Showing posts with label oatmeal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label oatmeal. Show all posts

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Mocha Oatmeal

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day…


Growing up I must admit that breakfast was not my favorite meal whatsoever. Waking up every morning and having a bowl of whatever cereal was in the house seemed so boring and bland. Breakfast was a dull routine cycle. Now, however, I shudder to think that I actually skipped breakfast periodically.

We have heard over and over again from our parents how important this morning meal is. However, I did not truly understand and come to accept this statement until I started taking my Nutrition courses at Ohio State. I learned that overnight our bodies are going through a fast so when we wake up our blood glucose levels are low. In layman’s terms: we need to replenish the nutrients and energy in our body upon waking.

I started eating a hearty breakfast religiously about a year ago when I wanted to become a healthier person. When I say hearty, I mean I am having about 350-400 calories every morning for breakfast. I have noticed that if I have a small, unsubstantial breakfast that I am ravenous within two hours. My family and friends know that a hungry Aly is not a pleasant one to be around…

I have come to love breakfast so much that as I lie in bed trying to fall asleep at night, I find myself thinking about what I will make myself in the morning. I always have a complete meal that consists of whole grains, dairy, protein, and coffee. The last part is crucial. I must have my Cup of Joe in the morning!

Coffee = ♥

So that being said, one of my favorite morning meals is oatmeal. But not just any ordinary, run of the mill type. I love creating oatmeal masterpieces. Old Fashioned Oats are where it’s at people! I love eating my oatmeal with either a whole grain bagel or low fat yogurt topped with fresh berries. And what can be better than combining oatmeal with two of the best wonders of the world: chocolate and coffee.

Mocha Oatmeal:
½ cup Old Fashioned Oats
1 cup water
1 ½ tsp instant coffee
1 Tbsp cocoa powder
¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
1 Splenda packet

The ingredients!

Directions
-In a small pot, bring the liquid and instant coffee to a boil.
-Add the oats, give it a quick stir, and reduce the heat to low.
-After 2 minutes add the vanilla and cocoa powder. Stir.
-Cook 3 more minutes and right before transferring the oatmeal to a bowl, stir in the Splenda.

Sprinkling with mini semi-sweet morsels is a must!

Enjoy!


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