Last night as I watched American Idol draw out two long hours of results, I had some time to do some thinking.
I wanted to create a fun Friday breakfast to celebrate the approaching weekend, incorporating fresh sweet potato into my morning oatmeal. I wasn’t in the mood to bake anything or for it to take longer than 10 minutes, so I decided that finely grating the fresh sweet potato into my oatmeal would be a sneaky way to cut down the cooking time that is normally required for such a tater.
Oh, and it worked. It worked wonderfully!
And because I was already sneaking in some veggies into my breakfast, I decided that some chocolate was in order to round it out. It’s all about the balance, right?
Normally, I am not a fan of overly sweet things in the morning, but I found that just a tablespoon of cocoa powder and 1/2 square of dark chocolate was enough to turn a normal bowl of oatmeal into something quite decadent, while still being nutritious and energizing.
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Double Chocolate Sweet Potato Oatmeal
Inspired by my Carrot Cake Oatmeal and Live Well 360.
Super chocolaty without a ton of sugar, this bowl of oatmeal is high in volume and taste. The grated sweet potato is a wonderful way to sneak a veggie into your morning routine!
Yield: 1 serving
Base Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup oats
- 3/4 cup finely grated sweet potato
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 cup non-dairy milk (I used organic soy)
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1/4-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Directions:
1. In a medium sized pot, stir together the oats, milk, chia seeds, and salt. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Now stir in the grated sweet potato and the 1/4 cup of water. Cook on medium, stirring often, for a few more minutes.
2. Stir in the cocoa powder and cinnamon, being sure to get out any clumps. When the mixture has thickened up nicely, stir in the vanilla and maple syrup and remove from heat. Pour into a bowl and top with a bit of dark chocolate or your desired toppings.
Toppings I used: 1/2 square dark chocolate, 1 tbsp Chocolate Crunch Dessert Granola, few shreds of sweet potato for garnish.
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First, bring the oats, milk, chia seeds, and salt to a low boil and reduce heat to medium. Now stir in the finely grated sweet potato and 1/4 cup of water. Cook on medium, stirring frequently, for a few minutes.
Now stir in the cinnamon and cocoa powder, making sure to get out all the clumps!
Chocolaty goodness!
Cook for a few more minutes, stirring frequently. Now add in the maple syrup and vanilla and remove from heat. Pour into a bowl and add your desired toppings!
On top: 1/2 square chopped dark chocolate (it got all melty and wonderful!), a few shreds of sweet potato for garnish, and 1 tbsp of granola.
The result is a super chocolaty and decadent-tasting bowl of oatmeal with a ton of volume thanks to the sweet potato. It was just the right amount of sweetness for me, but of course you can always adjust to your own taste buds!
I’ve seen this blog survey making the rounds so I decided to fill it out myself (I also did this while watching American Idol last night!).
A-Z Survey
A. Age: 27
B. Bed size: King (as of 2011)…can’t believe we waited so long! I think my legs are getting longer from all the stretching I do now.
C. Chore you dislike: Scrubbing tile floors
D. Dogs: growing up- Pepper + Jasmine….RIP!! Both muts, both amazing dogs. I can’t wait to adopt my next one. I’m a huge, huge, huge dog lover. I was never a cat fan until Eric bought Sketchie! Now I love both cats and dogs, but I am still partial to dogs….shhhh.
E. Essential start to your day: Slippers
F. Favorite color: I can’t pick just one so- Blue, Pink, Orange, Green. I love colour!
G. Gold or silver: Gold…I’m old school and it looks best with my skin tone. I prefer silver for house décor though.
H. Height: 5’4.5" (but with my stilettos 5’9"!)
I. Instruments you play(ed): Well, let me just say that my best friend and I were formerly (currently!?) known as the ‘Squeak Sistas’…we rocked that Clarinet throughout school! Squeak!
J. Job title: Business owner/recipe developer/photographer/blogger/dish washer/molly maid.
K. Kids: Just Sketchie and our stuffed animals right now!
L. Live: Gorgeous green & hilly countryside…aka: The Sticks. We have 1 traffic light. Seriously. We did the big city thing for a couple years and did not enjoy the traffic headaches, pollution, and congestion.
