This month I've been eating a lot of my Chunky Monkey Overnight Oats for breakfast Now I'm not a banana fan, but I do like the Chunky Monkey flavor. Chobani stopped making the banana yogurt I used to buy so I had to try out their other flavors and wanted to share my review. First off it's hard to find banana yogurt, I have to go to several grocery stores. I like Chobani because it's made with milk from cows not treated with hormones like rBST and has no artificial ingredients.

Chobani Indulgent Banana &Dark Chocolate flavor was a let down for me. I hardly noticed or tasted the chocolate in it. It tasted very artificial to me. The cups are much smaller than regular yogurt. The nutritional value is 140 cal, 12g sugar, 7g protein.

Wallaby is Australian style yogurt made using organic milk from cows raised on local, pasture-based farms in Northern California. I think the vanilla takes away from the banana flavor plus this is way too high in sugar! The nutritional value is 140 cal, 20g sugar, 6g protein.

Ingredients:

½ cup rolled oats 

½ cup almond milk

½ cup frozen cherries (I used Trader Joe's dark sweet pitted frozen cherries)

½ tsp Ideal sugar or lucuma syrup or erythritol sugar

¼ tsp vanilla extract

¼ tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

1 tsp chia seeds (I always add this to my oatmeal)

½ scoop of Sprout Living - Vanilla Lucuma protein powder

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix all ingredients into a ramekin, then fold in the cherries.
3. Bake for 20 mins.

Today's post is all about green stuff for St. Patty's Day.
A couple weeks ago I woke up early to compete in a St. Patrick's Day run but when I looked at the weather report, and saw the cold weather and hail, unfortunately I decided to skip it and was really bummed. So instead I made my Match Green Tea facial mask.

I'm on the social committee at work and created a fun celebration for St. Patrick's Day including door prizes, Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes, Guinness and green jelly beans! We had a meeting scheduled for St. Patty's day, but someone suggested we be "culturally sensitive" and not book a 4pm meeting on St. Patrick's Day out of respect for Irish Americans who may want to celebrate. lol Check out my St Patrick's themed nails from last year.

If you want a healthy green food snack idea try a pot of green with grapes, kiwi and honeydew or kiwi chia pudding.

Chobani yogurt just released their new limited edition flavor - green tea. I love green tea ice cream and this yogurt has a very subtle taste.
I made Green Overnight Oats.

• 1 large handful fresh spinach 
• 1 large ripe banana
• 1.5 tbsp chia seeds (necessary for thickening)
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1/3 cup rolled oats

I love baked oatmeal! It takes 5 minutes to prepare, then I stick it in the oven while I hop in the shower and get ready for the day. I use Wean Green glass containers to make these. This recipe creates a creamy strawberry oatmeal.

Ingredients:

½ cup rolled oats 

¼ cup unsweetened almond milk

2 tsp honey

¼ tsp vanilla extract

1 TB of 1/3 fat Philadelphia cream cheese

¼ tsp baking powder

4 strawberries

pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees  and spray a single-serve ramekin with nonstick spray.
2. Mix the cream cheese, honey, vanilla together. Then add the milk.
3. Mix the dry ingredients and pour into the ramekin. Then add the wet ingredients.
4. Chop the strawberries and fold in.
5. Bake for 20 minutes.

Recipe Source: The Oatmeal Artist

Another one of my favorite breakfast recipes are lentil cakes.

Ingredients:

½ cup rolled oats 

½ cup peeled and diced zucchini

1/3 cup frozen (or fresh) cranberries

1/3 cup almond milk

½ tsp vanilla extract

¼ tsp baking powder

handful of Hershey's sugar free chocolate chips

½ tsp Ideal Sugar (optional)

pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees  and spray a single-serve ramekin with nonstick spray.
2. Peel and discard the outer layer of the zucchini unless you want green oatmeal.
3. Puree the milk and zucchini in a food processor.
4. Add the oatmeal and vanilla to the food processor.
5. Pour into the ramekin and add the baking powder and salt.
6. Stir in the chocolate chips and cranberries and make sure it's evenly distributed.
7. Bake for 25 minutes.

Adapted from: The Oatmeal Artist

• ½ cup rolled oats 
• ½ container of Trader Joe's Pumpkin Yogurt
• ¼ cup pumpkin puree
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp chia seeds

Instructions:

1. Mix all the ingredients then pour into a mason jar.
2. Let sit overnight.
3. May be eaten cold or warmed up in the microwave. 

Recipe adapted from: theoatmealartist

It's apple season and I've stocked up on my favorite apples - honeycrisp!  I took a break from baked oatmeal over the summer, but now it's back! You can see the rest of my tried and true oatmeal recipes here.

