Festive-Spiced Hot Chocolate Oats
December…the month when having chocolate for breakfast becomes acceptable, right?
For me a tsp of cacao powder mixed into porridge is my go-to any time of the year. For that reason, this month I needed to mix it up a little. It was necessary to spruce up my oats…to pimp my bowl, shall we say?
This is what I came up with. A heavenly, chocolatey bowl of goodness to brighten these dark and chilly mornings and not only set you up for a good day, but ensure you’re in the mood for the festivities!
Festive-Spiced Hot Chocolate Oats
Serves 1
50g oats
1 tsp chia
1tsp flaxseeds
1 tsp raw cacao powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
300ml water or plant-based milk
20g chocolate or vanilla protein powder*
A large handful of frozen berries
1 tsp maple syrup
1 tbsp nut butter
Add the oats, chia and flaxseeds, raw cacao, spices and liquid to a saucepan and cook over a low heat for 3-5minutes
Meanwhile, pop the berries and maple syrup into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 90s to make a quick compote
Stir the protein powder into the cooked oats then then pile into a bowl, top with your quick berry compote and a generous dollop of nut butter
*Whilst it is delicious, you don’t necessarily need to add the protein powder here. Feel free to omit and simply add a tsp vanilla extract
I use raw cacao powder in most - if not all - of my chocolate recipes. It’s made by cold-pressing unroasted cacao beans which means the enzymes stay alive and the product retains all of its vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Not all chocolate is the same. Eating raw cacao and chocolate with a higher percentage of cocoa (70% or more) does have health benefits.