Healthy Chocolate Oatmeal/Porridge

Submitted by RainbowBubbles

"A really simple idea I use almost every morning, it's really filling and slow-release energy as well as providing antioxidants and feel-good serotonin from the cocoa, and it curbs cravings for chocolate. I find that even if I have plain porridge in the morning, I still seem to want something sweet, whereas with this I don't and it only has a few more calories than plain. It's also really quick to make, which is a bonus because I never seem to have enough time in the morning! I do also make it as a snack when I need chocolate, or even sometimes as dessert. You can add almost anything to it- cinnamon, almond, vanilla, chilli...whatever you feel like. Give it a try and see what you think!"

 

• Ready In: 4mins
• Ingredients: 4
• Yields: 1 bowl
• Serves: 1

ingredients

• 1⁄3 cup oats (or one sachet)
• 1 teaspoon 100% cocoa powder (unsweetened)
• 1 teaspoon artificial sweetener (can add more to taste)
• 1⁄2 - 2⁄3 cup water

directions

1. Put all the dry ingredients in a bowl and stir to mix (making sure any lumps in the cocoa powder and broken up).
2. Add the water and microwave on high for 1 minute 30 seconds (make sure it doesn't overflow!).
3. Stir and leave for at least a minute, then if you like it thicker, microwave for another 30 seconds or so until it's the texture you like (but be really careful it doesn't overflow), remembering it will thicken up a bit as it cools. Enjoy!

Reviews

[timhammond]

Easy and good.

 

[Nif_H]

Mmmm, tasty oatmeal! I would definitely recommend using the 1/2 cup of water or it's very thick. I just used a small amount of sugar and a drizzle of milk after it was cooked. Delish! Made for my adopted chef for Fall PAC 2012. Thanks Rainbow*Bubbles! :)

 

[Mandy]

I made this for miss 4 year old DD using 1 tsp alpen blend hot chocolate mix and leaving out the sugar. I also added 1tsp of LSA (ground linseed, sunflower seeds and almonds) to add extra nutrition and cooked in milk rather than water for a creamier consistency. Miss DD gobbled it up and asked for another bowl so a 5 star winner for me. Thanks for posting!

 

[chocoholic]

I love the idea (as in why didn't I ever think of this?) and I now use it every time I make oatmeal. I usually use instant oatmeal. I mix the oatmeal and cocoa powder, microwave the water, and then add the boiling water to the bowl. I've gotten weird results microwaving the oatmeal/cocoa mixture directly, but that could just be me.

 

[brokenburner]

This wasn't my first time making chocolate oatmeal, but I don't know why it didn't have much chocolate flavor this time around! I used a packet of Quaker Organic instant oatmeal, cocoa powder and Splenda granular. I used somewhere between 1/2 and 2/3 cup water, and I stopped the microwave before 1.5 minutes, but it was still really thick and gloopy; I had to add more hot water and stir it to get a more palatable texture. I'm not sure why this didn't quite work out, but I'll keep trying! Made for PAC Fall '09. Thanks for posting.