Combine coffee and chocolate in your morning oatmeal and fuel up quickly! This easy, low-fat, Trim Healthy Mama friendly Instant Pot oatmeal recipe is warm, comforting, and nourishing because it uses soaked oats for improved digestibility and nutrient absorption.
Who Has Time For Breakfast?
If you’re operating on a hectic and busy schedule, you might ask yourself that frequently. Breakfast is super important though! You need to fuel up that tank to face the tasks of the day!
If you have an Instant Pot (and actually, even if you don’t) you can make this super easy Chocolate Java Instant Pot Oatmeal in no time. In fact, you can get it ready the night before and have delicious, hot, nourishing oatmeal ready for you when you wake up!
Want to know how?
Soak Those Oats (Right In Your Instant Pot)!
Soaking your grains, nuts, and legumes reduces the amount of anti-nutrients they contain so your body can better absorb the nutrients you need.
Combining the oats, water, and an acidic medium in your Instant Pot the night before will get that phytic acid neutralized while you sleep. Using the delayed start function on your IP will get them cooking before you wake up.
It’s almost like having a personal chef doing the work for you while you sleep.
Just stir in a few more ingredients and voila! Breakfast is ready!
Forgot to Soak Your Oats?
You know soaking is best, but sometimes forget to do it. Happens to me too! But over at Traditional Cooking School there is a simply brilliant solution for that. Pre-soaked oats!
They are super easy to make, and Wardee has a clever technique to keep them from becoming rock hard! You do need a dehydrator, so if you’ve been thinking about buying one always having healthy, soaked oats on hand just might be the number one reason to go ahead and buy one.
Oh, and crispy, soaked nuts. Oh. Sweet. Mercy.
You’ll also find how to do those at Traditional Cooking School. It really is a treasure trove of helpful and healthy recipes and information!
You can also use regular, rolled oats (not quick oats) without soaking. I do, however, recommend the soaking as it is much more nutritious. Soaking neutralizes phytic acid, which prevents your body from absorbing the nutrients in the oats.
No Instant Pot? Make Chocolate Java Instant Pot Oatmeal on Your Stove Top!
If you don’t have an Instant Pot, don’t despair! You can still enjoy the delightful combination of chocolate and coffee in your morning oatmeal by cooking it on the stove top.
Using the pre-soaked oats work perfectly here, too – a wonderful time-saver for when you forget to soak those oats!
If you’ve gotten your oats soaked the night before, simply add them to a pot along with the rest of the ingredients and cook as usual.
I do highly recommend the Instant Pot though! I found this method of cooking oats at Feed Your Skull and it comes out perfectly every time. My kids prefer the texture of IP cooked oats over stove top, too.
What About Fats and Protein?
On the Trim Healthy Mama plan, how you fuel up your tank is also essential. With a carby fuel like oats, you need to keep your added fat grams low. As written, this recipe has no added fat – so you can add a small pat of butter if you like!
You also need to make sure you get enough protein to keep your blood sugar from spiking.
There are egg whites added to these Chocolate Java Instant Pot Oats but it’s not quite enough to meet the recommended protein amounts for a THM E meal. You have a few options:
- If dairy isn’t a problem for you, have a cup of fat-free Greek yogurt
- Make an easy Egg White Omelette
- Stir in a scoop of THM Pristine Whey Protein
- Add a scoop of collagen to your on-plan hot beverage
- Make a quick and easy smoothie with added collagen or whey protein
Just make sure your protein source is very lean (96% or more if you’re choosing a meat).
Do I Have to Add Coffee?
No, you sure don’t. Chocolate instant pot oatmeal is just as delicious!
If you don’t like coffee feel free to leave it out or try substituting with an herbal coffee substitute. Just be sure to replace the coffee with an equal amount of water.
You can also use instant coffee or powdered coffee substitute, such as Dandy Blend. Again, make sure to keep the amount of liquid the same in the recipe.
Why the PIP (Pot In Pot) Method?
I cook the oats in a dish that’s safe for Instant Pot cooking instead of directly in the IP liner pot liner itself for two reasons:
- It’s easier to turn around and add something to the IP right away. If you only have one liner pot, your pot is clean and ready to use.
- To prevent scorching or sticking on the bottom of the pot.
There are many dishes suitable for the PIP method of cooking. Generally, glass bowls that say “ovenproof” are safe, as well as silicone and stainless steel.
Just be sure to add 1 cup of water to the bottom of the IP liner pot and use the trivet to elevate the container out of the water.
A Recipe the Whole Family Can Enjoy!
If you make this without the stevia, then those in your family who don’t need or want to use stevia can sweeten theirs as they like. You can then sweeten your portion as desired.
Use decaf if the caffeine is a concern with little ones (or use an herbal coffee substitute or just use water).
It also freezes and reheats well! Freeze in ziploc baggies in single serving portions and simply reheat. You can pop one in the fridge the day before to have it thawed in the morning or just reheat from frozen. Add a bit of water if desired for the right consistency.
