You’ll be happy or horrified to know I have a new breakfast obsession.
Did you notice my oatmeal is no longer orange? Yeah, pumpkin is getting the boot for a few weeks while I recover from my co-worker asking me yesterday if I went anywhere over Thanksgiving Break because I look like I got some color.
Actually, that’s a lie – I can take that. I like having people tell me I look tan.
It must have been my sister in law asking me if my hands were orange from eating too much orange food.
Yes, yes they are.
Okay – that’s a lie too. I just wanted an excuse to eat chocolate for breakfast.
And you better believe I wasn’t going to let those Thanksgiving cranberries go to waste. Why is it we only make cranberries twice a year? I think cranberries should be a household staple 365 days a year – and no, not from a can. If you are a canned cranberry kind of person, I think we’re going to have to have a sit down conversation on why fresh cranberries are where its at. They pop in your mouth. They’re tart and not overly sweet.
And they don’t make a weird noise when they’re coming out of the can.
Cranberry Chocolate Oatmeal
- 1/3 cup GF oats
- 1 & 1/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup almond milk
- 1 tbsp. chia seeds
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1/2 banana, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp. chocolate protein powder **
- 1/2 tbsp. cocoa powder **
- 2 tbsp. cranberry sauce (or dried cranberries)
- cinnamon
- optional toppings: peanut butter, granola, chocolate chips
Directions: The night before, combine the 1/3 cup oats, 1 & 1/3 cup water, 1 tbsp. chia seeds, and 1 tsp. vanilla in a small sauce pan. Heat over high heat until water comes to a boil, turn heat off, and cover overnight. In the morning, give the oatmeal a stir, add 1/3 cup almond milk, and thinly slice 1/2 banana into the saucepan. Bring to a boil and “whip” the bananas into the oats with a whisk or fork. Once banana has been whipped, allow oatmeal to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes or until oatmeal has reached your desired consistency. Turn off heat and add in 1 tbsp. chocolate protein powder and 1/2 tbsp. cocoa powder. Whisk until smooth and transfer to a bowl. Top with cinnamon, cranberry sauce, and other toppings.
Enjoy!
** If you do not have chocolate protein powder, you can omit or use vanilla. Adjust the amount of cocoa powder you use accordingly.
Somewhere in the back of my mind I am hoping my quickly depleting cranberry sauce stash will replenish itself so I can continue to enjoy this breakfast for weeks to come. However, I’m pretty sure this oatmeal will only be served for a couple of more days.
I guess I’m going to have to go back to working on my tan instead.
Question: Canned or fresh cranberry sauce? Current oatmeal obsession?
{ 73 comments… read them below or add one }
My oatmeal for the past 3 days has been PB, a dap of maple syrup and sliced banana. SO delicious!
That does sound delicious – come make me breakfast woman!
Those people (cough, cough my dad) who like canned cranberry. It has always weirded me out, ever since I was a kid. I mean “it looks like the can it just came out of!”…. not a fan. But I still love those cranberry lovers too.
I definitely prefer the cranberries that my granny makes- she makes everything taste stellar! …..Your breakfast combo is perfect, and your photo with the red & green placemat just got me even more excited for Christmas!
Well, it is the most wonderful time of the year!
Try getting through the day without that song in your head now.
an excuse to eat chocolate for breakfast sounds perfect to me!
I love fresh cran sauce and it’s so EASY to make and sooo many versions. I have an extra bag in the fridge waiting to be used!
Is it weird that I’ve only eaten cranberries in the form of dried or as a sauce..never straight up! Do waffles made from oatmeal count- if so I am OBSESSED…I’ve eaten them every morning without fail for the last 3 weeks!
You must make cranberry sauce then! It is so easy to make.
I like both canned & fresh cranberry sauce! And I looove to put chocolate chips in my oatmeal!
I keep wanting to try chocolate protein powder (I use vanilla) but I’m afraid I will actually get sick of chocolate in the morning (GASP! I know…). And I’m officially making myself some cranberry sauce, I can’t take it all over everyone’s blogs anymore!
