This recipe for no added sugar banana oatmeal is my toddler’s favorite oatmeal recipe. It’s full of fiber, protein, omega-3s and healthy fats!
MY TODDLER’S FAVORITE HEALTHY AND HOMEMADE OATMEAL
One healthy and homemade breakfast that I can count on Finn eating is this banana oatmeal. My favorite thing about this oatmeal is that it has no added sugar and all of the sweetness (and there’s plenty of it) comes from a ripe banana. I also love that I can get mix in all sorts of good stuff like chia seeds, hemp hearts, coconut oil and nut butter.
Finn will only eat fruit when it’s mixed or cooked into things like muffins, oatmeal and smoothies. I’m grateful that I’ve been able to get him to enjoy the flavor of bananas with this oatmeal.
Let’s take a detour off the oatmeal path and talk about his mismatched socks. Finn thinks it is SO fun to wear one red sock and one blue sock with his PJs. He gets so tickled every time and it’s too cute.
BANANA OATMAL INGREDIENTS
Here’s the ingredients lineup.
- Old-fashioned rolled oats – for soluble fiber, protein and nutrients like magnesium, zinc and iron.
- Chia seeds – for omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, fiber, iron and calcium.
- Coconut oil – for healthy fat.
- Cinnamon – for an added depth of flavor
- Ripe banana – for sweetness without adding sugar
- Nut butter – for healthy fat and staying power.
- Hemp hearts – for omega-3 and 6 fatty acids, dietary fiber, protein, antioxidants, magnesium, iron, potassium and vitamin E
- Milk (any kind – I usually do oat milk) and water – for creating the perfect soft and fluffy consistency.
*You’ll also include a pinch of salt.
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE BANANA!
The secret to making this oatmeal perfectly sweet without any added sugar is sautéing a ripe banana in coconut oil until it breaks down into a paste-like consistency. You might be tempted to stop with what you see in the photo above but keep going! Use a wooden spoon or spatula to keep breaking apart and smushing the banana. Also, cook it over low heat and let this process happen slowly. It adds to the sweet and caramelized flavor.
The final product will look more like this. It blends so well into your oatmeal for optimal sweetness and no overwhelming chunks of banana (something my toddler is not on board with).
Once you’ve cooked your banana down, add the rest of the ingredients except for hemp hearts and nut butter and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until the texture is thickened and the oats are softened. Note, you may need to add a few more tablespoons of water or milk as the oatmeal cooks if it seems too thick and the oats not soft enough yet. Again, cook on low heat!!!
Once the oats are perfectly cooked, sprinkle the hemp hearts and spoon the nut butter on top and stir in all together.
When I make oatmeal for myself, I like to have things like hemp hearts and nut butter as toppings on my bowl but I’ve learned with my toddler it’s best to have it all homogenized to lessen the chance of the dreaded, “I don’t like it.”
This recipe makes enough for two to three breakfasts for my almost three-year-old. The leftovers store great in the fridge. Just add a tiny splash of water or milk when reheating.
Here’s the recipe!
