Dark Cherry Chocolate Oatmeal
Breakfast is probably my favorite meal of the day. I love curling up on the couch with a hot cup of coffee and taking time to enjoy my breakfast before my day truly begins. Does this happen frequently? No, but I love when it does!
So what do I eat on busy, workday mornings? Oatmeal! Now oatmeal may not sound exciting or healthy if we think back to how we ate it when we were kids, but this recipe breaks the traditional oatmeal concept.
The banana slices, frozen cherries, cinnamon and unsweetened cocoa powder replace the butter and brown sugar traditionally used to top off oatmeal. Microwaving the banana slices creates a creamy oatmeal consistency, making you forget butter or cream was needed in the first place. I also love this recipe because I can whip it up in about 6 minutes! Thank you microwave!
The ease of this recipe isn’t the only reason I love making it when I know I am going to have a busy day ahead. It’s packed with fiber, antioxidants and vitamins from the oatmeal and fruit. Mixing in some chia seeds adds additional fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and a bit of protein. The high fiber content of this breakfast is sure to keep you full through your morning meetings into lunch time!
Pro tip: Instead of making banana bread out of your old bananas (again), slice the old bananas, place them in a freezer bag/container and freeze. When you go to make this oatmeal, use the frozen bananas in place of fresh bananas. Having frozen bananas on hand means you can make this breakfast with all pantry and freezer ingredients! Talk about not having to plan ahead!
Dark Cherry Chocolate Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 1/2 medium banana
- 1/3 cup old fashioned oats
- 1 1/2 tsp unsweetened cacao powder
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup dark cherries, frozen
- 1/2 tsp apple juice concentrate (optional) maple syrup or honey may be substituted
Instructions
- Slice 1/2 of a banana and place it in a microwaveable bowl.
- Add the oatmeal, unsweetened cacao powder, chia seeds, cinnamon, vanilla extract and water to the bowl.
- Microwave for 2 minutes.
- Remove the bowl from the microwave, stir and add in the frozen dark cherries.
- Microwave for an additional 1-2 minutes or until the water is absorbed and the cherries are defrosted.
- Mix in apple juice concentrate and top with additional banana slices, if desired.