M. Mom’s name: OSGMOM….Or Lori.
N. Nicknames: Dawn (middle name), Angie/Ange, Granola (one of my friends started calling me this when I went vegan! ha), Martha, shots, Lulu, Lil Gal, Skirts, Lids.
O. Overnight hospital stays: None yet…*knocks on wood*
P. Pet peeves: Stinky feet, finding another person’s hair in a hotel bathroom, pesticides on produce, finding used bandaids on the ground/swimming pool, when post office loses my parcels, Tigerblood, thinking I have a food in the fridge and finding out it is GONE!
Q. Quote from a movie: ‘You guys look like a bunch of ice cream cones!’ (Any guesses?)
R. Righty or lefty: Righty, but I used to try to teach myself how to be ambidextrous when I was young. no such luck.
S. Siblings: Sister Kristi, half-sis and half-bro: Kerrie and Chris, Step sis and step bro: Jennifer and Michael.
T. Time you wake up: Between 7-7:30am. Bedtime is 11:30-12:00 (we are both night owls and LOVE to stay up late, especially on weekends!).
U. Underwear: Oh I didn’t think this was that kind of questionnaire!
V. Vegetables you don’t like: Chard. That is the only one I can think of, so I guess I’m doing good!
W. What makes you run late: Traffic, Blogging, unexpected clothing freak-outs. I’m usually early though and hate to be late.
X. X-rays you’ve had: Teeth, pelvic area (when I had pelvic strain from running in 2009), Head (I fell on the ice and hit my head in 2008…outcome still unclear!).
Y. Yummy food you make: I’m really loving my spin-off oatmeals lately.
Z. Zoo animal favorites: The animals that are released back into the wild!
PS– My current American Idol Favs are: Paul, Pia, Haley, and Casey! What about you?
If you’d like, copy and paste this survey below and have a go at it! I love finding out about you guys.
I LOVE THIS IDEA! I’m also excited to make the casserole! :-p
A. Age: old! (39)
B. Bed size: Full
C. Chore you dislike: cleaning the toilit
D. Dogs: No pet I livined in apts growing up and now.
E. Essential start to your day: Goodbelly vitamins drink
F. Favorite color: pink when I was younger , Black now because it nake you look good.
G. Gold or silver: Silver
H. Height: 5’6
I. Instruments you play(ed): my voice I was in chorus until highschool.
J. Job title: showroom assistant for dress company.
K. Kids: twins Nicholas and Imari age 6
L. Live: In Brooklyn, NY. The best place in the world. Next to Paris of course!
M. Mom’s name: Tammy
N. Nicknames: Dan, Dee
O. Overnight hospital stays: having the twins.
P. Pet peeves: long long lines, when thing are missing and I know I put it there.
Q. Quote from a movie: (“go a head make my day!”)
R. Righty or lefty: Righty, but was born a left and my mom made me a righty.
S. Siblings: None, only child. I am not selfish or self-centers. I will share my cookies with you I swear !
T. Time you wake up: at 6:00AM to get the kids ready and then me for work.
U. Underwear: yes please. no camando for me!
V. Vegetables you don’t like: I like them all.
W. What makes you run late: not knowing what to wear.
X. no x-rays for me.
Y. Yummy food you make: kale salad with home made balsamtic dressing.
Z. Zoo animal favorites: tigers are so beautiful.
Oh my gawd. That bowl looks like it would fill me up for hours. I’ve been eating plain oats or oat bran with pb on top for too long. I need some excitement like sweet potato! Thanks for the recipe!
I have been obsessed with sweet potatoes lately….and I’ve been really enjoying your oatmeal recipes, so I have a feeling this will be another winner at my house! I love the ABC blog that’s been circulating – I did it last week: http://vegvacious.blogspot.com/2011/02/abcs-of-me.html
Perfect timing! my husband always eats oatmeal for breakfast, and since he’s been gone for a week, this will be the perfect welcome home present for him! thanks Angela!!
Interesting, here’s mine!
