Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

Yesterday had to be peanut butter day.  I’m pretty sure I ate peanut butter at every meal.

Today just might be pumpkin day.  I usually buy pumpkin puree at Sam’s Club, so the cans are really big.  Once I open the can, I feel like I have a clock on it which translates into eating pumpkin as much as possible over the next couple of days.  I opened a can when I made my pumpkin pie smoothie a few days ago, so the clock ticks.

Today’s pumpkin treat?  Pumpkin pie oatmeal.

I’m liking this oatmeal thing for one very important reason.  These last two days that I have eaten oatmeal for breakfast, I haven’t been ravenously hungry all morning.  It feels me up more than any other breakfast I make–even eggs!  To make this breakfast yourself, you need:

• 1/2 cup of oats
• 1/2 cup of almond milk
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 ripe banana
• 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree
• 1 tablespoon of PB2 (optional)
• 1 tablespoon of pumpkin butter (optional)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla flavor
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg

Yes, I chose this picture because of mom’s cameo in the top right corner

Cook the oats on the stove top.  Bring the 1/2 cup of almond milk and 1/2 cup of water to a boil (Don’t let it boil over like I did!).  Add the 1/2 cup of oats.  Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Blend the 1/2 banana, 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree, 1 tablespoon of PB2, 1 tablespoon of pumpkin butter, 1 tablespoon vanilla, and the spices (I put measurements, but you can put as little or as much as you like.  I like a lot!).

When the oats finish cooking, add 3/4 of them to the blender and blend.  Add the blended mixture to a small baking dish.  Add the remaining oats to the mixture.  This gives a little more texture to the oatmeal.  If you blend it all, it tastes more like pudding…which is fine if that’s what you like!

Add a little cinnamon to the top, and place the baking dish under the broiler for about 5-7 minutes.  This makes the top of the oatmeal a little crusty and heats up the mixture.

I liked this just as much as the peanut butter oatmeal, and it has far fewer calories.  Please let me know if you try this breakfast!

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Peanut Butter Oatmeal

If you like the idea of eating  a bowl of peanut butter, this recipe is for you.

If you like the idea of eating only what’s left in your pantry, this week of posts is for you.

Today is the the first full day of clean-out-your-pantry week.  Before I cooked anything, I went through my pantry and threw out things that were severely out of date.  Apparently, there was a time in my life that I thought I was going to make pancakes every day.  I hate throwing away unopened boxes of things, but it is refreshing knowing that everything in there is now edible!

You might notice that I have enough K-cups to last until the apocalypse.  A friend found them on clearance in a town where K-cups must not be cool.  They are now mine.

In my cleaning out, I found a large box of rolled oats and decided it was time to foray into the world of oatmeal.  I’ve tried it a few times and wasn’t a fan, but I stumbled upon an idea I thought I might actually like.  Here’s what’s in it:

• 1/2 cup of oats
• 1/2 cup of almond milk
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1 banana
• 2 tablespoons of peanut butter (I used my homemade peanut butter)
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla flavor
• 1/2 packet of stevia (optional)

Cook the oats with the 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup almond milk.  Bring the almond milk and water to a boil, then add the oats.  Turn the temperature to medium and cook for five minutes.

While the oats are cooking, use a blender to combine 1/2 banana and the 2 tablespoons of peanut butter.

When the oats finish cooking, add 1/2 cup of the cooked oats to the blender.  Blend the oats, banana, and peanut butter together.

Put the mixture in the blender in a bowl and top with slices of the other 1/2 banana.

Banana, Peanut Butter, Spinach, Egg…breakfast

  One of the things on my 2014 list is to be better about the grains I eat.  I’m going to say that I’m going to totally cut everything but 100% whole wheat, but I did cross a few things …

Slow-Cooker Breakfast Casserole Part II

Last night, my mom and I put together the slow-cooker breakfast casserole.  It was filled with cheese, hash browns, and Christmas goodness.  My mom is a bit more of a recipe follower than I am, but I have some ideas for how to spice this thing up a bit.  It was good, but it needed a little something extra.  I hope to make a healthier version soon!  Here is what we used:

• 1 lb. of ground sausage
• 16 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 26-ish oz. bag of hash browns
• 1 cup milk
• 12 eggs (If I did this again, I would use half egg whites and half whole eggs.)
• 2 tablespoon ground mustard
• Salt
• Pepper

Here are the things I suggest adding:

• 1 medium onion
• 2 bell peppers
• 1/2 salsa
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 cups spinach

Literally dump everything in a crock pot and cook for 7 hours on low.

It was a very filling brunch.  Definitely a Christmas treat!

Sweet Potato Smoothie

I know it sounds weird, but the sweet potato really just adds texture and some healthiness.

Growing a bit tired of my standard peanut butter waffle , I realized it’s been a while since I made a smoothie for breakfast.  When it was warm outside, I had a smoothie for breakfast almost every morning, but they make me so cold.  I just couldn’t stand it when the temperature started to drop.  Since the morning temperature today was in the mid-sixties, it seemed like a good day for a smoothie.  Here’s what I used:

• 1 1/2 cups of almond milk
• 1/2 frozen banana
• 2 cups of spinach
• half of a baked sweet potato (just scoop out the inside…no skin!)
• 2 tablespoons of PB2
• 2 tablespoons of cinnamon
• 2 table spoons of vanilla flavor
• 8-10 ice cubes

Put the almond milk and the spinach in a blender and mix until combined.  Dump the rest of the ingredients in the blender and blend away.  It filled my 24 oz. Tervis cup.  I accompanied the smoothie with a large cup of coffee to maintain my body temperature.  It was a good morning.

 

(Sort of) Peanut Butter Banana Waffle

First, you need to know that PB2 is one of greatest creations of our lifetime.  Perhaps that’s a little melodramatic, but I use so much PB2 I should own the company.  PB2 is powdered peanut butter.  It has all the flavor of peanut butter without the oil.  You simply mix the PB2 powder with some water and you have peanut butter.  It’s great for smoothies and baking, but I even mix it together with a banana and have it as my dessert at night.

It is a little hard to find in stores, so I order mine from Amazon.  You can even order chocolate peanut butter!  Click here for the best deal I can find.

YUM!

Now that you know all about PB2, I can help you make your breakfast!  Here is what you need to make this:

Putting the milk in a pretty glass makes all the difference!

2 tablespoons of PB2

2 teaspoons of cinnamon

1 soft banana

1 reduced fat Eggo waffle

1 cup of almond milk

Combine the PB2 and water to make the peanut butter.  The more water you add, the creamier the PB.  Once you have it mixed, add the cinnamon and stir.  Cut the banana in half and mash half of the banana into the peanut butter mixture.  You should have a half cup of pb/banana spread.

Toast the waffle as brown as you like it.  

Spread a thin layer of the mixture on the waffle.  Layer the banana slices on top of the mixture, and use the remaining mixture on top of the banana.  Place on a small plate.

Pour the almond milk into a pretty glass.

Eat!

This breakfast contains about 275 calories.