I have a solution to your problem. Buy one chocolate and one vanilla. Done and done.
Current oatmeal obsession: oats, vanilla protein powder, bluberries, cinnamon, and almond milk. Love it!
You are so right about the cranberries! Love the recipe!
I love any excuse to eat chocolate for breakfast! And I definitely agree on fresh cranberries and making them more than once a year!
That noise. When squishy things come out of a can. *SHUDDER*
I can’t STAND it. My little brother can mimic that noise perfectly and it drives me banana sandwich.
Ew. That would make me want to barf.
Always fresh cranberries, but I’m not on an oatmeal kick right now.
You can become like my mom. She is a cranberry hoarder. She has like 10 bags of cranberries frozen at all times. We used to have cranberry sauce year round not just at Thanksgiving.
That’s hilarious! Does she really love cranberries or something?
Added some of my sweet carrot souffle to my oatmeal this morning – still orange, but not pumpkin!
Definitely fresh cranberry sauce! But I’m too lazy to make it, so I guess I’ll have to wait until Christmas when my dad makes it!
I just added molasses to my pumpkin oatmeal this morning… delicious! I think it’s going to become my new obsession.
I definitely need to get back on the molasses wagon!
I’m cranberry crazy right now – especially since I made my own cranberry relish for Thanksgiving. It turned out so well. I need to try out more cranberry dishes!
Fresh crans alllll the way. I love my grandma’s, but this Thanksgiving she forgot to bring them. I’ll forgive her this time
haha
Yes, we must forgive the elderly for mind slips sometimes!
i’m currently obsessed with cranberries. and chocolate is always a good thing. yum!
I’ve never been one that likes chocolate and fruit together, but this oatmeal sounds SO good! I am in love with cranberry sauce too. I bought a bunch of extra cranberries to freeze so I can make extra cranberry sauce throughout the rest of the year.
I’m all about the fresh, homemade stuff too!
I am happy ! Looks very yummy!
My latest oats have been pumpkin, need to switch up soon!
Happy Tuesday! xoxo
I made fresh cranberries for Thanksgiving last year and hardly anyone in my family touched them. They all wanted to know where the canned stuff was. I just gave up this year and let them have their canned monstrosity.
It’s not quite the same, but we probably devour 50lbs of dried cranberries in our house throughout the year!
That is so sad. I would have eaten your cranberries.
that is exactly what i’m eating now! except i did put a spoonful of pumpking butter in mine! so yummy!
Do you happen to have a “healthy” not loaded with sugar cranberry sauce recipe? I have a bag of cranberries in my fridge that I want to start using for oatmeal. I love cranberries in oatmeal…So darn good.
My mom made the cranberries, but she lowers the amount of sugar and uses sugar in the raw.
What a great idea to jazz up oats in the AM. And bonus that it’s GF, since I’m always trying to find new things for my GF mom
I haven’t been huge on cranberry sauce (probably because I don’t eat much that it would go good on) but cranberry + chocolate oatmeal is one of my all-time favorites! I love my breakfast guacamole on oats – gosh, haven’t had that in probably a full year?
do tell me more about this breakfast guac.
Avocado, agave (or honey), cinnamon and almond milk…it’s sweet but not crazy sugary. I’m totally craving it now
http://forthehealth.com/2010/07/avocad-oats/
Fresh cranberries are DEFINITELY the way to go…just the sluuuuurp sound that canned cranberries make when they come out of the can is enough to turn me away!!
Ew. That’s all I have to say about that.
Yum! I have never thought to add cranberry sauce to oats before! Clever!!
NEW BREAKFAST! I commend you for letting go of your beloved pumpkin. I’m sure that was no easy task.
As I am now eating more pumpkin for breakfast this morning…
i would eat chocolate for every meal if I could!
And I think I better pump up the pumpkin intake so I can look more tan too!
haha! girlfriend, i have a HILARIOUS story about cranberries and my gwendolyn (smooshie-faced puggle), and i am currently writing that blog post, which is completely inspired by you! i love cranberries! my puggle loves cranberries! and i love this post! x
Can’t wait to read it!
