Tuesday, October 26, 2010


Pumpkin Oat Bran

How can you not start your day in a good mood with such a bowl like the one above for breakfast?
I am a firm believer that eating breakfast is essential to start your metabolism in the morning (after hours of fasting overnight) and get you going through your day.
With that in mind I always try to make our breakfast nutritious and delicious, and with a kid in the house sometimes the fun factor enters in the mix and we are sure to have a great start in the morning.
For the bowl pictured above I cooked 1/2 cup of oat bran with 1/2 cup water, 1 cup almond milk, 1/2 cup pureed pumpkin, about 1/2 to 1 tsp cinnamon, a dash of ground clove (or sub 1/2 to 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice) and sweetener to taste (I make mine unsweetened, but Matheus likes his with either honey or maple syrup). Put everything into the pan and cook on medium until oat bran is cooked and you achieved the desired thickness.
I like it more loose than most people, not a fan of thick and gummy oats or oat bran. I like it a bit on the wet side, and since it thicken as it sits, I always take it of the stove before it gets to the consistency I like.
Ultra easy to make, plus oat bran cooks so fast that in less than 10 minutes you have a nice and warm bowl of steamy goodness! Top with a tablespoon of almond butter and you have a totally nutritious breakfast to start your day. (Coconut butter is also amazing with oats and oat bran! I am slightly obsessed with this combo lately...)
And if you are like us, you will strategically place that almond butter right in the center of your bowl, then add a couple of raisin eyes, a chocolate chip mouth and your masterpiece is complete: Mrs. Pumpkin Oat Bran is in the house! (And boy those chocolate chips were delicious in there, melted chocolate goodness!)
The same ingredients are just as good with oatmeal in place of the oat bran. It may take a couple more minutes to cook, but so worth it.
I love oats in all forms!
Ana

4 comments:

Megan @ Healthy Hoggin' said...

What a CUTE bowl of oat bran! I just discovered your blog, and it's so fun!

I love how quickly oat bran cooks, too! And almond butter or coconut butter sounds divine on top! (esp. in happy-face form) ;)

Cris said...

Ana... que ótima ideia! Vou fazer na crockpot e adaptar para os ingredientes daqui. It looks Delicious... bjs!

Tina @ Faith Fitness Fun said...

That is a perfect bowl of oats (bran) for a kiddo...and a fun loving adult too. I love all the different ways you can top it.

Ana said...

Megan, thanks for the visit!
Oat bran is delicious, and totally good with almond butter and coconut butter - that is what I have been eating everyday for the past month, totally obsessed!

Cris, eh uma ideia gostosa e nutritiva, eu adoro - e Matheus tbem!! Faca com oats no crockpot, oat bran vira mush se ficar no heat por muito tempo.

Tina, thanks for visiting my blog! I love the fun bowls, and one of my favorite things about oats is the many variations you can make by varying toppings and add-ins!

Ana