It’s April, and I’m still inhaling oatmeal.

Because Seattle hasn’t gotten the whole spring memo.

It’s gray, rainy, and definitely not warm.

Although, it isn’t quite as frigid as it has been.

(Thankfully… because I was starting to get a little cranky.)

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been gulping down smoothies too…

But sometimes I don’t want to shiver for hours on end.

Understandable, right?

So to combat this less than ideal weather situation, I’ll occasionally treat myself to something warm and chocolatey for breakfast.

Molten lava cake would be fabulous, I agree.

But this comforting bowl of chocolate is actually healthy.

We’re talking fiber and protein, plus all of the sweetness comes from a couple dates!

(And a little honey or maple syrup drizzle action on top, which I do recommend.)

Wooo hooo.

So, what exactly goes into this chocolatey breakfast deal?

Hearty quick-cooking oats, sweet medjool dates, pure vanilla extract, rich cacao powder, ground cinnamon, a generous pinch (or three) of salt, unsweetened vanilla almond milk, nutty toasted pecans, tropical toasted unsweetened coconut flakes, and crunchy cacao nibs!

Dessert for breakfast can be a good idea sometimes, trust me.

Update: The sun actually made an appearance this morning! I wrote this post a couple days ago when it was gray, gray, and more gray, but it looks like spring is really trying to happen after all.

P.S. You can also top the oatmeal with banana slices to get some more fruit in your life.

P.P.S. Swap walnuts in for the pecans if you happen to have them on hand. (Pecans can be a bit pricey. Tear.)

P.P.P.S. You know what would also make for a banging topping? A handful of lightly sweetened granola. Crunch factor!

P.P.P.P.S. The salt is very important. Very. It brings out all of the flavors! And makes the oatmeal taste at least 55 times better… no joke.

P.P.P.P.P.S. This recipe is not super duper sweet. So don’t expect a bowl of straight up brownie batter.