Ingredients:

½ cup rolled oats 

½ cup unsweetened almond milk 

½ an apple, sliced

¼ tsp nutmeg

¼ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp baking powder

½ tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp coconut nectar sugar  (optional)

1 tsp coconut oil (optional)

dash of salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a ramekin or glass container
2. Mix all ingredients except the oatmeal in a bowl, then add the oatmeal and fold in apple slices.
3. Bake for 20 minutes.

Recipe source: theoatmealartist

I made the most delicious apricot popsicles so I thought I should try it in my oatmeal. I cooked the apricot along with my oatmeal because doing so brings out the natural sweetness of the fruit. When it was done it was as sweet as candy!

Ingredients:

½ cup rolled oats 

1 cup unsweetened almond milk or water

1 apricot

1 ts Yacon Syrup

1 ts chia seeds

¼ tsp vanilla extract

pistachios (optional)

dash of cardamom 

Directions:

1. Bring milk to a boil.
2. Reduce heat and add oatmeal, vanilla,  chia seeds and diced apricot.
3. Cook for 15 minutes.
4. Transfer to a bowl and mix in yacon syrup and cardamom.
5. Top with pistachios if desired. 

After making pina colada popsicles I thought I should try the same for oatmeal. This is similar to my Tropical Oatmeal I made last year.

Ingredients:

½ cup rolled oats 

1 cup Almond Breeze Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Coconut Milk

about 8 cherries (or more, pitted)

1 TB Navitas Naturals raw unsweetened cacao

1 TB Yacon Syrup

Directions:

1. Bring milk to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and add oats.
2. Remove and place in a bowl/
3. Add cocao powder and mix in well.
4. Top with cherries and shredded coconut (optional)

Recipe Soure: theoatmealartist

It's cherry season now and to be honest cherries aren't something I usually buy, just too much of a hassle to eat. But then I added them pitted to my oatmeal and am really enjoying them!


Recipe source: the oatmeal artist

For this recipe I gave Steel Cut Oats a try. What is that you ask? It's also known as Irish oats and is the least processed kind of oatmeal. Old Fashioned Oats are Steel Cut Oats that have been flattened and steamed in rollers. Steel Cut Oats have a chewier flavor to them. I always try to add chia seeds to my oatmeal for additional protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and fiber.


Nutritional Analysis
255 cal, 8g protein, 8g fiber

I've really been enjoying this baked oatmeal thing so I'm continued it on for week 2 on my blog only posting the recipes that actually turned out good. I'd recommend letting this cool a bit before eating because you don't want to crush a steaming hot blueberry inside your mouth. I use Yacon and Lucuma as my sweeteners because they are natural plants from South America with low amounts of sugar. The coconut oil makes it more moist.


Ingredients

½ cup rolled oats 

1/3 cup almond milk

1 tsp coconut oil

1 tsp Lucuma powder

1 tsp Yacon syrup

 handful of blueberries

½  tsp vanilla extract

¼  tsp baking powder

dash of cinnamon

Directions

My Polish mother used to make a delicious plum cake and that was my inspiration in creating this juicy plum baked oatmeal. I used coconut oil to make it more moist and lucuma powder as my sweetener. The powder 100% natural fruit, nothing added. Lucuma is a fruit from Peru that looks like an orange avocado and tastes a little bit like maple syrup. One tablespoon of lucuma powder only has 2g of sugar! This recipe gets 7g of sugar from the plum.




Ingredients:

½ cup rolled oats 

1/3 cup almond milk

1 plum

¼ tsp vanilla extract

¼ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp baking powder

2 tsp lucuma powder

1 tsp coconut oil

pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray a single-serve ramekin with nonstick spray.
2. Cut your pear in half and peel one side. Set one half aside. With the other half, mash it up inside the bowl. This is what provides the sugar to your oatmeal.
3. Add milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Stir until mixed with the mashed pear.
4. Add oats, ginger, baking powder, and salt. Stir.
5. With the remaining pear half, dice it into cubes, chunks, or slices and add to the batter. Stir gently.
6. Pour into the prepared ramekin and bake for 20 minutes.

Nutritional Analysis
270 cal, 6g protein, 8g fiber, 8g sugar

Baked oatmeal is really my new thing and I think it's because I used to love baking and now that I eat clean I miss that action of mixing things and waiting for a masterpiece to come out of the oven. With baked oatmeal I get to make delicious creations without white flour or white sugar. Many baked oatmeal recipes call for lining the baking dish with mashed bananas for sweetener but since I don't care for bananas I've tried out using other sweeteners.

