We all grew up eating bowls of lumpy oatmeal for breakfast, and everyone has favorite toppings to make porridge more palatable. My recipe transforms a ho-hum morning staple into something that will make the kids jump out of bed!

Ingredients

• 1 cup pitted dates, chopped
• 1 cup 2% milk
• 1/2 cup ground almonds
• 1/3 cup old-fashioned oats
• 2 tablespoons baking cocoa
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• optional: fresh raspberries and sliced almonds

Directions

1. Place dates in a heatproof bowl; cover with boiling water. Let stand until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/3 cup liquid. Place dates in a food processor; process until smooth, adding as little of the reserved water as necessary to achieve a smooth texture.
2. In a small saucepan, whisk milk, almonds, oats, cocoa and 1/4 cup date puree until blended. (Save remaining puree for another use.) Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla. If desired, garnish with raspberries and sliced almonds.