Chocolate - Peanut Butter Oatmeal (Stovetop Version)

Want a breakfast that tastes a whole lot like a no-bake cookie? I'm talking the ones that pop up around Christmas time and consist of oats, cocoa powder, butter, peanut butter, and sugar. Those have always been one of my favorites. So imagine my delight when I unexpectedly bit into its breakfast-y doppelgänger after making up measurements of ingredients in my head hoping for something edible. 

I like to think this version is a bit healthier, as it contains just a smidgen of oil (its optional at that) and not too much sugar. I was in a hurry, so I used pb2 (powdered peanut butter) instead of regular peanut butter. You can certainly use regular peanut butter, it will probably just be a little harder to incorporate. Dollops of peanut butter floating around a bowl of hot oats? Nothin' wrong with that!

Just as a side note: the longer you let it sit, the thicker it gets but its delicious either way.

Chocolate - Peanut Butter Oatmeal (Stovetop Version)

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1 cup milk of choice (I used Almond Breeze: Almond Coconut. Has anyone else tried it? Addicted, I am!)

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup oats

2 tablespoons pb2*

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

1 teaspoon coconut oil, optional

2 tablespoons maple syrup

Directions:

Combine milk and salt in a saucepan and heat over medium heat. Once it starts boiling add oats, pb2, cocoa powder, and coconut oil; stir to combine.

Cook for 3-5 minutes, or until desired consistency. Remove from heat and stir in maple syrup.

Pour into a bowl and serve.

Enjoy :)

If you want a more peanut butter-y oat breakfast, check this recipe out!

Gingerbread Oatmeal

Just when I thought nothing would ever top my double dark chocolate-peanut butter oatmeal...

I was looking for something "Christmas-y" but healthy to make for breakfast Christmas morning.  Something sweet, but with a different flavor profile from all the holiday cookies I had been baking, when it occurred to me that I had yet to bake anything gingerbread related. Immediately I googled "gingerbread breakfast" and got a hit for gingerbread pancakes. While those sounded amazing, they also sounded more time consuming than desired after a run. Quickly remembering that oatmeal is one of my favorite foods ever I googled "gingerbread oatmeal" hoping for a recipe to at least get me started, seasonings wise.  

And oh boy, did I ever hit the jack pot! I only deviated slightly from the recipe I found online but don't want to be one of those people who review recipes but  I didn't prepare the oatmeal as specifically stated. Regardless, my version turned out absolutely divine and I have no doubt the original is just as tasty.

Sound the alarm. We have a new favorite oatmeal recipe here folks.

Gingerbread Oatmeal
Adapted from here

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups milk of choice

1 1/2 cups thick cut oats

1 tablespoon coconut oil

5-6 tablespoons maple syrup

2 teaspoons black strap molasses

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Bring milk and salt to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Once boiling add everything else, stirring to combine well.

Bring back to a boil then reduce heat to low.

Cook until desired thickness, stirring often. This will take about 3-5 minutes.

Remove from heat, divide between bowls, and serve.

Enjoy :)

Oatmeal Two Ways: One Savory, One Sweet (Travel Friendly)

This past weekend Mark and I had the pleasure of having a little getaway. While we had looked forward to this getaway, I was a little worried about finding something filling and nutritious with the continental breakfast provided at the hotel. Sure, we could have gone out for breakfast, but it made financial sense to take advantage of the meal provided. Besides, having one healthy meal a day negates all the other unhealthy (but delectable) food I ate for the rest of the trip, right? Challenge: Accepted.

Anywho, getting back to my quest of finding a hidden gem in the enriched white flour, HFCS laden breakfast options available....

The first morning we awoke 30 minutes before breakfast ended so we hurried down to find a very limited quantity of items left. Mark chose a bowl of Fruit Loops and a waffle, which I nibbled on as well (oh, nostalgia). As for me, I immediately noticed the fruit bowl filled with oranges and apples. Given I eat approximately 1,468 apples a week, I switched it up and went with an orange. But the important part of this fruit bowl story is that it gave me notice to my saving breakfast grace for the next three days: instant oatmeal.

Now normally, I am strictly a thick cut oats kind of girl but sometimes compromises are needed. I grabbed two of the original flavored packets and simultaneously had a stroke of genius. Remembering that I just so happened to pack a couple gingerbread flavored tea bags (obsession of the moment) and some stevia packets I raced up to my room and grabbed a tea bag and a stevia packet. The stevia packet isn't necessary since they usually have sugar packets readily available.

This trifeca of ingredients created the sweet version of the two oatmeal recipes I am excited to share with you today.

Hotel Breakfast Style Gingerbread Oatmeal

Serves 1

Ingredients:

2 packets of unflavored instant oatmeal

1 1/4 cups hot water

1 gingerbread flavored tea bag

1/2-1 packet sweetener of choice

Directions:

Steep tea bag in hot water for 5-10 minutes (peel and eat orange during this time).

