This oatmeal satisfies my morning sweet tooth…but it is nutritious! These oats taste of rich chocolate, nutty peanut butter and creamy milk. My toddler and I ate this together every single day for almost 3 weeks straight. This is a great breakfast if you are craving something warm and sweet or want something healthy and satisfying.
One of my biggest food obsessions is chocolate; I even crave it in the mornings. Because I realize I should probably NOT roll out of bed eating chocolate…I eat cacao. It satisfies my sweet tooth and contains many health benefits.
Ingredients
Cacao powder – I order mine from Amazon. Peanut butter – I love Justin’s peanut butter, but any will do! Maple syrup – I use raw maple syrup – not the pancake kind. Rolled Oats – I like organic oats. *Must be rolled oats: quick oats will not work for this recipe. Milk – I like whole milk, but you can use any kind, even plant based. Salt – just basic salt.
This recipe serves 4, however, when I am feeding just my daughter and I, I only cook 1/4 cup oats, 1 heaping teaspoon cacao powder, a pinch of salt, 1 teaspoon maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon peanut butter. This size is perfect for my daughter and I to share.
Cacao vs Cocoa
Cacao is the raw and unaltered form of the cacao bean. Cocoa comes from the cacao bean but has been processed, whereas cacao has not been processed.
I use cacao in everything from smoothies to yogurts to baked goods. It’s an incredible antioxidant, and delivers a lot of fiber, potassium and magnesium.
For Toddlers
My 14-month-old hasn’t been into eating oats as much as when she was a baby…but this recipe changed her mind! I always make us a bowl to share and she eats 90% of it!
You can serve this 12 months+! I say 12 months, because cacao, just like cocoa or chocolate, contains a little bit of caffeine. It’s recommended to not give your baby any sort of caffeine (even if it’s natural caffeine) until they are at least 1.
How To
Mix your ingredients together in a saucepan and let cook for 15 minutes.
Take off heat and stir in the peanut butter.
Serve warm!
Cacao and Peanut Butter Oatmeal
Course: Breakfast, For Toddlers, Healthy, Main Dishes, Recipes4
servings2
minutes15
minutesIngredients
1 cup rolled oats
2 tablespoons cacao powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 1/2 cups milk of your choice
1/4 cup peanut butter
a sprinkle of cacao nibs (optional)
Directions
- In a pot, mix together together the oats, cacao powder and salt until all the oats are coated.
- Place the pot over medium heat and stir in the milk and maple syrup.
- Let it come to a boil, then turn down the heat to medium/low. Stirring every couple minutes, let cook for 12-15 minutes until the oats are cooked and the liquid has been reduced. (I like my oats a little thicker, so I usually let them cook for the full 15 minutes).
- Take the oats off the heat, stir in the peanut butter.
- I like to top mine with cacao nibs for some texture but those are completely optional. Serve warm! You can store this in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Enjoy!:)