However you make them, this Chocolate Java Instant Pot Oatmeal is sure to be a hit!
Let’s Make Some Chocolate Java Oatmeal!
Chocolate Java Instant Pot Oatmeal
Combine coffee and chocolate in your morning oatmeal and fuel up quickly! This easy, low-fat, Trim Healthy Mama friendly Instant Pot oatmeal recipe is warm, comforting, and nourishing because it uses soaked oats for improved digestibility and nutrient absorption.
Ingredients
If using pre-soaked oats or regular rolled oats
- 2 cups pre-soaked oats (or regular rolled oats)
- 1 cup brewed coffee (or herbal coffee substitute or water for just chocolate oatmeal)
- 2 1/2 cups water (you need 3 1/2 cups liquid in total)
If Soaking Your Oats Then Cooking
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup brewed coffee (or herbal coffee substitute or water for just chocolate oatmeal)
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons raw ACV (or lemon juice; yogurt or whey can be used if dairy is not an issue)
Remaining Ingredients (for either method)
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon glucomannan powder (optional)
- 1/8 teaspoon high mineral tsp salt
- 1/2 cup egg whites (3 to 4 from fresh eggs or use carton egg whites)
- Stevia or other on-plan sweetener to taste (or for non-THM eaters, coconut sugar is fabulous in this!)
- OPTIONAL - add 1 scoop plan-approved whey protein powder per serving
Instructions
Instant Pot (using pre-soaked oats or regular rolled oats)
- Pour 1 cup of water into the liner pot and add the trivet.
- In a bowl or dish that fits and is safe to use in your Instant Pot, combine oats, coffee, water (you'll need 3 1/2 cups liquid in total), cocoa, optional glucomannan powder, and salt and mix well to combine.
- Place the bowl on top of the trivet, secure the lid, and be sure the vent knob is set to SEALING.
- Set your Instant Pot to MULTIGRAIN for 6 minutes
- You can either do QPR (Quick Pressure Release) or NPR (Natural Pressure Release) after the cooking time is up.
- When it's safe to open the lid, stir in the egg whites, vanilla, optional whey protein powder, and sweeten if desired (or sweeten individual servings).
Instant Pot (soaking oats right in the pot the night before)
- Pour 1 cup of water into the liner pot and add the trivet.
- In a bowl or dish that fits and is safe to use in your Instant Pot, combine oats, coffee, water (you'll need 3 1/2 cups liquid in total), cocoa, raw ACV, (or lemon juice, yogurt, OR whey) and salt.
- Place the bowl on top of the trivet, secure the lid, and make sure the vent knob is set to SEALING.
- Set your Instant Pot to MULTIGRAIN for 6 minutes.
- Set the delay start for at least 8 hours before you want to eat the oatmeal.
- When it's safe to open the lid, stir in the egg whites, optional glucomannan powder, vanilla, and sweeten if desired (or sweeten individual servings).
STOVE TOP PREPARATION
For soaked oats
- Combine regular rolled oats, coffee, water, and ACV (or lemon juice, yogurt, OR whey) in a glass bowl. Cover and let set on the counter at least 8 hours.
- Add soaked oats mixture, egg whites, cocoa, optional gluccie, and salt to a sauce pan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring often.
- Cook until oatmeal is as thick as you'd like.
- Stir in vanilla and optional whey protein powder, sweeten to taste as desired.
For pre-soaked oats or regular rolled oats
- Combine all ingredients (except vanilla and whey protein) in a sauce pan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring often.
- Cook until oatmeal is as thick as you'd like.
- Stir in vanilla and optional whey protein powder, sweeten to taste as desired.
Notes
For Trim Healthy Mamas
- The 4 grams of fat per 1/2 cup serving is the fat naturally occurring in oatmeal. This does not count toward your ADDITIONAL fat grams allowed in a E meal.
- Be sure to include additional protein, such as stirring in a scoop of on-plan whey protein powder, or have a cup of fat free Greek yogurt, an egg white omelette, or a smoothie with added protein.
- You can have up to 5 grams of added fat with this, but that does include fat in the rest of your meal items.
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Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 241Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 72mgFiber: 7gSugar: 1gProtein: 11g
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Hannah H. says
If I do the soaking then cooking method, but want to use my instant pot still, should I cover them and put them in the refrigerator?
Dawn Yoder says
Great question Hannah!
My understanding is that you don’t want to refrigerate them, they do need some warmth for the soaking to do its job. It’s very safe, people have been doing it for hundreds of years 😉
Linda L. says
Can I use steel cut oats? Does it change the amount of oats if used?
Dawn Yoder says
Hi Linda!
My apologies for the late reply, this summer has just been so crazy for me! I have not tried it with steel cut oats so I’m not sure how to advise you. If you’ve substituted steel cut for rolled oats in other recipes with success I’d think this would be the same? I’m not sure if they need more liquid or more cooking time, for example. If you try it please stop by and let us know how it turned out.