Pear Orange Fudge Oatmeal

This recipe adds big flavor from the fudgy chocolate and bright orange, and the pears add a hint of sweetness and a refreshing coolness.

What you’ll need: 

• 3/4 cup milk of choice, or water*
• 1/4 cup quick cook steel cut oats*
• 1/2 a pear (or a full)
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp orange extract (read about this below)
• pinch of salt

How to make it:

1. Add liquid to a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Cube and semi-smash the pear, leaving some chunks. Add pear to saucepan.
3. When liquid comes to a low boil, add oats, and reduce heat to a simmer. (If you’d like to add a teaspoon of flax or chia seeds, do so now.)
4. While oats are cooking, continue smashing some of the pear pieces with your spatula.
5. Once more of the liquid has absorbed, add cocoa powder, orange extract, and salt. Stir.
6. When you’re pleased with the consistency of the oatmeal, transfer to a bowl. Add a splash of your milk of choice any other additional toppings (chocolate chips, coconut, pecans, nut butter, etc.).

Just an FYI:

*You can make this with rolled or quick oats by increasing the liquid to 3/4 cup and the oats to 1/2 cup.

A word on orange extract:

I have found in the past that it’s hard to pull flavors from oranges. They’re so flavorful on their own, but they surprisingly get lost in oats. Thus, I made this recipe using orange extract to give it a stronger pow of orange flavor. However, you could definitely try to make this with orange juice or fresh oranges, or use both (orange and orange extract).