Saturday, September 4, 2010

Breakfast of Champions


(That's right. You and your breakfast-eatin' self are champions. Visualize yourself running to the top of those famous steps in Philly and pumping your arms above your head with shameless pride.)

I absolutely love breakfast. I'm also a ridiculously predictable and structured person (think: opposite of spontaneous). As such, my weekday breakfasts are always the same (Kashi Go Lean Crunch cereal) and my weekend breakfasts are consistently a variation on a theme (some sort of fruit-and-nut-filled pancake or waffle).

*Enter Rocky theme music*

Today, however, I busted out of the predictable box and went wild.

Loaded Vanilla-Almond Oatmeal. mmmmmmmm...

And I'm not talking about a wimpy packet of just-add-water "oatmeal." I'm talking OATS!

My new weekday breakfast (which strangely debuted on a Saturday morning) is a bowl of chunky, filling, and oh-so-healthy loaded oatmeal. Inspired by other food bloggers who tout their love of morning oats, I decided there's no better time to try a new breakfast than during my 5K training period (which will finally come to an end on September 17!).

So, this morning's recipe is simple, quick, and will definitely get your day off to a healthy start.

Some common oatmeal add-ins include:
  • Milk (regular, soy, or almond) as the liquid
  • Nut butters (of course!)
  • Chopped, toasted nuts
  • Ground flaxseed
  • Fresh fruit (bananas, peaches, strawberries, or bluberries)
  • Dried fruit
  • Honey or maple syrup
  • Cinnamon, vanilla, other seasonings of choice

Enough talk. Let's get to work on your breakfast of champions.

Loaded Vanilla-Almond Oatmeal
(Inspired by fellow food bloggers!)

Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup quick oats
  • 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (use less milk if you like thicker oatmeal)
  • 4 small strawberries, chopped
  • 1/4 cup blueberries
  • 1 TBSP almond butter (my favorite is pictured on the right)
  • 1 tsp. flaxseed
  • sprinkling of cinnamon
  • dash of vanilla
Directions:

1) Combine oats and milk in a bowl and microwave for about 2 minutes.

2) Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine.

3) You're a champion :)




5 comments:

  1. hii... i found you from kale and cupcake! i love your title and your logo = so cute!

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  2. I have the same conundrum. I love love love breakfast but rarely try different things. I need to branch out.

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  3. I'm with you and looove breakfast - thanks for the new ideas to add into my oats!

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  4. This fall weather has me ready for my hot oatmeal again! I've fallen into the overnight oats routine and I'm ready for my winter/fall vanilla almond breeze, almond butter, chia seed, and strawberry jam oatmeal. Yuuuum!

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  5. ok, I saw this a few days ago and can't stop thinking about oatmeal! Definitely need to mix up my breakfast routine. It's starting to cool down here a little, so I'm thinking of training for a 5k myself. :)

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