“Lauren!” you might have gasped. “Triple chocolate? For breakfast? What happened to your nutrition concerns?”
No fear. It sounds much unhealthier than it actually is. In fact, I was so curious, that I entered the ingredients list into a nutritional calculator to see how this stacked up. Considering how I rarely do this, I was stunned at how great the results were. Despite all the chocolate, it gives you nearly 30 grams of fiber (what?!), 18 grams of protein, and a laundry list of vitamins and minerals, all for under 500 calories. Unbelievable.
Of course, the one hit you will take is in the sugar department, but I think that’s the choice you make when you decide to put chocolate chips in your oatmeal. 🙂
Of course, it does contain chocolate chips, so it is a bit indulgent for breakfast, but that’s all relative, right?
If you make this with a banana like I did, this baked oatmeal is naturally sweetened, packed with nutrients, and filling. If you’re not a fan of banana-flavored chocolate, you could sub hearty sweet potatoes, rich avocado, or neutral-flavored zucchini.
So what makes this oatmeal triple chocolate? First, the oatmeal itself is like a fudgy brownie thanks to a heaping tablespoon of cocoa powder. Next, chocolate chips are mixed into the batter right before baking (use whichever kind of chip suites your fancy; I went with white chocolate). Next, it’s topped with chocolate nut butter…or PB2 if you prefer…or my Faux-reo Cookie PB2.
Random Recommendations:
- [eats] Espresso balsamic vinegar – you can find it at specialty vinegar/EVOO shops across the country, but I also found it on Amazon
- [people] @oatmealsny on Instagram to see the feed of New York’s tiny little oatmeal bar in Greenwich Village
What you'll need:
- 1/2 banana (or 1 small), mashed*
- 1/4 cup quick cook steel cut oats (I use Country Choice Organic)
- 1 rounded tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup milk of choice
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- handful of chocolate chips (I used white chocolate, but any kind will do)
- chocolate nut butter or PB2
How to make it:
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and spray a single-serving ramekin with non-stick spray.
- Mix mashed banana with dry ingredients.
- Add liquid ingredients and stir until combined. It should be a rather wet batter, but not TOO soupy.
- Fold in chocolate chips.
- Transfer mixture to prepared ramekin. Transfer to the ramekin and bake for 22-25 minutes, or until it no longer looks “wet” on top.
- Top with chocolate nut butter and any other additional toppings (nuts, fresh fruit, coconut, etc.) and enjoy!
Just an FYI:
*Possible substitutions for the banana include 1/4 cup mashed sweet potato or pumpkin, 1/3 an avocado (mashed), or 1/4 cup finely grated or pureed zucchini or yellow squash.
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