I tried this with PB2 to cut back on calories, then with real peanut butter, and then PB&J with blackberries. I'd say the PB&J was my fave because it was sweetest. The one with PB2 only had a light peanut butter taste and the one with real peanut butter was just too heavy and not sweet enough because I held back on the honey to stay low on calories. You can make the PB&J with any berry you have on hand. Since my blackberries weren't very sweet I added a little sweetener, but I bet if I made this with strawberries it wouldn't need it.

So you can eat this



or you can eat this healthy version!
I'm not a fan of bananas, I think they ruin any smoothie. But this honestly tasted really good, almost like having a milkshake! I used banana flavored chobani yogurt which I thought why do they even make this flavor, who buys this? lol

Ingredients

• 1 container Greek Banana Chobani Yogurt
• 1/3 cup old fashioned rolled oats
• 1/3 cup unsweetemed almond milk
• 2 TB PB2
• 1 ts chia seeds
• ½ mashed banana
• ½ TB Hershey's sugar free chocolate chips
• 1 ts raw agave nectar

Directions

Combine all ingredients together in a mason jar. Cover and place in the fridge overnight. Remove from fridge and enjoy! You could also stir in some peanut butter or chopped walnuts.

I ended up putting this in the microwave for 1 minute to heat it up a bit and it tasted even better! 

Nutritional Analysis
406 calories 22g of protein


I also made this with Chobani Passion Fruit oatmeal, omitting the banana, and it was delicious as well.

Welcome to oatmeal week on my blog! If you're running out of ways to eat your oatmeal, you've come to the right place! I thought it was time to update my standard Oatmeal recipe so I decided to give baked oatmeal a try! I know I should probably hold off using the oven until winter, but oh well! lol I was excited to be able to use my new Wean Green containers. I prepare the bowl before I start my morning workout, then 20 minutes before the video is done I pop the oatmeal in the oven so I smell it baking as I finish up my workout. Even if you're not a big pear fan, this recipe was so delicious! Check out my post about the nutritional value of pears.

Ingredients:

½ cup rolled oats 

1/3 cup almond milk

1 pear

¼ tsp vanilla extract

¼ tsp almond extract (key ingredient)

¼ tsp baking powder

pinch of ginger

pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray a single-serve ramekin with nonstick spray.
2. Cut your pear in half and peel one side. Set one half aside. With the other half, mash it up inside the bowl. This is what provides the sugar to your oatmeal.
3. Add milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Stir until mixed with the mashed pear.
4. Add oats, ginger, baking powder, and salt. Stir.
5. With the remaining pear half, dice it into cubes, chunks, or slices and add to the batter. Stir gently.
6. Pour into the prepared ramekin and bake for 20 minutes.

Nutritional Analysis
1 serving
207 calories, 5g protein, 9g fiber


Recipe Source: The Oatmeal Artist

Lately I've been making a new version of my oatmeal recipe (be sure to check out the McDonalds diagram at the bottom of that post). I call it tropical oatmeal because there are 3 kinds of coconut in it and topped with mango, although the coconut taste is very light. Since I use old fashioned rolled oats this is an overnight recipe because the oats need to soak to make the cooking time in the morning shorter. This is really an easy oatmeal to make and with all the additives in comes in at 339 calories with 14 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber.

Ingredients
1/3 cup rolled oats
½ cup of water (use more if you like your oatmeal a more soupy texture)
2 tsp chia seeds
3 TB unsweetened almond milk
2 TB coconut milk (not the lite kind that is half water)
1 TB unsweetened coconut flakes
half scoop protein powder
1 tsp wheat germ
1 tsp maca powder
a tiny bit of sweetener (I use various brands of sweeteners made with Erythritol)
coconut oil (this is optional, I use anywhere from 1/4 tsp to 1 tsp)
chopped mango

Directions:

The Night Before
Make a chia gel by mixing the chia seeds with the almond milk in a small container, cover with a lid and shake vigorously. Then come back 20 min later and give it another shake so it doesn't settle unevenly.
Mix the oatmeal and water in a microwavable bowl. Refrigerate overnight.

I've tried putting them both in the same bowl but I find the chia seeds soak up all the liquid from the oatmeal. Trader Joes sells chopped  frozen mango which makes things easier, I will put the mango in the bowl with the oatmeal in the fridge so it defrosts.

In The Morning

1. Microwave the oatmeal for one minute (removing the mango beforehand).
2. Add the maca powder, wheat germ, chia gel, and protein powder to the oatmeal.
3. Add the coconut milk and oil to the oatmeal.
4. Top with shredded coconut and mango and enjoy!

Why Is This Oatmeal So Good for You?

