(No-Cook) Swiss Oatmeal

Warmer weather makes me want to eat cooler food - as in chilled like salads & smoothies. If you follow me on Instagram you probably have noticed that I was on a smoothie bowl kick for a while. Then I had the Swiss oatmeal at Gregory’s Coffee (by way of recommendation from my team at work) & I knew I would have to work this into my morning routine at home.

Swiss oatmeal is served chilled, which makes it more appealing (to me) to eat during the spring & summer than a hot bowl of oatmeal (or anything for the matter).  Oh & you don’t have to cook it- that’s right a no-cook oatmeal. You only need to know how to cut up some fruit & stir & then get your beauty rest while it does it's thing in the fridge overnight.

It’s super simple to make & it’s another recipe you can use for that yogurt in your fridge too! This recipe makes enough for about 4 breakfasts. I stored mine in an airtight jar & portioned some out each morning during the week.

Mixed Berries & Banana Smoothie Bowls

If you follow me on instagram (& you should, it’s fun!) you’ll already know that I’ve been hitting the smoothie bowl train as of late. A smoothie bowl is simply a smoothie served in a bowl eaten with a spoon. The possibilities of ingredients for smoothie bowls are endless.  I like to top them with the same ingredients I use in the the smoothie portion for three reasons: (1) it looks really pretty, (2) it adds texture, (3) it’s a clear indicator of what’s blended up in the smoothie. If you don’t have time to arrange the toppings in neat little rows it will still taste the same. I like taking the extra time to make it look pretty because it makes me zen in the morning when I prepare breakfast. In case you’re wondering, Chris likes these too.

This first smoothie bowl recipe I’m sharing is a good gateway smoothie bowl because it’s sweet & familiar. So if you’re trying to work more fruit & protein into your breakfast routine this is the way to do it.

If you make your own smoothie bowls, I’d love to know what you put in yours. Please comment below!

Banana Bread Oatmeal as Featured on Nat's Next Adventure

Sometimes I’m amazed by the people I’ve crossed paths with over the years. Natalie Thomas Friedman is one of them. Nat is an Emmy-nominated television producer, Huffington Post & Café Mom contributor & former editor & spokesperson for US Weekly (wow! I know!).  (Read about how we met here.)  She lives in New York with her husband &  ADORABLE daughter & is always in search of her next adventure & has just launched her newly designed blog Nat’s Next Adventure! It’s the perfect lifestyle blog if you’re 18 or 80. Check it out! Oh & if you’d like to grab this simple oatmeal recipe head over to Nat’s Friends page - it’s there!!

Thanks again for the feature Nat! Can’t wait to see what other adventures you take us on.

Peanut Butter & Banana Boats

More often than not, if it’s breakfast time I’m eating avocado toast.  Yesterday was the rare day that I didn’t have avocado toast for breakfast, so I had it for lunch.  I opted to make a quick (yet somewhat fancy looking) protein packed breakfast centered around banana & peanut butter.  I remember seeing something like this on the web - I can’t remember where but I took a mental photo & stored it in my memory bank. Yesterday I pulled that memory out & I must say I’ll be revisiting this quick breakfast that kept me from a growling stomach into the middle of the afternoon. It’s also a great snack or dessert.

Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Oat Muffins

Lately, I haven’t been able to read my favorite blogs as regularly as I like, so it’s a real treat to catch up on the posts that I’ve missed.  I adore withfoodandlove.com.  Sherrie Scaglione Castellano, a life coach & fabulous blogger, always has really great recipes made with whole foods & they just taste really good & are good for you. Sherrie even makes you feel good about infusing your own vodka & mixing up spicy bloody marys (like I did here).

The one recipe that I found most recently that spoke to the ingredients that I had on hand & my sweet tooth was this one for chocolate chip banana oat muffins.  These muffins are so delicious that Chris compared them to his favorite chocolate banana bread from Starbucks. They are that good but these are much more healthful. For one, they’re vegan - which just sounds better right? It means they they’re made without animal products (like milk, eggs, butter).  I had never baked anything vegan before so I was a little hesitant - but don't be they don't taste "vegan".  Plus, they have chia seeds which are a popular super food amongst my healthy friends (Jennifer, Natalie & Rose - I’m looking at you!).  These bitty little seeds can help combat diabetes, are packed with fiber & omega3s plus lots of other great health benefits.

Ok, so these muffins have chocolate chips - but hey chocolate has antioxidants right?  I will definitely be making these again.