espresso banana pancakes

I was recently talking to a friend about the inexplicably “cool” things we did in middle or high school, like wearing overalls (and wearing one strap undone), walking around with one pant leg up and one pant leg down, and carrying your 7,000 lb. Jansport backpack with only one strap; no matter how inevitable the scoliosis onset would be, you didn’t dare put that other strap over your shoulder in public for fear of being branded a dork for life.

Another great mystery of my school days was my hatred of breakfast, and how “cool” I considered my “talent” of being able to make it all the way to 6th period lunch without eating a thing. I remember legitimately bragging about it. Now that I’m [much] older and wiser, I know that breakfast is crucial to growth and brain function, and more importantly to my teenage self, weight control. Studies show that overweight adolescents and adults are less likely to break that fast each morning than their thinner counterparts, so when you think you’re doing your waistline a favor by skipping a meal, you’re actually doing the opposite.

Nowadays, breakfast is what gets me out of bed in the morning, and if I skipped breakfast, there’s a good chance I’d have the shakes less than 10 minutes in my morning commute. Most mornings, my breakfast is a simple bowl of oatmeal or a protein shake, but on the weekends I tend to get a little more adventurous. Lately, I’ve been cranking out some “clean eats,” and I’ve been super pleased with the results.

This weekend, I made some espresso banana pancakes, topped with protein “whipped cream,” banana chips and honey. Even if you don’t have the “clean” version of these ingredients, your pancakes will still come out great. Oh, and don’t mind the coloring; the espresso made the pancakes look like sausage patties, but I promise these were fluffy and delightfully unmeaty.

Espresso banana clean eating pancakes
(Makes five small cakes)

for cakes
♦1/4 oats
♦3/8 c. cottage cheese
♦1/2 c. egg whites (approx. two eggs)
♦1/2 banana
♦1 tb. ground coffee/espresso
♦2 tb. whole wheat flour
♦1 tsp. baking powder

for topping
♦3 tb. plain Greek yogurt
♦1/2 scoop whey protein
♦banana chips
♦honey

Combine all pancake ingredients in a blender or food processor until well combined. Heat griddle or frying pan over medium heat (these cook fast), and add a very small amount of coconut oil. Drop batter onto pan and allow to cook until you see small bubbles and the edges are solid enough to flip (little more than one minute). Flip and cook other side (45 seconds to a minute). Use your best judgment to avoid burning, but don’t be fooled by the dark espresso color; make sure cakes are fully cooked.

For the topping, combine whey protein and Greek yogurt in a small bowl and whip quickly to combine. Spread across pancakes, top with banana chips (or fresh banana slides, but I preferred the slight crunch) and drizzle with honey.

Calories? 57 calories per pancake plain, add calories for toppings
Total time? 15 minutes
Cost? $0.30 banana, $2 oats, $2 espresso, $2.99 cottage cheese, $2.99 Greek yogurt.
Overall success relative to expectations? 7 out of 10 really enjoyed how the espresso flavor came through in the pancake, and crunch of the banana chips was a nice touch. I would definitely make these again. Perhaps they even have more staying power than my one-pant-leg-up-one-pant-leg-down overalls.

Thin Mints for breakfast

I am drowning in Girl Scout Cookies. (#firstworldproblem, I know.) As a result, I am forcing Girl Scout Cookies onto and into every meal in every possible way. First up? Thin Mint oatmeal.

looks sloppy, tastes Thin Mint-y

I’m not a huge fan of super sweet things, but if you are, you might want to double the syrup and cookies, and maybe throw in some chocolate syrup or something. I wanted to keep this as healthy as a bowl of oatmeal with cookies in it could possible be.

makes one serving
♦1/2 c. old fashioned oats
♦1/2 c. water
♦1/2 c. milk
♦1/8 tsp. salt
♦1 tbs. creme de menthe syrup
♦1/4 ripe banana (overly ripe is even better)
♦3 Thin Mint cookies, crushed into some pieces and some crumbs

Heat oats, milk, water and salt over medium heat. After two minutes, add creme de menthe syrup and half Thin Mint mashup. Heat until bubbling. Add banana and mash up completely. (This will thicken the mixture but not affect the flavor.) Spoon into bowl and add remainder of Thin Mint crumbs.