A-Z Survey
A. Age: 36
B. Bed size: King-size, baby! I like room to roam.
C. Chore you dislike: Putting away clean laundry, cleaning the cats’ litter box.
D. Dogs: I’m a cat person (i.e. crazy cat lady).
E. Essential start to your day: Cup o’ tea.
F. Favorite color: Purple although I have to say it doesn’t look that great on my bedroom wall.
G. Gold or silver: Would it be snobby to say platinum? :)
H. Height: 5’3 3/4″
I. Instruments you play(ed): Piano. Not very well. Superfluous fact: I have a music note tattoed on my ankle.
J. Job title: Grad student, blogger? Still working that one out.
K. Kids: Feline fur-babies: Roxy and Xena.
L. Live: Along California’s central coast. Beautiful, rolling hills with the Pacific ocean in the background. Also live part-time in the So. California Palm Springs-area.
M. Mom’s name: Sandy.
N. Nicknames: Sissy, Carebear.
O. Overnight hospital stays: Just the day I was born!
P. Pet peeves: Inefficiency, ignorance, when people whistle, hum or sing at the gym. Shall I go on?
Q. Quote from a movie: I never remember movie quotes.
R. Righty or lefty: I am afflicted with left-handedness.
S. Siblings: younger sister, Emily.
T. Time you wake up: 6:30-7.
U. Underwear: yes, please.
V. Vegetables you don’t like: This list used to be very, very long. Now I would probably just say mustard greens. They are truly awful.
W. What makes you run late: I’m a stickler for being on-time but sometimes I get distracted by doing something on the computer.
X. X-rays you’ve had: Dental comes to mind?
Y. Yummy food you make: I adore banana soft-serve with peanut butter. It’s the yummiest thing in the whole world.
Z. Zoo animal favorites: Big cats but I’m leery of zoos.
Love this idea for breakfast! Will have to sub in the chocolate peanut butter I just made the other day for straight up chocolate though…can’t get enough of it!
I know EXACTLY what I’m eating for breakfast tomorrow morning! This looks excellent! A boost of even MORE fiber in the morning? I’m all over this.
Your sweet potato chocolate oats look SO GOOD. I seriously need to try those. Perhaps tomorrow :D.
Another fabulous oatmeal recipe!
I might post this back onto my blog if you dont mind :)
Love your job title.
Yum! I love that you grated the sweet potato – I once tried adding sweet potato chunks to my oatmeal and it was…revolting. Shredded is a great idea :)
A-L Survey (I got lazy!)
A. Age: 24
B. Bed size: Queen. Would kill for a King.
C. Chore you dislike: Drying dishes. Irritates me!
D. Dogs: I am also a crazy cat lady.
E. Essential start to your day: Hot water with lemon.
F. Favorite color: Pink.
G. Gold or silver: Silver (white gold if I could afford it).
H. Height: 5″7.
I. Instruments you play(ed): Okay on the piano, terrible on the guitar.
J. Job title: Unemployed :( Most recently, Communications Coordinator.
K. Kids: No kiddies, except the occasional food baby I get…
L. Live: Toronto! YEAH T-DOT!
A, what the crap is CHARD? Never heard of that :)
B, LOL at “Tigerblood.” Agreed.
CHOCOLATE sweet potato oats? I adored the first iteration… this one might put me in a food-joy coma. Add a homemade marshmallow and you just put Thanksgiving in a bowl for me. :)
Yay, sweet potatoes! I can’t seem to get enough of sweet potatoes recently. I noticed that vanilla extract wasn’t included in your ingredient list but was included in your picture – I’m assuming it’s 1 tsp vanilla? Anyway, this looks amazing!
yup! added it in :)
Wow chocolate and sweet potato? I’ve got to try this!
Sweet potato is so perfect for oatmeal – natural sweetness!
Looks like I just found breakfast… gotta go! LOVE the a-z survey :)
This was a fun read and the recipe looks awesome too! I especially loved reading your nicknames (LOL at Granola). I’ve had odd nicknames: Lilliput, Lipstick, Sticky…!
I’m so glad I finally saw a blogger say that they have a King sized bed! I’m amazed at how many people “make do” with a Queen. Then again, I’m biased because my husband is 6’8” and there is just no way we fit on a Queen!
Nice to get to know you more Angela. My God I’m old enough to be your mother! Granted, I would have been a YOUNG mother…but still. :) Have a great day!