Boy this hits the spot when you have a chocolate craving. I’ve become a little obsessed with mixing things into my oatmeal. I replaced my favorite pumpkin oatmeal with this chocolate oatmeal. The best part is that as rich as it looks and tastes, the spoonful of cocoa powder only adds 10 calories and zero sugar to your oatmeal! Of course it would be super bitter if you didn’t add any sweetener, but it doesn’t take much… 1/2 teaspoon of sugar usually works for me which only equals 2 grams of sugar. Sprinkle some chocolate chips on top to make it extra decadent. YUM!
Unless you’re new to this planet, I am sure you know oatmeal is good for you- it’s a whole grain that is rich in soluble fiber. If you want the (nutrition) nitty gritty on soluble fiber, here you go: it’s the kind that absorbs water and forms a gel, which slows down digestion. That is why you will feel more full eating oatmeal than some other low-fiber breakfast cereal. Soluble fiber also helps to lower LDL cholesterol (aka the bad cholesterol) because it interferes with it’s absorption, therefore helping to reduce risk of heart disease. Another benefit of soluble fiber is it delays stomach emptying so it helps maintain blood sugars at a normal level, which is especially important to diabetics.
I love that you can dress it up so many different ways- through fresh fruit, dried fruit, spices, sweeteners, cow’s milk, non-dairy milk, etc, but this chocolate version is my new favorite. My family is a big fan of oatmeal and go through it tin by tin- rolled oats, steel cut and quick-cooking….they all serve a purpose in our household.
- 1 serving cooked oatmeal (I make mine half water, half non-dairy milk such as soy, almond, coconut)
- 1 scant tablespoon cocoa powder
- couple shakes of cinnamon
- ~1/2-1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ Tablespoon chocolate chips
- Cook oatmeal according to package directions. Once cooked, immediately stir in cocoa powder, sugar, a few chocolate chips and cinnamon. Enjoy!
Do you love oatmeal as much as my family does? Comments are always appreciated!
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This sounds yummy. I eat oatmeal daily and am always looking for new things to put in it.
What’s your pumpkin recipe? Thx!
Hi Kim! I got into the pumpkin oatmeal when trying to use up all the leftover canned pumpkin I had from the holidays. I’d put a big spoonful (probably ~1/4 cup), a few shakes of cinnamon, nutmeg and/or pumpkin pie spice and brown sugar. That’s it! It isn’t a pretty looking dish, but it is yummy! Thanks for your comment!
Great idea to add the cocoa powder. My boys would love this!
Wow, it looks like a no bake cookie in a bowl…yum!
This is such a fantastic idea! I love oatmeal and I never thought of trying this before. Definitely will be trying this soon! 🙂
i agree and LOVE that there are so many ways to enjoy oatmeal! this looks delicious!
1. love your site
2. you’ve just given me inspiration for my next evening sweet treat fix! I’m loving this recipe! I’ve heard of chocolate oats before but they never sounded good until now that I am pregnant! I can’t wait to try this when my next evening sweet craving hits!
Take care!
Thanks! I’ll have to admit I had this as a “snack” last week because I was totally craving dessert. It did the trick. 😉 Congrats on your pregnancy!
We are big oatmeal eaters at our house, and whenever I make it, I know my kids will get a good breakfast. This looks delicious with the melted chocolate chips on top! I have a recipe on my blog for chocolate muesli which is really yummy as well. Must try your version soon!
Chocolate and oatmeal, why didn’t I think of that. I just found your blog on foodgawker. I love it. I am also a fellow dietitian and a new follower. Keep up the great posts!
Hi Heather! Nice to “meet you”. So glad you find my site. Yours is great too- and I love your photography. Are you working as an RD now? My last job was in corporate wellness, but taking a break for the moment. Thanks for the comment! Melanie
I just made a chocolate pumpkin oatmeal the other morning that I’ll be sharing soon. So good! It’s incredible how much flavor and richness cocoa powder can add without all the sugar.
I eat oatmeal almost every day, it’s so delicious, and it’s a bonus that it’s good for you too! I usually stir in bananas, peanut butter and cinnamon…but I love the chocolate idea, I think I’ll have to give it a try soon!
Very good idea… It’s look great!
I saw your post about chocolate oatmeal this past weekend so wanted to give it a try. I have high cholesterol and joke that I have eaten an entire field of oats and like others, am always open to a new twist on this old stand by. I had it this morning (no chocolate chips!) and it was delicious. I learned a new trick recently when eating at the Lunch Box Cafe in Galveston, Texas. They serve soy milk with flavored Torani syrups there. I started adding sugar free almond roca Torani syrup to the milk in my oatmeat (two cap fulls per serving) and it was sweet enough to forgo added sugar or honey. I think it will take a bit more syrup to work against the bitterness of the cocoa, but it is delicious! I know some people do not like using artificial sweeteners but my husband is diabetic so Splenda has become a regular part of our lives. My husband has been advised to drink soy milk in place of cow’s milk due to cancer and the taste was hard to adjust to. But not a problem now, we just add the Torani syrup and it is so tasty!
Can you email me the nutritional information on the chocolate oatmeal? I’m checking the Weight Watchers Smart Points.
Thank you,
Diane