Morning Oatmeal with Dark Chocolate & Hazelnuts

Oatmeal+dark chocolate+hazelnuts=perfection in a cup! For some reason, this recipe went viral on my Instagram account (@sonofasouthernchef)--maybe because people really love oatmeal! I've reconstructed my basic oatmeal by topping it with strawberries, dark chocolate, hazelnuts, honey, flaxseeds, granola, almond milk and a dash of sea salt to bring the whole darn thing together. I must admit that I am not a dark chocolate lover, and that the oatmeal taste great without it. Besides the fact that dark chocolate is full of flavonal antioxidants, it is a huge flavor weapon! What's great about any basic oatmeal is that you can add any combination of ingredients that you want. Here are three pairings that I recommend: 

Blueberries+cinnamon+pecans

Coconut flakes+mango+orange zest 

Peanut butter+banana+

Below is the recipe to recreate my Monday Morning Oatmeal with Dark Chocolate and Hazelnuts. Take a picture and share it with me! 

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Ingredients

1 cup almond milk 
1/2 cup water 
1 cup quick-cooking steal-cut oats
1 teaspoon sea salt 
2 tablespoons honey 

Toppings: 
4-6 strawberries, cut into even halves 
4 squares Hershey's Chocolate, Special Dark,         roughly chopped 
1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and crushed
1/4 cup granola (great recipe on Organize Yourself Skinny) 
1 tablespoon flax seed

Directions

In a large quart pot, bring the milk and water to a boil. Stir in the oats, salt, and honey. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the oats absorb the liquid. 

Divide the oatmeal into two bowls and top with strawberries, dark chocolate, hazelnuts, granola and flax seeds.

Notes
- For a creamier oatmeal, use up to 1/2 to 3/4 cup more water. 
- Serve cooked oatmeal immediately, otherwise it will stiffen. If oats are too stiff, add additional liquid and stir.