Total time? 8 minutes total — nice and quick.
Cost? $3.50 Girl Scout Cookies, $2 mint syrup, $2.49 quick oats, 20¢ banana.
Overall success relative to expectations? 8 out of 10. This was pretty much what I expected — a healthy oatmeal breakfast with a little treat added in. I didn’t think the mint came through enough, but I didn’t want to add more syrup and thus more sugar. I’m not sure I’ll make this often because I’m more of a savory breakfast girl, so expect some more Girl Scout Cookie-related recipes because I’ve gotta get rid of these things.

pumpkin time

Last I wrote, I was just moving into my new place and incredibly stressed. Living out of boxes is one thing; baking out of boxes is another. I’m only slightly more settled now, and coming off two crazy weeks of baked good orders. Just when it looked like I was going to be able to start writing again, my laptop — which had been clinging to its last life for the last six months now — took its very last breath. Worse still, all of my food photos from the last year+ are — err, were on there.

Fortunately, I came up with a new recipe (and new photos) to share while I work out this computer quandary: pumpkin spice oatmeal — the perfect breakfast for any fall morning.

♦1/2 c. quick oats
♦1/2 c. water
♦1/2 c. almond milk (regular milk works perfectly well, too!)
♦1/4 tsp. salt
♦3 tbs. canned pumpkin
♦2 tsp. cinnamon
♦1 tsp. nutmeg
♦1/4 tsp. ginger
♦1-1/2 tbs. brown sugar

Combine oats, water, milk and salt in small saucepan. Heat over medium heat until mixture starts to simmer and thicken. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, and mix until well combined. Pour into bowl and let stand to thicken for one minute. Sprinkle brown sugar on top, and enjoy. Makes one serving.

Total time? 10 minutes.
Cost? $2.19 canister of quick oats, $1.59 can of pumpkin, $2.64 almond milk.
Overall success relative to expectations? 9 out of 10. Whenever fall comes around, I buy a can of pumpkin and put it in just about anything I can think of. Given my newfound, not-so-secret love for oatmeal, it was only a matter of time before I was eating pumpkin for breakfast.  Didn’t disappoint, either. The brown sugar is a must because the dish isn’t sweet enough on its own, but you don’t have to overdo it. If you’re short on time in the mornings, drop this in a mug and take it to go.

please sir – I’d like s’more

Many moons ago (or maybe just five months), I was an all-out oatmeal hater, but as you may recall, an early morning encounter with a bowl of pb&j oatmeal had me singing a different tune, and I haven’t looked back since.

While pb&j oatmeal is still my No. 1 favorite breakfast at home, I still like to experiment with different oatmeal variations from time to time, so I give you: s’more oatmeal. No campfire needed.

♦1/2 c. oats (NOT instant!)
♦1/2 c. water
♦1/2 c. milk
♦1/8 tsp. salt
♦1/8 tsp. sugar
♦1/2 banana, sliced
♦2 sheets of graham crackers, crushed
♦1/4 c. chocolate chips♦handful of mini marshmallows

Over medium heat, cook oats, water, milk, salt and sugar. When mixture begins to bubble, add banana and mash/mix until dissolved. Place oatmeal mixture in small bowl, and immediately top with marshmallow and chocolate chips. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over mixture, and serve immediately.

Total time? 10 minutes.
Cost? $2.50 bag of chocolate chips, $1 bag of marshmallows, $2 cannister of oats, and 20¢ per banana.
Overall success relative to expectations? 7 out of 10. I absolutely loved the texture the graham cracker crumbs brought to the dish, but if you don’t eat it immediately, the crumbs get swallowed into the wet mixture and fade into oblivion. I enjoyed the novelty of s’mores for breakfast, but I’m not really a sweets person, and — aside from the fiber found in the oats — there’s not much nutritional value here. If that’s not an issue for you, then by all means, have s’more. (Yes, it is exhausting being this lame.)

vanilla chai granola

And you probably thought I was going to have to give up my KitchenAid mixer.

I may have met my no-two-week-hiatus goal, but not within enough time for me to celebrate. I won’t bore you with all the details, but lately I’ve been too busy to breathe and too tired to function. This morning, I accidentally dumped some wintergreen mouthwash in my hands instead of hair gel. I need to either stop buying like-colored, dissimilar products, or get a few more hours of sleep per night. Either way…

I’ve been seeking quick-and-easy meals on the go during this hectic time, so I might as well share one of faves: vanilla chai granola.

