My Favorite Meal

Breakfast. The most important meal of the day.

Serving it up, Shannon's way!

Wake up, sunshine! Breakfast is gives us energy to kick-start our day. Eating a good-sized, healthy breakfast boosts our metabolism and keeps us from getting too hungry later. It also keeps our minds awake and attentive and improves our mood. A yummy, nutritious breakfast makes a healthy, happy teen (or anyone, for that matter)!
Because it's summertime and I barely ever run anymore due to the excessive heat, breakfast is usually my carb-&-sugar pre-workout meal--the energy for my swimming (or sometimes jumprope) workout. I usually have some combination of fruit and whole grain.

And one of my favorite breakfasts? Why, oatmeal of course! Oatmeal is full of healthy grains and carbohydrates and is great for your heart! It also has fiber and a fair amount of protein, so it's a perfect way to start your day. And there are so many different ways you can shake up your oats! OATMEAL CAN BE SO MUCH MORE THAN A BOWL OF GOOP! Use any fruit or combination of fruits (fresh and/or dried); use different, new, and interesting extracts and flavorings; play around with spices; add your favorite nut-butter; throw in some cacao nibs or chocolate chips or WHATEVER. THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS!!! ;-)

This morning I went with a classic: banana oatmeal.

My favorite oatmeal method is overnight and raw, especially during the summer when I like my oatmeal nice n' cold. (Have you ever tried cold oatmeal like this? I lovelovelove it.) So last night I mixed all my ingredients together and popped the bowl, covered, in the refrigerator. I use CCK's voluminous oatmeal trick to get extra-plumped oatmeal, 'cause that's how I prefer my oatmeal--like Snooki likes her hair: the bigger the better. ;-)

^Snookilicious^
(Hairstyle and facial expression)

In the morning, when I was all right-n'-ready to enjoy my lucious, pumped-up banana oatmeal, I just grabbed it from the fridge, gave it a stir, sprinkled a few cacao nibs and a skosh of extra cinnamon on top, and Shannabananafeefifofannah! delectable banana oatmeal for me to luxuriate in. Simple, wholesome goodness. <3

 I very much enjoyed it.



Questions:

So what's your morning like usually? Do you eat breakfast? If so, what are they like--do you have larger breakfasts or small ones, maybe for on the go? What's your favorite breakfast?

I can't wait to read your responses! :-)

For me, it's hard to say, but I might have to go with Mocha-Banana Soft-Serve. (Although, of course, I'd eat it with something else too, since I'm so big on breakfasts! And I couldn't have it too often; I love variety way too much.) Espresso and banana just go so good together (actually, a lot of things go good with banana!), and I am just absolutely head-over-heels for that creamy, dreamy soft-serve that the frozen banana works for so well. Mmmm. <3

My blog has been inching along since I started it, a few days ago. It's still pretty small and needs a lot of construction and organization and, of course, time, but I'm hoping it'll grow so that I have it running well and get lots of feedback and connection. If you're reading this, thanks bunches for helping me! Just by visiting my blog you're improving it. ;-)

Pumpkin-Vanilla Ice-Cream Sandwiches!

Oatmeal and Banana Soft-Serve are two of my favorite breakfast treats. So why not combine them? Actually, the real question is: Why didn't I think of this sooner?

Monkey Oatmeal

When I was little, my dad's nickname for me was Shann-the-Monkey. Whenever he still uses it now it always makes me smile. :-)

The nickname inspired the name of this oatmeal variation, especially because my dad LOVES peanut-butter.

Peanut-butter and banana is a classic combo, and they make an epic duo in this oatmeal variation! But ANY nut butter works really good in this recipe--almond and walnut especially.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup oats
1/2 to 3/4 cup non-dairy milk or water (I like almond milk)
1 banana, preferably more ripe than not
1-2 tablespoons all-natural peanut-butter
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Dash of cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg


Directions:

Either mash up the banana, peanut-butter, vanilla, and spices together by hand or blend together in a food processor. Use your favorite method to make the oatmeal. If you use the conventional stovetop method, cook the banana mash a little first and then stir in the liquid. Once it's hot, mix in the oats and cook on low as usual, until done. If using the overnight method, blend the liquid with the banana puree, stir in the oats, and cover and let rest in the fridge overnight. Top with chopped nuts, cacao nibs, a few banana slices, and/or a sprinkle of extra cinnamon if desired.
For a Choco-Monkey version, just add one or two tablespoons of dark cacao powder or stir in some cacao nibs.

Green Tea Soft-Serve/Shake Recipe

This flavor is good for green tea lovers everywhere; it has a refreshingly light and green taste that I love. And it's full of all the great, beneficial antioxidants of green tea. Use your favorite brand. You can use this same recipe to use other tea flavors as well--just pick any kind you want! (But with certain other flavors, you might want to skip the spinach or use some other kind of add-in.)

Basic "Soft-Serve"/"Shake" Recipe

I originally got this idea from my favorite blogger, Chocolate Covered Katie. She's discovered that frozen bananas make the PERFECT vegan soft-serves and shakes--so simple, yet so brilliant. When you blend up the bananas they have a deliciously creamy consistency (and, of course, they taste divine!). Add chilled almond or other non-dairy milk and BAM. Instant, yummilicious soft-serve or shake. And the flavor possibilities are endless; I've included several of my favorite variations in my recipes (see Soft-Serve & Shake Recipes) and I'm still experimenting and coming up with new ones. Feel free to experiment or tweak around yourself! (And I'd love to hear your ideas! :-))

For a thicker, more soft-serve-like consistency, use less milk; for a shake, just use more.
Here's the basic recipe:

Basic "Soft-Serve"/"Shake" Recipe:
(serves one)
Ingredients:

• one banana, peeled, cut into small chunks, and frozen (make sure it's frozen completely--I put the banana in the night before or even earlier)
• 2 tablespoons to 3/4 cup non-dairy milk of choice; the lesser extreme is closest to ice-cream, and the other makes a milkshake
• 1-3 teaspoons extract(s) of choice (like vanilla, almond, peppermint, coconut, etc.)
• 1-5 teaspoons spice(s) of choice
• other add-ins, like extra frozen or dried fruit, cacao nibs, seeds/nuts, or frozen spinach, kale, or other veggies

Directions:
At least twenty minutes beforehand, mix the extract(s) and spice(s) into the milk. Leave in the freezer to chill until you take it out to use. Process the banana, milk mixture, and any add-ins* in a food processor or Vita-mix (oh, Vita-mix, you will someday be mine! <3)** until the soft-serve or shake is smooth and creamy, with no lumps. Serve immediately or place in the freezer to harden up a little before serving. Enjoy the dreamy (but absolutely healthy and vegan) deliciousness!

*Some add-ins may be better added later than the banana and milk, so that they aren't too obliterated while the banana gets a chance to get well-blended; this will be included in the directions for those specific recipes.

**I only recommend using blenders when making more than one serving. Since most inexpensive blenders don't work well enough with such small amounts, food processors tend to work better.

Shanna's Banana Oatmeal

Basic banana oatmeal. A classic that'll never go out of fashion.