Thermostat

Every morning, as I snuggle in my bed, under the warm quilt my Mom made me, I plan my healthy breakfast. I think Green Protein Smoothie or musli and fresh fruit but then I pull back the covers and realize how FLIPPIN’ COLD IT IS IN HERE! Maybe your husband is like my husband and he won’t turn on the furnace until it snows.

I know that holding off turning on the furnace will save us money but it sure cost me calories and carbs! I just can’t eat cold food when my thermostat reads like this:

That picture was actually taken at 7 am but I just don’t know how to fix the clock lol. When it’s 16 degrees in my house, I crave warm food! Yes I know there are lots of warm HEALTHY breakfast foods but when you are rushing your kids out the door there isn’t time to make a frittata! So I abandon my green smoothie and pull out the toaster and make toast with gobs of peanut butter and honey. Not a particularly nutrient dense meal, so then an hour later I’m starving and grabbing a Tim Hortons muffin on my way to work. This is how my thermostat is sabotaging my healthy eating!

This week the forecast was calling for “crisp” mornings, so I decided to break this cycle and get organized! I love oatmeal! My favourite oatmeal recipe is the Overnight Oatmeal with Blueberry Parfait but it’s so COLD! I needed to find a warm alternative. One of my friends on Instgram posted a beautiful picture of Vegan Apple Pie Oatmeal from Oh She Glows. I had all the ingredients so I tried it!

You will need:

1/3 cup regular oats

1 tablespoon chia seeds

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground ginger + pinch of kosher salt

1 + 1/4 cups non-dairy milk (I used coconut)

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

1-1.5 tablespoon pure maple syrup + more for drizzling

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tsp fresh lemon juice (optional)

2 tbsp chopped walnuts, for sprinkling on top

Read more: http://ohsheglows.com/2011/01/24/apple-pie-oatmeal/#ixzz3nJtQ001I

First of all- yum! Seriously yummy! AND my notoriously picky daughter loved it too! I made a big batch of it and I quickly warmed it up in the microwave. Filling, healthy and amazing!