Peanut Butter

Overnight No-Cook Oatmeal

Overnight No-Cook Oatmeal
Serves 1

Basic recipe is equal amounts of:
Yogurt
Milk
Dry oatmeal (not instant)
Spices

I used 1/2 cup of each of oatmeal, skim milk and Fage 2% Greek yogurt, and a half teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon allspice.

Mix together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
The next morning, add your fruit of choice, and (if desired) a source of healthy fats.

I used a small banana and 1 ounce (32g) almond butter.
Mix together. You can serve this cold, but I preferred it warm.
The texture is incredibly smooth. It looks like “normal” oatmeal, but it is silkier and softer from the overnight soak.
Nutritional data (for just the basic recipe, not adding the banana or nut butter):
Calories:         305
Fat:               5.6g
Sat fat:          2.7g
Chol:          9.6mg
Sodium:  100.4mg
Carbs:         40.3g
Fiber:            4.8g
Protein:       23.8g
You can certainly reduce those numbers by using only 1/3 cup of each ingredient and using fat free yogurt. I just used what had on hand.
The variations are limitless. You can use different yogurts, fruits, butters (optional) and spices. 
Note: Thanks for this recipe go out to a follower, Andrew Carpenter, for giving me this suggestion. This was an excellent and seriously simple breakfast. I will make and post variations as I try them.

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
Makes about 48 cookies

1 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
3/4 teaspoon baking soda

  1. Preheat oven to 350. Live two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Using an electric mixer, combine all ingredients until fully incorporated.
  3. Drop by level teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets, spacing them 1.5 inches apart.
  4. Bake until the cookies are puffed and lightly brown, about 8-10 minutes.
  5. Let cook on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Nutritional data (per cookie):
Calories:        33
Fat:                 2g
Sat fat:            0g
Chol:              3mg
Sodium:        35mg
Carbs:            3g
Fiber:             0g
Protein:          1g

Peanut Butter Cup “Sundae”

Peanut Butter Cup “Sundae”
Serves 1

8 ounces (by weight) Fage 0% plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter, divided
1 packet Splenda (or other non-calorie sweetener. Use 2 teaspoon table sugar instead of one packet sweetener if you prefer.)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 scoop whey powder (2 tablespoons)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon instant coffee powder (plus a bit more for garnish)

1/2 cup whipped topping (or more)

Place yogurt into a medium bowl.
Place 1 tablespoon of the peanut butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Warm for 10-15 seconds, or until liquid and pourable. Set aside.
Add vanilla, Splenda, instant coffee and cocoa to yogurt. Stir well to mix completely.
Add protein powder. Stir well to mix completely.
Taste. If not sweet enough, add another packet of sweetener.
Add remaining peanut butter. Stir into the yogurt, but you do not want it to be smooth. (Little pockets of peanut butter is the goal.)

Spoon into a serving bowl. Drizzle the melted peanut butter over the yogurt. Top with whipped topping, sprinkle coffee powder.

Enjoy!

Nutritional data (including the whipped topping):
Calories:        450
Fat:                19.4g
Sat fat:             5.9g
Chol:                20mg
Sodium:         266mg
Carbs:           28.8g
Fiber:              5.4g
Protein:        44.5g

I realize that most people will not be able to fit this into their budget. It is a large snack/dessert. But I created this because I needed to find soft foods to eat after having oral surgery. And since the surgery involved drilling into my jaw bone, grafting new bone material, and hoping that my bone integrates with the graft bone, I need a high protein, high fat diet.

And it still needed to be soft. It is two days since the surgery, and my jaw is still very tender. (I accidentally chewed a cherry tomato on the spot–a simple cherry tomato!–and it really hurt and started it bleeding again.)

So, if you are in a position where you need the calories and you need protein and fat, give this a try. It was really good!