Looking for some fun and healthy breakfast ideas? Oat-based breakfasts have always been a wonderful go-to for me over the years. And this is a classic in my playbook of great ways to start my day: Banana Chocolate Chip Stovetop Oatmeal Recipe (No added sugar!).
Is Oatmeal the Perfect Breakfast?
Oatmeal just may be the perfect breakfast. By adding the right toppings and mix-ins, you can create a breakfast that is:
- Filling
- Nutrient-Dense
- Energy-boosting
- Delicious
- Fun
This checks most of the boxes on my needs list. What about you?!
Banana Chocolate Chip Stovetop Oatmeal Ingredients
You only need 5 key ingredients to make this Banana Chocolate Chip Stovetop Oatmeal Recipe: oats, water, milk of choice, banana, and chocolate chips. Additional optional ingredients like chia seeds, salt, cinnamon, etc. add flavor, filling power, and / or nutrients. Let’s discuss a couple of these ingredients:
Rolled Oats
Rolled oats is a classic health food staple, and for good reason.
- Potentially surprisingly, oats actually provide a moderate amount of protein, though I do like to add additional mix-ins and toppings to up the total protein of this breakfast.
- Oats contain both soluble and insoluble fiber, which can help promote digestive health and lower cholesterol levels.
- There are many vitamins and nutrients in oats, including: manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, iron, zinc, and vitamin B1 + B5.
And you can read about additional health benefits of oats and eating oatmeal here at Healthline.
Banana
This recipe uses banana as a natural sweetener. Plus adding a banana to your breakfast helps you get your daily fruit servings for the day started early.
Bananas are famous as being a good source of potassium, but they also contain other nutrients, including Vitamin C, copper, and magnesium.
Chocolate Chips
Healthy eating is about more than *only* eating “health foods”. A sprinkle of chocolate chips on top of a super healthy bowl of stovetop oatmeal is a great way to meet your health goals while enjoying the process. Remember: a little goes a long way with the chocolate chips, so you don’t need to add a ton to enjoy the chocolate deliciousness.
If no added sugar is really important to you, be sure to use no added sugar chocolate chips. Personally, I add so little chocolate chips that I find the added sugar almost negligible. I take a practical approach with help, so I try to not sweat the small stuff. Not adding sugar to the oatmeal base is already a huge step in the right direction!
Chia Seeds
The addition of chia seeds helps add a touch more protein and healthy fats to your bowl, which helps keep you full nice and long.
Health Boost Tip
Boost the nutrient profile of your breakfast with other health-boosting mix-ins and or toppings, like nuts and seeds or additional fruit.
Stovetop Oatmeal vs Microwave Oatmeal
Which kind of oatmeal is superior? Stovetop oatmeal or Microwave oatmeal?
I think either one is great depending on your needs, preferences, and especially available time.
When I have the time to make and clean up everything, I prefer stovetop oatmeal because it just tastes better and has a better overall texture.
But microwave oatmeal is just as healthy and delicious while also being a huge time-saver. Not to mention you usually at microwave oatmeal in the bowl you make it in, so there’s no pot to clean up.
Which do type of oatmeal do you prefer? Comment below!
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Banana Chocolate Chip Stovetop Oatmeal Recipe
- Prep Time: 2
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 12 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
Description
This warm and filling bowl of Banana Chocolate Chip Stovetop oatmeal is not only healthy, it’s delicious and FUN too! What a great combo to start your day with energy-boosting nutrients that will help you stay full til lunch! Easy to tailor for anyone eating intuitively too – see notes for tips.
Ingredients
Stovetop Oatmeal
- 1/3 cup rolled oats
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup oat milk (or milk of choice)
- 1/2 tablespoon chia seeds, optional
- dash of salt
- banana, peeled and sliced (reserve a few slices for your topping)
Toppings (Optional)
- sprinkle of chocolate chips (about 1 teaspoon)
- handful of chopped walnuts or other nuts / seeds (about 2 tablespoons)
- spoonful of peanut butter (about 1 tablespoon)
- dash of cinnamon
Instructions
- In a small pot, combine oats, milk, water, chia seeds (if using), and salt. Stir together and turn heat to medium low.
- Cook oats, stirring occasionally, until they reach your preferred texture & consistency, about 6-8 minutes. Note: There are many types of oats – the thicker, the longer they will take to cook. Check the cook time on your package to be more exact on preparation time.
- Turn off the heat and add all of your sliced bananas minus a few to use later as a topping. Stir gently to combine and warm the bananas through.
- Pour oats into a serving bowl and top with reserved banana slices, chocolate chips, and any additional toppings you prefer: a spoonful of peanut butter, nuts and/or seeds, and sprinkle of cinnamon. Enjoy!
Notes
- Short on time? Try making this recipe in the microwave. I’d recommend cooking the oatmeal following package directions using the oats, milk of choice, water, and salt. Mix in the bananas after cooking the oats and add your toppings last.
- Banana options: I personally prefer my banana slices to be a bit more firm, which is why I stir them in at the end. You could alternatively mash the bananas if you don’t want any slices at all. Or if you stir them in at the beginning of cooking, they will become much more mushy if you like that kinda thing.
- More or less hungry? Adjust the amount of oats, milk, and water to meet your unique satiety / calorie needs. When I want a smaller breakfast or snack, I’ll often do 1/4 cup of each. When I want a bigger breakfast, I’ll sometimes do 1/2 cup. Be sure to tailor the amounts to suit your needs.
More Oatmeal Recipes to Love
Peanut Butter and Jelly Stovetop Oatmeal Recipe
Healthy Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal Recipe
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Thank you for checking out my Banana Chocolate Chip Stovetop Oatmeal Recipe (No Added Sugar!) blog post!