This sweet and spicy combo is brought to you by the wonderous breakfast vehicle the oatmeal bowl! I love them because they are versatile, rich in fiber, and you can have fun with the toppings as well as with infusions.

Africa is a vast continent with many cultures within it that take a lot of time and care to make their dishes, partly because cooking is a social event. However, that doesn't mean all the dishes are difficult and time-consuming. You can also borrow elements and apply them to all kinds of food.

On that note, I add berbere to the oatmeal, a seasoning I've made before. It's a spice blend that is a mainstay in Ethiopian cuisine. It's a complex, rich, seasoning that is typically used in savory dishes to add depth of flavour but can be applied to desserts as well. I decided to add it to an already known pair that works - cherry and chocolate!

The cocoa powder and spicy berbere blend together seamlessly, and with the added cherries and brown sugar. Try it out!

Ingredients

1/3 cup cherries, pitted and chopped

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons berbere spice (adjust according to preference)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup oats

1 1/2 cups plant-based milk

1/2 cup water

Instructions

Add the dry oats and milk to a pot and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat, and mix in the sugar, salt, and chopped cherries. 

As the oatmeal cooks, prepare the berbere spice blend.

Add the berbere to the pot with additional water. Simmer for until the oats are fully cooked, season to taste. Total cook time is around 10 minutes. 

Serve with cherries, whipped cream, and syrup! Enough for two.