Wheat Germ is the most vitamin- and mineral-rich part of the wheat kernel. Wheat germ is removed during the refining of whole wheat grains to white flour  because its healthy oils can go rancid quickly.  is packed with important B vitamins, contains lots of fiber, plus has protein.

Coconut Milk  is full of vitamins C, E and B, it's rich in  antioxidants and lauric acid, and your body does not store the fat from coconut milk or oil, instead it uses it for energy. So don't be scared off by the saturated fatty acids in it, your body will easily burn it as fuel. Not eating enough fat can make you fat, so its important to eat healthy fats in moderation. I talked about coconut oil yesterday and coconut water here.

Ancient Peruvian women would give Maca to their men before they went off to battle because it contains high amounts of protein and has been known to energize the central nervous system. For centuries, maca root has been used to combat stress and fatigue. Tosca Reno recommends using maca for weight loss because it's a strong hormone regulator - helpful for weight loss. Maca and Chia are also ingredients in Shakeology, which I personally love because its my daily dose of nutrients.

Here's my clean eating oatmeal recipe! Rolled Oats are a healthy start to your day because they help lower your cholesterol and regulate blood sugar. It's a superfood for athletes because it's a slow releasing carb so it will give you long lasting energy. It's also packed with vitamin B and iron. If that's not enough to convince you they're it's cheap if you buy it by the tub!

I don't use those prepacked instant sugary oatmeal, instead I buy Whole Foods brand 365 Organic Old Fashioned Rolled Oats. The difference is that they are larger and have a fuller taste; which also means they take longer to cook than instant oatmeal. So to avoid having it cook forever in the morning I soak the oats in water overnight.

I know you've heard of the Ch-ch-ch-chia Pet, but did you know chia seeds were a staple in the diet of the Aztecs and Mayans? Chia seeds are packed with healthy Omega-3, fiber, calcium and antioxidants. It helps curb your appetite with the fiber slowing your digestion. Definitely a key food for weight loss!

If you add a liquid to chia seeds you can easily make a gel! I make chia seed gel the night before (which by the way you can use a substitute for half the butter in any baking recipe to cut the fat). I find this really thickens up the oatmeal and makes it more filling.

I find chia much easier to use than flaxseed because with flaxseed you have to grind it first so you body can absorb it but you can only grind one serving at a time because it goes rancid fast. Chia seeds you can swallow whole and your body will still absorb it and a package can sit around for 2 years and not go bad. They have no taste on their own so it makes it easy to add into any food you make. Chia seeds are a great super food because you get the maximum vitamins with minimum calories. Chia is one of the amazing ingredients in shakeology.
Ingredients:
1/3 cup oatmeal
2 ts wheat germ (adds protein, fiber and vitamin B)
2 ts chia seed
3 tb almond milk (more if needed)
½  tb maple syrup or raw agave nectar (optional)
½  scoop protein powder
pinch of cinnamon

Directions:

The Night Before
In a small pot combine 1/3 cup oatmeal, 1 cup of water and pinch of cinnamon. (This may not seem like a lot of oatmeal, but it grows in volume over night plus you're adding other volume ingredients to it.)

Mix 2 ts chia seeds with 3 tb almond milk, shake it up real well, then come back 20 min later and give it another shake so it doesn't settle unevenly. Refrigerate overnight.

In The Morning
Turn stove on high under the pot and come back in a couple minutes when it's boiling and turn it down to simmer. Then set the timer for 8 minutes.

If I don't have fresh berries on hand I will put frozen peaches in the pot and it defrosts in the 10 minutes it takes to cook this oatmeal.

Once done pour oatmeal into a bowl that already contains the chia seed gel, wheat germ and protein powder and mix well. If you want a more soupy oatmeal boil another 1/4 cup of almond milk and pour that on top of your bowl.

Nutritonal Info
With the fruit it ends up being about 250 calories, 14 grams of protein, 9 grams of fiber and that fiber really keeps me full!

Competitors
Quaker Weight Control Instant Oatmeal only has 7 grams of protein, 6 grams of fiber and it's made with sucralose (a poison I try to avoid).

Quaker Instant Peaches and Cream only has 3 grams of protein, 2 grams of fiber, the second ingredient is sugar and it's made with colored dehydrated apples and artificial peach flavor, so no actual peaches.

McDonalds Oatmeal is 290 calories with 5 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber. It also has a ton of brown sugar and added "cream" which has 7 ingredients, I thought cream was supposed to be just milk? The fruit and maple flavor has 32 grams of sugar, that's insane! Two Reese's Peanut Butter cups only have 21 grams of sugar.

It’s crazy you think you are making good choices but in reality there are hidden ingredients and sweeteners. It’s best to just buy a big tub of rolled oats which is the cheapest choice anyway.