Peanut Butter Apple Cinnamon Oats

Basically, I've been using today as a catch-up day for this blog (and it's only day one!) I've been wanting to start it for a while, but either didn't have the time or just was in the mood to watch Dr. Who instead (I am obsessed with that show. I watch it pretty much without fail every day, and, in case you are a fan, I'll just go ahead and say: Ten's my doctor. He always will be. I love you David Tennant!)

Anyway, because I've written multiple posts in one day, there isn't a whole lot I feel like writing as an intro to this one. Plus, at least in my experience with food blogs, you just want to scroll down to the recipe anyway. Quit jabbering woman! So I'll stop talking and let you see this creation:

PEANUT BUTTER APPLE CINNAMON OATS

(I love peanut butter. And oatmeal. Could you tell?)

INGREDIENTS

1 gala apple (or a different flavor if you prefer)

Cinnamon

1 packet stevia

2 T. PB2

1 packet instant oatmeal

1/2 cup water

DIRECTIONS

1. Dice up your apple and lay it out on a plate. Sprinkle with cinnamon and stevia, and maybe just a little but of water. Microwave on high for 1 minute until semi-soft.
2. In separate bowl, mix together oatmeal and PB2. Add water to your desired consistency (I used about 1/2 cup) and then microwave it on high for 1 minute or until water is all absorbed. 
3. Add cooked apple to oatmeal and stir together. Voila! You're done!

**This creation counts for 1 starch, 1 fruit, 1 protein

Brownie Protein Waffles with Chocolate PB Sauce

Do you like Pinterest?
It seems that whenever I go on, I'm finding new things that I add to my mental checklist of "Must Try". Then when I look up, two hours have flown by and I have nothing to show for it! Anyway, in the past I've pinned probably hundreds of protein pancake recipes, but actually only made very few of them. I guess I'm just really picky about what goes into my foods (something I'm still working on freeing myself from). The pancakes would have tons of protein, but no whole grains. Or plenty of healthy carbohydrates, but only a measly amount of protein. Or they would just turn out gooey and tasteless when I made them.
So I decided to try my own thing. And I am beyond excited about it.
I can't say enough great things about this morning's creation. I couldn't stop smiling as I was eating them, and for a girl recovering from an eating disorder, that says quite a bit about their awesomeness. (Yes it's a word. Because I say it is.)
These have everything you want in a healthy, well-rounded breakfast: whole grains, protein, fruit…And all within a reasonable nutritional profile as well! Plus, they are fairly simple to make and are absolutely delicious!
Behold…

Chocolate Brownie Protein Waffles!

 Yes, siree, you get about 30 grams of high-quality protein in these babies, as well as 5 grams of fiber, and 25 grams of whole grain! And they're naturally gluten free! These are the perfect breakfast for anyone with a love of chocolate and healthy eating!

INGREDIENTS

For Waffles

1/4 cup oat flour (made by grinding up 1 packet instant oatmeal in a coffee grinder)

1 scoop chocolate whey protein powder (about 1/4 cup)

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 packet stevia

1/4 cup almond milk

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp imitation butter extract

For PB Fudge Sauce

1 T. chocolate PB2 (powdered peanut butter)

1 packet stevia

1/2 T. dark chocolate cocoa powder

Water

DIRECTIONS

1. Start heating up your waffle iron, and make sure to spray it well so the waffles don't stick
2. Mix together dry ingredients (as I said, if you don't have oat flour on hand, just grind up a packet of oatmeal. That's what I did!). Then add wet, and mix well until all lumps are gone.
3. Pour half the batter into your waffle iron and close the lid. Cook 3-4 minutes or until done (I didn't actually time it, so I'm not sure). DON'T OPEN THE LID UNTIL THE WAFFLE IS READY!
4. While waffle is cooking, prepare your fudge sauce. Simply stir together dry ingredients, then add water, about 1/2 T. at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. I like mine pretty thick, but if you want the sauce to be more "saucy" instead of a spread, add more water. Alternatively, use almond milk instead of water.
5. Top your waffles with fudge sauce and enjoy their amazingness!

**For meal plans, one whole recipe (YUP. THE WHOLE THING) is 1 starch, 1 fruit, and 3 proteins.

You can round it out by serving with a nice glass of milk, and if needed use regular peanut butter instead of the PB2 in the sauce, but you may need to adjust the amount of water.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Pudding

Some mornings, you just need chocolate.

Or maybe you need…. CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER OATMEAL PUDDING!

This breakfast was one of the first that I had when I started my current journey towards recovery. I think if I had to choose a favorite flavor combination, it would most definitely be chocolate/PB/banana. Elvis would be proud. The creamy, sweet banana mixed with the nutty saltiness of the peanut butter and the decadent, rich chocolate… can we say yum? Now, the decision to make (and eat!) this creation was a big step for me, because peanut butter is actually one of my biggest fear foods. In the old days, I used to dream about it and literally salivate all over my pillow, but I would not let myself consume it. But I came to a turning point where I realized that I depriving myself was only leading to misery. I was tired, cranky, depressed, and, at the root of it all, hungry. My body was starved, and my brain was shrinking. What did I need (and what do all humans need that we seem to be denying ourselves these days?) Fat! That's right. Our body needs fat to stay healthy, keep our skin nice and moist, our hair shiny, and our brains well fed! And often times, cravings are a sign that we are missing something… so listening to them will prevent a later binge and replenish our nutrients.

So yes. I am telling you that it is okay to have chocolate and peanut butter.
It was really hard for me. I was scared, I'll admit it. But this was just one step closer to my goal of recovery. And maybe it can be a step for you as well!

You know you want to try it. Go ahead, it's okay! Peanut butter is full of healthy fats, oatmeal is rich in fiber and whole grains, bananas are filled with potassium, and chocolate has lots of great antioxidants and mood boosting compounds. So this is HEALTHY. No, it's not that fake "diet crap" 100-calorie healthy… it's all-natural, delicious healthy. It's recovery food!
I adapted this from Katie's breakfast pudding here.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup rolled oats

1 medium sized ripe banana

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup milk (I used almond)

1-2 packets stevia to taste

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

2 Tablespoons PB+Co's Dark Chocolate Dreams

(Or, if you don't have any, 2 T. Peanut Butter and 1/2T. cocoa powder)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat water and milk in medium sized stove pot. (Alternatively, you could use all milk or all water, but I like a combination of the two.) Heat until boiling. Add oats and turn down the heat to medium, cover and cook until all liquid is absorbed.
2. Remove oats from stovetop. Pour half into a bowl, and the other half into a blender. 
3. Add remaining ingredients to the blender, except for 1/2 of the banana. This will be reserved for topping your pudding. Blend on high for a few seconds until well-combined.
4. Add pudding mixture from blender into your bowl and mix with the unblended oats. This will give the pudding just a little bit of a chewy texture which I like.
5. Top with slices of banana and dig in! Delicious!

*For those of you who are on meal plans, this whole recipe counts as: 2 starch, 1 fruit, 1 protein, and 2 fat. You can also get in a milk exchange if you use a whole cup of regular milk instead of the almond/water mixture.

*On weight gain and need to condense it a little bit more? Trust me, I know how that feels. Some easy ways to do this without adding too much more volume are: replace milk with half-and-half or heavy cream. You'll get super thick and creamy pudding this way! Also, you could increase the peanut butter to 3 Tablespoons, or add 1/2 scoop of your favorite protein powder for an added protein punch! I personally like chocolate whey!

***I am not posting calorie information because I don't believe it would really be beneficial to most of the people reading this. We need to stop obsessing over the numbers, or being afraid of them, and just enjoy our dang food for once.***