I’m a little embarrassed about how long it took me to realize the gigantic canister of oats sitting on top of my fridge could be used for something other than oatmeal (or oatmeal cookies), but once I discovered how easy it is to make your own granola, I was hooked. So easy. So cheap. Endless possibilities!

For my first round of granola, I attempted to slice whole almonds into slivers, and shot shards of them all over my kitchen. If making things more difficult than they need to be isn’t your style, you can purchase sliced almonds at any supermarket. I used the same spice mix I did for the vanilla chai cupcakes with slightly different proportions, but feel free to experiment. Your house will smell amazing either way — well, as long as you don’t burn it.

♦4 c. old-fashioned oats
♦1/2 c. sliced almonds (can add more or less)
♦1/2 c. brown sugar
♦1 tsp. cardamom
♦1 tsp. cinnamon
♦1/2 tsp. ground ginger
♦1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
♦1/4 tsp. ground cloves
♦1/3 c. vegetable oil
♦1/4 c. honey
♦2 tbl. granulated sugar
♦1 tbl. vanilla extract

Line a baking sheet with tinfoil, and lightly coat with baking spray. Combine oats, almonds and spices in a large bowl. Over medium heat, bring oil, honey and sugars to a simmer. Remove from heat, add vanilla and coat dry ingredients with liquid. Toss around until completely covered. Spread contents evenly across baking sheet. Bake at 300 degrees for about 20 minutes. IMPORTANT: Be sure to check on granola every 8-10 minutes, flipping occasionally for an even bake.  The granola burns easily, so don’t neglect it! Allow time to cool before eating.

smells prettier than it looks!

Total time? 10 minutes prep, 22 minutes cook.
Cost? Sliced almonds from Wegman’s self-serve candy/nuts area, less than $2, oats (obviously more than you’ll need), $2.
Overall success relative to expectations? 10 out of 10. My expectations were low; I just couldn’t believe something that’s so expensive in the stores could be so easy to make… and make well. The flavor was outstanding, and this yielded enough to have in yogurt, with milk or by the handful every day for nearly a week. (Store in a Tupperware.) I like to keep my granola simple — just oats and almonds — but feel free to add in sunflower seeds, wheat germ, walnuts, etc.

pb&j in a bowl

Remember when I said I wasn’t a breakfast person? And how I wasn’t an oatmeal person? Well, what a difference National Oatmeal Month can make: I am now obsessed with oatmeal.

After I tried out LiveWell 360′s peanut butter cup oatmeal last month, I went out an bought a 42-ounce cannister of old-fashion oats. I thought, “How will I ever finish this?” But here I am, a little more than a month later, and the lot is almost completely spent. I’ve been trolling the Internet for creative recipes — oatmeals, granolas, cookies. I hope you’re ready for the impending barrage of oat treats.

In honor of National Peanut Month — and a belated Peanut Butter Lovers Day (March 1) — I give you the simple-but-delicious peanut butter and jelly oatmeal (adapted from LiveWell360).

♦1/2 c. old-fashioned oats
♦1/2 c. milk
♦1/2 c. water
♦pinch of salt
♦1/2 ripe banana, sliced
♦1 tbs. peanut butter
♦1 to 1-1/2 tbs. grape jelly

Heat oats, milk, water and salt over medium heat until it reaches a simmer (about five minutes). Add banana slices and stir to break them down completely. Pour oatmeal into bowl, add peanut butter and mix. Top with jelly, and mix.

Total time? 10 minutes.
Cost? $2.50 peanut butter, $2.50 jelly, $2 cannister of oats for endless bowls of PB&J; 20(ish)¢ per banana.
Overall success relative to expectations? 10 out of 10. This recipe was full of “not my thing.” I didn’t really like breakfast; I only ate oatmeal — instant, at that — if I absolutely had to; I shy away from peanut butter unless it’s wrapped inside chocolate (and frozen, like the stash of Reese’s in my freezer); and I haven’t eaten a PB&J sandwich since I was 8 years old. All that being said, I couldn’t believe how much I loved this. Every night for the next four days after I made this, I went to bed anxious to wake up and have it again. It’s that good. The banana is purely for consistency (you can’t taste it at all), and you can control the amounts of peanut butter and jelly just as you did/do for your classic PB&Js  – plus no crusts to remove!