I feel like I have been going through old-fashioned oats by the bucketful lately. There are much worse things I could be consuming, I suppose ;) Anyhow, this last weekend we headed out to our favorite berry patch to get our first dibs on this season's blueberries. We also got 30 pounds of cherries, which we froze most of, and some dang delicious strawberries.
I've had overnight oats pinned for years on my breakfast board and thought it was high time I tried them. They fit in perfectly to my new ways of eating, are filling, and lets be honest-dang delicious. My favorite is fresh fruit in these (enter my previously stated blueberries). I am really excited to try the other 20 varieties I've had pinned! The Mr. also gave this one 2 thumbs way up :)
Blueberry Muffin Overnight Oats
1/2 c. old-fashioned oats
1/2 c. unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice, or water)
1/2 of a medium-large banana, mashed
2-3 Tbsp. fresh blueberries
1/2 tsp. maple syrup
1/4 tsp. lemon zest
Mix all ingredients up and place in a 1/2 pint mason jar. Cover and place in fridge overnight. Top with extra blueberries in the morning, and breakfast is served!
Recipe Source: Another Root
I have been so happy about my progress over the last 7ish weeks. I followed the 21-Day Fix meal plan fairly closely for a few weeks, and since then I have just been doing my own thing. If anything else, it gave me a better idea on what portions should be and how much of certain food groups I should be eating. My weight loss has slowed, but I am still losing while not counting containers either. I have still been eating many 21-Day fix meals, just not worrying about the container counts.
So, during my whole pregnancy I am pretty sure the only thing I ate was sweets. No joke. Cookies for breakfast, pudding cups for snacks, and lets just say I stocked up on Halloween and Christmas candy (yikes). Cutting back on sweets has been hard, so what I've tried to do is find healthy alternatives. Frozen grapes work sometimes, and my Shakeology holds of my morning cravings, but in the afternoon or after dinner I need a little something. Enter energy balls. I have been so happy with these! My kids have been requesting these over cookies, and since they are filled with things like flax, chia, what germ, and small amounts of sugar, I am glad to have these for them for after school snacks or an on-the-go breakfast.
Try them. You will like them, especially cold out of the refrigerator. YUM!
Here's some benefits to some of the components of these balls:
Peanut Butter- Full of protein, fiber and potassium. Gives you an energy boost.
Oats- Filling, whole-grain, full of fiber and so much more!
Honey- Natural sweetener and full of vitamins.
Flax Seed- High in Omega 3, full of antioxidants and vitamins.
Chia Seed- Full of Iron, Omega 3, and even more vitamins and minerals.
Wheat Germ- Boosts immune system, full of nutrients.
Monster Cookie Energy Balls
½ cup creamy Peanut Butter
⅓ cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup old fashioned oats
⅓ cup ground flaxseed
1 Tablespoon chia seeds
optional: 2 Tbsp. wheat germ
¼ cup mini chocolate chips
¼ cup mini M&M's
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Refrigerate for 15-30 minutes then roll into balls. Keep energy bites stored in an air tight container in the fridge or freezer.
This recipe can easily be adapted to your preference. M&M's can be omitted and substituted with your favorite nut or dried fruit etc. I usually add shredded coconut instead.