Looks delicious, thanks for sharing! I’ve never thought of eating cranberries and chocolate together but I bet it tastes AWESOME!
Canned or fresh? Am I allowed to pick neither? Just doesn’t do it for me. But the oatmeal underneath looks pretty great.
I suppose I can still be your friend.
Dessert for breakfast? I’m in! Looks INCREDIBLE. Can’t wait to try!
Canned or fresh? Is that even a question? Actually, it definitely is in my household. I’m all about the chunky, fresh cranberry sauce but my sister loves the canned stuff.
We need to have an intervention with your sister!
Fresh cranberry sauce all the way. My mom made some for Thanksgiving with raspberries and orange juice that she hand squeezed and as soon as we were all finished eating I exclaimed “You forgot to put out the cranberry sauce!!” She was so mad at herself for forgetting, but we all just at some with a spoon afterwards
Love this! Having chocolate on my morning oats is my daily indulgence
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Cranberries and chocolate is such a good combo. Well, anything and chocolate really. Looks tasty!
Fresh cranberry sauce!!!
Thankfully (and saddly at the same time) my Grandmommy did not come up for Thanksgiving this year, which meant that my mom could make the cranberry sauce with WAY less sugar (my grandmommy used a lot of sugar in her recipe). I find that if people think the cranberry sauce is too tart, they can add their own sugar to the sauce. A much better strategy. It’s better to have the sauce to tart and to have to add your own sugar to it, than for it to be too sweet and have the whole dish ruined. Your thoughts?
And oatmeal is just the same standard fare for me: tons of brown sugar. I change around my oatmeal style at least once every three weeks, but this is my go-too style. Has been since I was a toddler (with quantity of oats and sugar increasing throughout the years. I love my oats super sweet!!!!).
I agree – I don’t like things super sweet so when people make them less sweet to begin with, I say bless their heart!!
This looks delicious! I usually always have peanut butter in my oatmeal, but I think I could switch it up for chocolate!
Do you stir the peanut butter in while you cook it?
Aaaand, there’s nothing wrong with PB Chocolate oats!!
This recipe = life. I’m making this tomorrow. I have been thinking about what the heck I am going to use my leftover cranberries from. Fresh all the way!!
Canned and fresh-I require both.
I am WAY into mocha oats this week. Also, maple cream of wheat. No idea why.
Mocha oats sound to die for!!
hahahaha!! I like how the pumpkin got the boot
There is always a time to move on……
Cranberries on Oatmeal?? YES PLEASE!!!! What a fab way to waken your buds in the morning!! I’m going to try this beauty!
xxoo
Pumpkin is back again this morning – no more cranberries. ::tear::
That looks delicious. love getting simple breakfast ideas from blogs. I can’t wait to try this.
I used to LOVE the canned stuff as a kid and even bring my own can to Thanksgiving at my grandparents house, but now I’ve grown up and like the real stuff. Fresh cranberries are a constant staple in my freezer, they’re so good in baked things!
We don’t get fresh cranberries in Australia, so we can choose between cranberry sauce from a jar (is it the same thing as canned cranberries?) and frozen whole cranberries, which I have always found very tart.
Current oatmeal obsession – oats + chia seeds + raspberries + egg white + maple syrup + flaked almonds. Perfect pre-gym fuel.
I feel so sorry for you… come to the states! I’ll make you some.
cranberries are in my house 24/7! I’m a huge fan of dried cranberries as well as fresh!
Cranberry sauce on oats is such a good idea! Buying fresh cranberries has always freaked me out but I don’t see any reason not to do it when they are around! My current oatmeal obsession is oats + Sunwarrior + egg whites + cinnamon +stevia topped with peanut butter and sweet potato butter!
Sweet potato butter? That sounds amazing!!
I am literally eating this right now and it is delish!! Thanks for the recipe
I must admit I am not much of an oatmeal person nor a cranberry person. but I do like them from time to time. I would say I perfer fresh cranberry over canned, though I know my mom usually gets canned haha
Yummy. Always looking for new oatmeal ideas. Usually just do the PB and banana version.
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