Overnight Chia Protein Oatmeal

Oatmeal Chia Breakfast Protein Pudding is low-fat, delicious and packed with protein.  It's a great way to save time and have healthy breakfasts. You can even make a big patch of it and store them 8 oz. jars in the fridge for up to a week for perfect grab-and-go meals! 

Here are three fantastic overnight oatmeal recipes:

Chicken and Vegetables in Peanut Sauce

Have you ever found a recipe that sounded amazing when you found it?  In retrospect, maybe I shouldn't go recipe hunting when I'm hungry.  I find a lot of recipes that sound good... 

Well, I found this recipe the other day.  It caught my attention and decided to try it.  I needed another recipe for my weekly meals. 

• Chicken = good. 
• Sweet potatoes = good.  
• Red bell peppers = good. 
• Turnips = okay.  
• Peanut butter = YUM!  
• Spicy = LOVE IT!  
• Super easy = AWESOME!

Guilt-free Chocolate Truffles

These creamy, chocolaty truffles taste truly decadent, but are shockingly low-calorie. 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup quality chocolate chips (such as Ghirardelli 60% Cacao)
• 1 tablespoon natural almond butter or peanut butter
• 1/4 cup nonfat plain Greek Yogurt
• 1/3 cup quality unsweetened cocoa powder (such as Ghirardelli Unsweetened Cocoa Powder)

Directions:

1. Melt chocolate chips in microwave at 20-second intervals or in a double-boiler for about 4 minutes until completely melted. While chocolate is still warm, stir in almond butter and mix until well incorporated. Carefully fold in Greek yogurt, mix well, and refrigerate for about 15 minutes, until mixture starts to harden.
2. Working with about 1 tablespoon at a time, form truffles, roll in unsweetened cocoa powder, and refrigerate until ready to serve. 

*Nutrition information based on 1 truffle per serving.

Recipe courtesy of MayIHaveThatRecipe.com

Madame Samm's No Bake Chewies

Madame Samm's No Bake Chewies

1 cup of raw large flake oatmeal..( not instant)

3/4 cup of peanut butter

1/2 cup of honey, ( a good kind)

1 cup of chocolate chips or 1 cup of dark raisins

1/2 cup of toasted coconut ( I put it in a dry pan on med heat and just

brown it, takes 2 min)

In a small pot, add peanut butter and honey and stir until well blended and it thins out like a warmed honey... ( 3 minutes tops).  

Now pour this sweet mixture onto oatmeal and coconut, raisins or chocolate chips. Form into balls.... BE sure to run your hands under cold water and shape balls. This way the mixture will not stick to your hands.  Keep repeating that... Refrigerate

HINT from Madame Samm:

"Refrigerate and take as needed...I would not eat these near bedtime...they will keep you up for hours...that is what happened to me the other day!"

Quinoa Breakfast Bars

Quinoa Breakfast Bars

From http://www.theleangreenbean.com/quinoa-breakfast-bars/

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

25 mins

A grab 'n go breakfast that's tasty and a cinch to make, without all of the added sugar found in store bought bars.

Author: Lindsay L

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 1 c whole wheat flour (or chickpea flour to make GF)
• 2 c cooked quinoa
• 2 c oats
• ⅔ c nuts, chopped
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 Tbsp chia seeds
• ⅔ c peanut butter
• ½ c honey
• 2 egg
• ⅔ c applesauce (or mashed banana)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ⅔ c craisins
• ½ c chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

1. Combine applesauce, vanilla, eggs, peanut butter and honey in a small bowl and mix well.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until just mixed.
3. Spoon into a greased 9x13 pan and bake at 375 for 20 min or until golden brown.
4. Let cool and cut into bars.
5. Store in the refrigerator.

These quinoa breakfast bars are chewy and delicious- perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack. They’re packed with protein and fiber and they’re gluten-free  as long as you use GF oats. Plus, they could be made vegan if you used a flax egg! I used pecans in mine but almonds would be good as well.

You can also halve this recipe and make them in an 8×8 pan!

Sesame Squares

Sesame Squares

As an extra health tweak, use a peanut butter that's high in omega-3 fatty acids.

SERVINGS: 32 

⅓ c honey
⅓ c peanut butter
¾ c nonfat dry milk
¾ c sesame seeds
¼ c raisins
¼ c shredded coconut

1. COMBINE combine the honey, peanut butter, dry milk, sesame seeds, raisins, and coconut in a large bowl.
2. SPREAD the mixture into an 8 × 8-inch baking pan and refrigerate for 4 hours.
3. CUT into 1-inch squares.

NUTRITION (per square) 58 cal, 1 g pro, 6 g carb, 3 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 0 g dietary fiber 24 mg sodium, 5 g sugars

Recipe from Rodale Whole Foods Cookbook, (published by Rodale, which publishes Prevention).