Vegan Peanut Butter Banana Rolled Oats

Do you ever wake up just craving peanut butter, or is that only me? Sometimes your soul just needs it. Well, that was definitely how I was feeling after this past weekend, and what better way to compliment that peanut butter than with some banana. It's really the perfect flavor combo - salty and sweet and just delicious.

I woke up Monday freezing cold. I slept with my window open and fan on, and I was seriously chilled to bone. I ran to my closet throwing on sweatpants and a sweatshirt, but I needed something to really warm me up. So peanut butter banana oats it was! And they did not disappoint one bit!

Here's What You'll Need:

-1 cup rolled oats
-2 1/4 cups unsweetened almond milk
-1 tbsp maple syrup
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-1 heaping tbsp smooth, unsweetened peanut butter (ideally organic) and 2 additional tsp separated
-1 banana, sliced
-Pinch of Himalayan sea salt
-Chia seeds if desired

Instructions:

1) Mix together the oats and almond milk and heat in a pan over medium high heat until boiling.
2) Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium low and start mixing regularly. Cook for about 5-7 minutes.
3) Add in the vanilla, maple syrup, sea salt, heaping tbsp of peanut butter, and majority of the banana slices. I saved about 10-12 slices to top the oats.
4) Cook until the oats look complete (about another 5-7 minutes), mixing regularly.
5) Remove the oats from the heat and split between two bowls.
6) Top each bowl with half of the remaining banana slices, 1 tsp of peanut butter, and chia seeds if desired.
7) Enjoy!

I hope this not only warms you up on these cooler mornings but also hits the spot for that peanut butter craving! Let me know what you think in the comments below!
 

Vegan PB&J Overnight Oats

This past weekend was hectic. I was up by 7 and out of the house before 8 both days, so breakfast wasn't a main priority. Even some weekdays I don't give myself enough time, and I'm rushing around to throw something together before work. Peanut butter and jelly toast is a nice quick option, but I really prefer to get other forms of nutritional value in my meals.

Then it dawned on me - why not make my breakfast the night before? It's easy, and it would make my morning routing less chaotic. I could do overnight oats. Just throw the ingredients in a Tupperware container at night, and I'm good to go in the morning. But I wanted to amplify it a little, and with PB&J on the brain, I came up with this recipe for PB&J overnight oats. It's a great source of fiber and protein (and also sneaks in some fruit).

Here's what you'll need:

For the peanut butter oats:
-1/2 cup rolled oats (these are different than instant oatmeal, so make sure you grab rolled oats)
-1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
-1/2 tbsp black chia seeds
-1 tbsp vanilla hemp protein powder (I used Nutiva brand)
-1 tbsp peanut butter

For the jelly:
-1 tbsp natural fruit preserves (the preserves should match the fresh fruit of your choice. I used strawberry)
-2 tbsp chopped fruit (I used 3 strawberries - 1 to top the oats)

Instructions:

1) Mix together the ingredients for the peanut butter oats the night before.
2) Store and refrigerate over night.
3) In the morning, slice the strawberries or other fruit, and mix 2/3 of the fruit with the tbsp of fruit preserves.
4) Place the fruit and preserve mixture at the bottom of your bowl or glass, add the oat mixture, and top with the remaining fruit slices.
5) Enjoy!

Also feel free to layer the fruit throughout instead of just at the bottom. It's just a matter of what you prefer. Let me know what you think!

Zucchini Noodle Vegan Pad Thai

Something you probably didn't know about me is that my entire immediate family (except for myself) is a combination of vegetarians and vegans. My mom became vegetarian over a decade ago and switched to veganism within the past 4 or so years. My sister and brother-in-law have also gone between vegetarian and vegan over the past several years. Needless to say I've been surrounded by and had my fair share of vegan meals, and let me tell you, they can be pretty damn good. 

Another fun fact about my family is that we love Thai food, specifically Pad Thai. So what would be better than a vegan Pad Thai? How about a healthy vegan Pad Thai made with zucchini noodles.

Here's what you'll need:

For the sauce:
-2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
-6 tbsp Braggs liquid aminos
-juice of one lime
-1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter
-1/2 cup water
-2 tbsp maple syrup
-2 tbsp hoisin 
-2 tbsp chili garlic sauce

For the Pad Thai:
-3-4 large zucchinis spiralized (I actually used 5, but they were small)
-1 sliced bell pepper
-1 cup shredded carrots
-8 oz of bean sprouts
-2-3 chopped green onions
-12 oz firm tofu
-1 tbsp coconut oil
-2 tbsp sesame oil
-1 clove garlic
-1/2 cup roasted peanuts
-chopped cilantro to top (about 2 tbsp or as much as you'd like)

Instructions:

1) Cut the tofu into cubes (a little less than 1"), heat up the coconut oil in a pan, and add the tofu. Cook until slightly browned on all sides (~10 minutes).
2) Heat up the sesame oil in a different pan. Add the garlic and let cook for about a minute before adding the zucchini noodles. Let them cook for about 3-5 minutes on their own (tossing every couple of minutes to evenly cook).
3) Add in the red pepper, green onions, and roasted peanuts. Cook for another 2 minutes.
4) In the meantime make your sauce. Add all of the ingredients into a blender and blend for 30 seconds to a minute.
5) Add the carrots and bean sprouts to the Pad Thai pan. Cook for an additional minute. 
6) Add in the cooked tofu and blended sauce, remove from heat, and put into a serving dish.
7) Top with chopped cilantro and enjoy!

My family gave it two thumbs up, but let me know what you think!