Want to eat dessert for breakfast but not feel guilty? Answer: Warm smoothie bowls! This steaming bowl of tahini oats is rich creamy and comforting and when you sprinkle it with crunchy rubbly things like cocoa nibs and fig chips then well, it basically feels like you’re eating dessert! Forget cold smoothie bowls, this is where it’s at, people. Yes, it may require a little bit more effort than pouring muesli in a bowl, but why do we put effort into all our other meals and not go all-out on breakfast? The fig chips, cocoa nib crunch and date balls can be made ahead of time and stored for up to a month – ready to take your oats from breakfast to dessert with a few sprinkles. Spike it with espresso and basically have a balanced meal!

WARM TAHINI OAT SMOOTHIE BOWL WITH COCOA NIB CRUNCH, DATE BALLS AND ESPRESSO

Recipe originally created for Food & Home Entertaining Magazine

Serves 2

FIG CHIPS

4 large figs, thinly sliced

60ml (¼ cup) icing sugar

CACAO NIB CRUNCH

30g salted butter

30ml (2 tbsp) soft brown sugar

5ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract

50g The Kate Tin Cocoa Nibs

15ml (1 tbsp) poppy seeds

25g whole almonds

1 tbsp (15ml) sesame seeds

TAHINI OATS

3 tbsp (45ml) tahini (sesame) paste (You could also use peanut butter or any other nut butter)

2 cups (500ml) whole milk

2 tbsp (30ml) honey

2 cups (180g) instant oats

DATE BALLS

45g oats

100g dates, chopped

1 shot espresso, to serve

To make the fig chips, preheat the oven to 70˚C. Slice the figs to about a 0,2cm thickness. Lay the slices out on a greased and lined baking sheet and dust with icing sugar. Leave to dehydrate in the oven, 1 – 2 hours, until crisp but not browned. For the cacao nib crunch, preheat the oven to 180˚C and place a sheet of baking paper on a baking tray. Melt the butter and the soft brown sugar in a pot over low heat and stir until the sugar has completely dissolved, then take off the heat and add the vanilla extract. Combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl, pour in the melted butter and stir to combine. Spread the mix evenly onto the baking paper and bake in the oven, 10 – 15 minutes. Allow to cool. In a small saucepan, combine the tahini paste, milk and honey. Bring to a boil, then add the 2 cups instant oats while stirring. Cook, 5 minutes, then remove from heat and keep warm. Blend the 45g oats and dates together in a food processor to form a thick paste. Roll tablespoonfuls of the mixture into walnut-sized balls. Set aside until needed. Serve the oats in bowls, sprinkle the cacao nib crunch over the top, along with the fig chips and the date balls. Drizzle over the shot of espresso.