Remove tea bag and add packets of oatmeal. Stir to dampen oats and place in microwave for 1-1:30 minutes.

Remove from microwave and stir in sweetener packet.

Enjoy :)

Whole Wheat Strawberry-Banana Muffins

So things got kind of hectic around here last week. One thing after another came up, before I could breath it was Friday and I had about 1/2 lb of VERY ripe strawberries in the refrigerator. My first instinct was to eat them right then and there, but then I remembered seeing a recipe for banana peach muffins earlier in the week that I really wanted to try. So I just replaced the peaches with strawberries.

Problem solved. Q.E.D. (I know that isn't being used correctly, it's an inside joke).

I played around just a little with the recipe by lowering the amount of maple syrup and replacing half the oil with applesauce. Not because the recipe wasn't healthy enough as is, but because I had (still have) some applesauce that needed to be used and I like to play around with recipes to make them my own. Following exact directions is so 3rd grade, am I right?

The result was phenomenal (in my opinion). The nutty flavor of the whole wheat flour and the grainy texture of the thick cut oats mixed with maple syrup, mashed banana, and slices of fresh strawberry.... Muffins make any crazy week infinitely better; I decided.

These are light enough to be part of a breakfast, small enough to be an afternoon snack, and sweet enough to be a dessert.

These also freeze well. Just put leftovers in an airtight container and place them in the freezer. When you crave one, take it out and defrost in the microwave!

It's my new go-to muffin recipe and I can't wait to try them with other kinds of fresh fruit.

Whole Wheat Strawberry-Banana Muffins
Adapted slightly from here

Serves 12-14

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup thick cut oats

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup applesauce

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

2-3 ripe bananas, mashed (I always keep frozen ripe ones in my freezer)

1/2-1 Ib strawberries, sliced

1 teaspoon cinnamon, optional but recommended, preferably Saigon cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flour, oats, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl.

In a separate smaller bowl combine applesauce, oil, maple syrup, mashed bananas.

Mix wet ingredients into dry, then add sliced strawberries and fold gently until barely combined.

Either line a muffin pan with liners or spray pan with cooking spray and fill 3/4 of the way full.

Bake for 20-22 minutes or until golden brown and the sweet aroma of baking fills your house.

Serve warm or cold. Both are delicious.

Enjoy :)

Double Dark Chocolate-Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal

Peanut butter-chocolate gooeyness

Raise your hand if all of the following apply to you:

1. You like chocolate
2. You like peanut butter
3. You like oatmeal
4. You are a fan of healthy, filling breakfast recipes that have no added sugar

If, like me, you are raising your hand and guilty as charged this recipe is for you! It's so rich and chocolately you will feel almost like you are eating dessert instead of breakfast. Almost.

Dig in!

I baked mine, but I am sure it would work just fine on the stove top, or even as overnight oats.

Double Dark Chocolate-Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal

Inspired by these

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1/2 cup oatmeal

1/2-1 tablespoon dark cocoa powder

pinch of salt

1/2 mashed banana (or 1/4 cup applesauce)

1/4 cup milk (I used almond)

1 tablespoon peanut butter, divided

1-2 tablespoons dark chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a small bowl combine oatmeal, cocoa powder, and salt. Then add mashed banana, milk, chocolate chips and 1/2 tablespoon of peanut butter* stirring until well incorporated.

Pour mixture into 1 cup ramekin and place in the oven.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Top with other 1/2 tablespoon peanut butter and enjoy :).

Notes:

*You might want to warm peanut butter for 10 seconds in the microwave to make it easier to incorporate.

Oatmeal Pancakes For One (No picture)

Who doesn't love pancakes? Especially ones made by your grandmother on her seasoned cast iron skillet. Yum. My favorite part about spending a Saturday night at my grandmother's house was always waking up Sunday morning to a hot pancake breakfast. I haven't had those pancakes in years and she has just recently passed away, but those pancakes will always be a cherished memory.

The problem with pancakes however, is they are high in calories and leave me hungry within hours. Talk about not getting a bang for your buck. So what is a girl to do? Create a pancake of sorts that is healthier and filling while still satisfying her maple syrup soaked plate craving. I mean, if the pancake itself is healthy I get to put extra syrup on top, right?

Around 95% of the time my breakfast is a bowl of cold oatmeal and grape nuts infused with banana. It's delicious and gives me energy after my workouts. But sometimes I want something a little different. About six months ago I went through a phase of trying to put oatmeal in everything. I made savory oats, oat flour bread crumbs, healthy oat flour banana muffins.... You see my love for oatmeal is brand new. It had been absent from my life until I decided to give it another go about a year ago. And oh boy am I happy I did. I love the stuff. As it turns out, I just didn't like the prepackaged, already flavored crap in the boxes they sell at the store that didn't tickle my fancy. I also prefer mine oats thick and cold but this is turning into a rant for a whole other post....