Cinnamon Vanilla Overnight Oats

Overnight oats have been a real life saver for both me and my stomach. Prepping meals for the day ahead is not a strong suit of mine. A great deal of effort goes into packing a yogurt cup, granola bar, and banana. So, since overnight oats have been discovered they have made their way onto my menu on nearly a daily basis. They're quick, delicious, and very satisfying - and so they shall stay on my makeshift menu. As someone who prefers to snack throughout the day, some days are busier than others and snacks don't always fit in between meals. Oatmeal is my best bet on these hectic days due to their high fiber content which keeps my belly full until I can fill it again.

Ingredients:

1/2 c oats

3/4 c milk (low fat, soy, almond, etc)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract 

1/2 tsp maple syrup 

1 tbsp chia seeds

Directions:

Combine ingredients in a jar overnight. Heat in the morning. Eat!

{Recipe ReDux} Back to School Banana Berry Oatmeal

By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by National Dairy Council and the Quaker Oats Center of Excellence and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.

Why is it that the summer always goes so fast and the winter always feels so long?

Tomorrow is my first day of orientation for my dietetic internship at OHSU. It's going to be a busy week and is only going to get busier once classes begin. So, a hearty breakfast is so important! This bowl of oats is packed with fruit providing you with a lot of nutrition. It is the perfect way to start your day and a great school year!

2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Place in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.

Good luck to all students!

An InLinkz Link-up

Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal For One

Who says you can't have chocolate for breakfast?

For whatever reason, the earlier I wake up, the hungrier I am. As a consistent 6 "a.m.-er," I'm always searching for something fast and filling for breakfast. The only thing that satisfies this growing (still hoping) girl is a big bowl of oatmeal, and why not a bit of chocolate? Here's to starting the day right!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup milk (skim or plant based)
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 eggwhite
1 tbsp unsalted peanut butter
1 tbsp ground flaxmeal
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp maple syrup
Banana + Nuts (optional)

Directions:
1. Combine oats and milk in a small saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil and then lower to medium heat, stirring occasionally.
2. Add the cocoa powder and vanilla to the pan and mix.
3. Stir in the eggwhites and continue to mix thoroughly.
4. Add the remaining ingredients to the pan and cook until mixture thickens. Top with a chopped banana and nuts, and serve!

{BAKED} Raspberry + Coconut Oatmeal Cups

My cravings were calling and I needed something sweet. But, I didn't really feel like going food shopping since my parents are coming to visit tomorrow and I won't really be home this week. So, I went on a scavenger hunt through my fridge and pantry in search of anything that could possibly be transformed into some kind of dessert.

So, I found some frozen raspberries. And then some oats and figured OK, I can bake this! 

These Baked Raspberry + Coconut Oatmeal Cups popped out of the oven. 

Ingredients:

1 cup rolled oats

2 cups frozen raspberries (or fresh)

½ cup coconut milk

¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well.

3. Coat muffin tins with oil or nonstick spray.

4. Spoon oat and raspberry mixture into muffin tins. Make sure they are packed well.

5. Place tins in the oven and let bake for 30 minutes. 

Serves 6

In honor of oatmeal.

New York City houses a unique collection of specialized cafes, offering several varieties of one specific item, like the Peanut Butter & Co. Sandwich Shop and Sarita's Macaroni and Cheese (S'MAC). Here, you will find classics at their best! Watch out...there's a new specialty in town, boys...OatMeals. This one-of-a-kind, one-stop-shop features everything oatmeal.

Salted Caramel Apple

Oatmeal is on fire! If you've checked out any of the most popular food blogs recently, oatmeal recipes fused with lots of fall flavors are trending.

How did I come across this oat-rageous find? Last semester, as I sat in my food service management class, I became a restaurant entreprenuer! I was challenged to create my very own restaurant including the design, menu, and management style of the establishment. Since I tend to go through food fazes, oatmeal was my meal of choice. Whether it was for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, I was stirring up a creamy bowl of oats. This is when I came up with my very own cafe (on paper that is), Only Oats.

Little did I know, I wasn't the only clever one in this big city. Samantha Stephens was already ahead of the game. Located on West 3rd street, in the big apple, was the home of OatMeals.

Take a step inside..

The walls of OatMeals are decorated with Samantha's personal collection, antique boxes of oats. A large blackboard is hung on one wall displaying the extensive list of signature bowls and build-your-own options.

In order to complete my project, I sat down with Samantha to discuss her OatMeals journey. While in college, the freshman 15 crept up on Samantha, just like it does with so many of us. As part of her freshman 15 fight, she chose a healthier path and began eating oatmeal for dinner. She found creative ways to spice it up and now shares her favorite recipes with all of New York.

The menu at OatMeals features "Signature Bowls," which are further broken down into the comforts, the hot & bothered, the savory spice & everything nice, and the happy endings. The lucky girl that I am was given the opportunity to try one of these famous oatmeal bowls. I gave the salted caramel apple a go...and it was an excellent choice! Sweet, salty, savory...what more could I ask for in a single bowl of oats?

What will you try?

Oven Baked Banana Split Oatmeal

Welcome to the first day of summer!

Meet my sister, my other half...

Hear that? The incredibly repetitive and annoying song that is ever so inviting and charming coming down the street? Yup, you guessed right. It’s the ice cream truck filled with everything that is equally as terrible and appealing as its music: Fireworks, Creamsicles, Flinstone’s Push-ups, Fudge Bars, and my personal favorite, chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches.  

It’s the first day of summer and I feel like I am 5 years old again, ready to run out my front door and dart into the street to catch the ice cream man’s attention. Only this time, I trip - metaphorically speaking.  Is an ice cream sandwich worth the immense amount of calories? Yes…what! No! What tastes better than ice cream pressed between two chocolate chip cookies? Brittany, stop.  Skip dinner? Yeah, right. I will continue this conversation with myself for a minute or so until my mouth stops drooling, and I can once again function as a reasonable human being.

If only ice cream could be healthy. Summer is just looking like a tease to me – a reminder of everything I can’t enjoy. Well, isn’t that an awful way to enjoy the few months of being a beach bum and a student without a care in the world? So, to really have it all, I proposed a challenge to my fancy dietitian of a sister, Jaime.

Challenge accepted.

She did it, and she did it well.  She made the most delicious and nutritious frozen yogurt. Man, am I done tripping over the ice cream man. Take it from a kid and give this recipe a shot:

Oven Baked Banana Split Oatmeal

Ingredients:
1/2 cup oats
3/4 cup skim milk
1 ripe banana
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 (1/2 cup) scoop greek frozen yogurt
1 tsp. honey

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a small bowl, mash banana.
3. In a separate bowl, combine oats, milk and walnuts.
4. Spoon half the oatmeal mixture into a ramekin.  Fill the ramekin with the mashed banana.  Then, top it off with the rest of the oatmeal.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
6. Top it off with frozen yogurt and honey.

Serve up a sweet breakfast or scrumptious summer dessert. Enjoy!