Friday, July 13, 2012

Mocha Oatmeal (with Variations)

Wednesday morning, I had great plans for a Peppermint Mocha Oatmeal. I planned it while falling asleep the night before, and I woke up eager to try it out.


My dreams came crashing down when I opened my mother's bottle of mint extract, only to get an awful whiff of spearmint. SPEARMINT!! Ugh. It was a combination of spearmint and peppermint. Unacceptable!

I was not about to have spearmint mocha--gross. Instead, I just went with a simple mocha oatmeal, along with a little bit of vanilla extract to enhance the chocolate flavor.


Like my Thin Mints or Lemon Poppy Seed Oatmeal, I used banana to sweeten it. I swear you won't taste it. I knew I wouldn't be able to taste it with peppermint or almond extract, but I was very surprised that I didn't even taste it with just vanilla extract! The coffee and chocolate flavors are very strong and mask the banana taste well.


The fun thing about this recipe is that the variations are endless! Instead of vanilla extract, you could use PEPPERMINT extract (not spearmint...) for a peppermint mocha, ALMOND extract for an almond mocha, etc. Imagine the possibilities: hazelnut, caramel, coconut, butterscotch, Irish cream, French vanilla....

Mocha Oatmeal

by The Oatmeal Artist
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 5 min
Ingredients (serves 1)
  • 2/3 cup strong brewed coffee (I used cold press!)
  • 1/3 cup milk of choice, or water
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats (I used Country Choice Organic)
  • 1/2 a ripe banana
  • 1 rounded tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
Instructions
  1. Bring coffee and milk to a boil, add oats, and reduce heat to medium.
  2. Mash up banana and add to the oatmeal. Stir.
  3. Once more of the liquid has absorbed, add cocoa powder, vanilla extract (or whatever flavor you want to use), and salt.
  4. If you'd like to add any extra ingredients (coconut oil, nuts), do so now.
  5. When you're pleased with the consistency of the oatmeal, transfer to a bowl. Serve with another splash of your milk of choice (and/or more coffee) and any other additional toppings (shredded coconut, nuts, chocolate chips, etc.).
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Easy variations:

White Chocolate Mocha Oatmeal
Add a handful of white chocolate chips toward the end (either let them melt and stir them in, or simply sprinkle them on top when serving).

Almond Mocha Oatmeal
Use 1/4 tsp almond extract instead of vanilla extract.

Peppermint Mocha Oatmeal
Use 1/4 tsp peppermint extract instead of vanilla extract. Top with a sprig of fresh peppermint when serving, if you have it! :)

Butterscotch Mocha Oatmeal
Add a handful of butterscotch chips toward the end (either let them melt and stir them in, or simply sprinkle them on top when serving).

Coconut Mocha Oatmeal
Use coconut milk with the coffee for your cooking liquid, and top with shredded coconut at the end. The vanilla extract is optional.

Almond Joy Mocha Oatmeal
Use 1/4 tsp almond extract instead of vanilla extract, and top with shredded coconut at the end.


Of course, you could also use flavored syrups as well. :)

**You can also find hundreds of other oatmeal recipes (as well as tons of other meatless recipes) on my Pinterest account!  You can also like The Oatmeal Artist on Facebook. Thanks!

12 comments:

  1. Oh gosh! This looks so good!! I'm especially partial to anything mocha + coconut, so I'm thinking I may have to try that combo, although the peppermint idea sounds awesome too! (Not spearmint... blech! Haha!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! It's excellent with coconut, but like you, I'm also partial. :)

      Delete
  2. I am most certainly in love with your recipes and very grateful to have stumbled upon your blog! How did you go about attracting and maintaining followers? I'm starting up as a Health Coach and I'm slightly wary about my effectiveness in attracting a following on my website. There are already so many awesome food blogs out there (yours included) that I'm not too confident in my ability to foster my own little community. Any tips are appreciated!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. First of all, thanks so much! As for "promoting" my blog, I used a few different outlets.
      1. I posted my links on Twitter.
      2. Pinterest. Awesome way to get views.
      3. I used food blog galleries like Tastespotting, HealthyAperture, and FindingVegan. You may be able to find similar galleries for your topic.

      Last but not least, post consistently! People tend to show more interest if they can tell your blog is active and reliable.

      Delete
    2. Thanks for the tips! I'll have to become a more avid Twitter/Pinterest user. Good luck!

      Delete
  3. Just made this!!! Soooo good. I went with the Almond Joy variation...almond extract, and then topped with chocolate chips, cinnamon, shredded coconut and a few almonds! Check it out on my Instagram @xtinaluvspink1. Thanks Lauren!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm so glad! I was really curious to hear what others would think of this recipe. Loved your instagram pics!

      Delete
  4. Just found your blog and I can't wait to try out some of these recipes! Would adding a sweetener (I use Stevia) work in place of the banana? I'm not worried about being able to taste it, I just have no ripe bananas on hand! Also, is there a way to get the peppermint flavor without using an extract?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, you could replace the banana with a sweetener, but the oatmeal won't be as creamy. There isn't really a good way to get the peppermint flavor without the extract. Obviously you could use fresh mint from a plant, but it will take a significant amount to get the right flavor!

      Delete
  5. oh yum! I know what I'm making in the a.m....White Chocolate Coconut Mocha Oatmeal!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I absolutely love this recipe!!! Made it again today!

    ReplyDelete
  7. 3 Studies SHOW Why Coconut Oil Kills Belly Fat.

    This means that you literally kill fat by eating Coconut Fat (including coconut milk, coconut cream and coconut oil).

    These 3 studies from big medical journals are sure to turn the traditional nutrition world around!

    ReplyDelete

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