Quick Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal

This vegan, gluten-free recipe is full of nutrient-dense ingredients. Cooked banana and warmed cherries add just the right amount of natural sweetness.

Prep Time 6

Cook Time 4

Total Time 10

Servings

Author Veggie Primer

Ingredients

½ cup dry old fashioned oats*
1 cup water
1 small or medium banana
2-3 Tbsp. hemp seeds or wheat germ*
1 Tbsp. unsweetened dark cocoa powder
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ cup plant milk or more to taste
¾ cup frozen cherries
2 Tbsp. chopped nuts pecans, walnuts or almonds are nice

Instructions

Place frozen cherries in a small microwave-safe bowl and cook on high for 30 seconds. Stir and cook on high for another 30 seconds and then set aside.
Mash banana with a fork in a large microwave-safe bowl.
Add oats, water, hemp seeds (or wheat germ), cocoa powder and cinnamon to the bowl and stir to mix.
Microwave bowl of oats on high for approximately 4 minutes. (Make sure bowl is large enough that oatmeal will not spill when it expands during cooking.)
Remove cooked oats from microwave and stir in ¼ cup or more of plant milk (I use rice milk) to reach desired consistency.
Spoon warmed cherries over the top - include some of the cherry juice if desired.
Sprinkle with nuts and enjoy.

Notes

*If you are sensitive to gluten, be sure to use gluten-free old-fashioned oats and avoid using wheat germ.

Hemp seeds add a slight crunch, while wheat germ keeps things creamy. Both provide additional nutrients.

Note: Nutrition information is a rough estimate for special dietary needs. I subscribe to the theories presented in the book Whole and believe we should focus on eating a variety of whole foods instead of counting calories or keeping track of individual nutrients.

Nutrition