breakfast

Spiced Apple Oatmeal

October 24, 2014

Fall weather means (or almost) sweater weather. :)
However…it also means lots of heart-warming fall flavours aka cinnamon, nutmeg, apples, pumpkin, spice and everything nice!

So, I am sharing with you guys a heart-warming breakfast for a guaranteed great start to a chilly Fall day: spiced apple oatmeal.  It basically tastes like a delicious APPLE PIE IN A BOWL but with a bit more spice (because I loooove cinnamon)!  This recipe can be vegetarian and vegan friendly if you omit the egg whites.


The thing I love about oatmeal is that you can top them with whatever you want!  I topped my spiced apple oatmeal with a dried fig, apple slices, granola, coconut, dark chocolate, almond butter and some almonds.  If you really want...you could even sprinkle some more cinnamon on top!


Chow & Enjoy!

Spiced Apple Oatmeal
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 Serves 1

1/3 cup almond milk
1/3 cup water
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/3 cup oats
1 apple (cut half of the apple into cubes)
2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
1 to 2 tbsp rainsins/sultanas
1 tsp natural vanilla extract
Optional:1/4 cup egg whites for some extra protein


Pour almond milk and water into a pot.  Stir in cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.  Bring the liquid and spices to a boil. Stir in oats, cubed apples and apple sauce.  Turn the heat down to low and let the oats and apple cook for about 10-15 minutes or until they're fluffy and cooked.  You can add a splash of almond milk if you like (to thin it out).  After the oats are cooked and apple is soft, stir in raisins/sultanas, vanilla extract and egg whites (if using). Let it simmer for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, slice the other half of the apple and use them to top off your oatmeal. Serve warm.

BAKED

Choco-Coconut Berry Baked Oatmeal

June 10, 2014

Although baked oatmeal takes a little more time than oatmeal cooked in a pot, it is totally worth it!

I am so happy that the weather is warming up because it means berries are in season!  I went to Nature's Emporium (a local organic food store) a few days ago and their organic raspberries were on sale so I HAD to get them.

So, in honour of delicious summer berries, I decided to make a baked oatmeal! Of course their had to be chocolate in it too.  Trust me...it is pretty darn delectable. :)




Choco-coconut berry baked oatmeal topped with raspberries, peanut butter, shredded coconut, crushed almonds and dark chocolate pieces.

Choco-Coconut Berry Baked Oatmeal 
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makes 1 serving 

Ingredients:
1/2 cup oats
1/3 cup almond milk
1 egg white
1/2-1 ripe banana, mashed
1 tbsp. shredded coconut
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tbsp. cocoa powder
1-2 tbsp. frozen blueberries
3 raspberries, + more for topping
Dark chocolate chips + more for topping (optional)

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350F (180C).  In a bowl, mix the oats, almond milk and egg white together and allow oats to soften up.  Meanwhile, mash your banana.  Once it is roughly mashed, mix the banana with the oats mixture.  Next, add in the shredded coconut, baking powder, and cocoa powder to the oats mixture and combine everything together.  Then, fold in the blueberries and raspberries, allowing the raspberries to crumble and you gently fold them in.  You can also fold in some dark chocolate chips if you like  Grease a baking dish with a little oil and pour in the oats mixture.  Top with raspberries and bake for approximately 25 minutes or until crispy and lightly browned.

Top with any toppings of your choice such as fruits, more shredded coconut, dark chocolate chips, nut butter, etc.!


Chow and enjoy!

breakfast

Vanilla Lemon-Coconut Buckwheat and Oat Porridge

May 30, 2014

One of my most favourite things to have for breakfast is a nice warm bowl of oatmeal.  However, recently I have started mixing up other grains with my oats to change up my mornings!

So why did I add lemon peels into my oatmeal?  Well, my mom knows that I like to place lemon slices into my water but she tells me to not do it often since there is actually a lot of pesticide and what not on the lemon peels.  However, recently we have started to buy organic lemons. So now, she tells me to not waste the lemon peels because we can actually eat them now without eating other nasty unwanted chemicals and get all their nutritional benefits!  Anyways, so I am not hardcore like my mom who eats the lemon peels plain lol.  So, one morning I decided to chop up the lemon peels and tossed them into my oatmeal and it turned out delicious! 





Vanilla Lemon-Coconut Buckwheat and Oat Porridge 
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makes 1 serving 

¾ cup water or coconut water
2 tbsp. rolled oats
2 tbsp. buckwheat groats
1 to 2 tbsp. lemon peel (depending on how strong you want the taste to be), grated or finely chopped
Your milk of choice (I used almond milk)
½ banana, mashed
1 tsp unsweetened coconut shreds
2 drops pure vanilla extract
1 eggwhite
1 tsp. flaxseeds (optional)


Place the rolled oats and buckwheat groats in a pot.  Pour in the water and bring to a boil.  Place the lemon peel into the pot.  Add a splash of your milk of choice.  Then, turn the heat down to low and let simmer for 8 to10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Meanwhile, mash ½ banana if it is not mashed already.  After 8 to 10 minutes, you can add milk if you like a thinner consistency.  Mix in the mashed banana, coconut shreds and vanilla extract and let simmer for another 5 minutes or so.  Next, stir in the eggwhite and keep stirring for around 1 minute or until eggwhite is well mixed in and cooked.  Then, stir in 1 tsp. of flaxseed (optional).

Top with any kind of toppings you like: nuts, fruits, nut butter, granola, hemp seeds, etc.  OR you can just eat it plain and it will taste just as good!
Chow and enjoy!