in my opinion). A closer look at the above:

The following recipe calls for a packet of Nescafe instant decaf coffee, which you'd prep in boiling water. Feel free to substitute your favorite cup of coffee for both, but you'll still need to bring it to a boil to cook the oats. In addition, I used a cocoa flavored brown rice protein powder. Plain cocoa works just as well. Or whatever cocoa flavored protein powder you currently use. If you use protein powder.

COCOA AND COFFEE OATS
A Daily Dose Original

Ingredients
• 1 packet Nsecafe instant decaf coffee
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1 tbsp plant-based protein powder, chocolate flavor
• 1/2 tsp honey
• Splash of milk
• Handful of Yumnuts cinnamon almonds, crushed

Directions
Bring water to a boil, then add the instant coffee and stir until dissolved. Add the oats and the protein powder. Cook accordingly. When the oats are just about done, stir in the honey and milk. Spoon into your favorite coffee mug, then top with the almonds and enjoy your two-for-one breakfast!

Question: Coffee and oats—who woulda thunk it! What two ingredients have you mixed lately that you might not normally think to mix?

REMINDER! Don't forget to enter my giveaway! You just might win two bags of Yumnuts! (Contest ends at midnight EST on Friday, December 2, 2011).