Hey hey! How are you? Now that we’ve finally made it through what felt like an extra-long and slow January, I found myself thinking about to the holidays. Do you miss them already as much as I do?
Time really seems to fly between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I always find myself wishing I had taken more time to slow down and enjoy the season, although I’m not sure if it even would’ve possible! Which brings me back to this post. Amid all the holiday scrambling, I’m always especially grateful for a quick, easy, and healthy meal… like tasty pecan pie oatmeal that’s practically bursting with pecan pie flavor.
Pecan Pie Protein Oatmeal
The few days leading up to a big holiday, I tend to take it a little easier on the indulgent food. This usually has a lot to do with the fact that I’m too busy scrambling around before the festivities to make anything truly exciting. I try to focus on protein and produce (eat like a PRO!) with more simple eats that I can quickly put together. It’s usually a lot of scrambled eggs, soups, smoothies, oatmeal and salads.
That doesn’t mean that it’s totally boring. A great example: this pecan pie protein oatmeal. It has the flavor and texture of delectable pecan pie baked oatmeal, but comes together much quicker!
I’ve made this a few times over the last few weeks. It’s packed with protein, the texture is amazing (I’ll tell you my secret trick!), and it has the perfect amount of pie-like sweetness on top. Not to mention it makes meal prep a breeze!
So here’s why these oats have been so awesome lately:
a little soaking action overnight.
Regular ol’ rolled oats have been feeling extra grainy/chewy lately, so I started soaking them overnight before cooking. I just cover them in water and let them sit overnight, then rinse and drain before boiling.
It makes the texture super soft, fluffy and creamy. They taste the same way restaurant oats taste, which are usually loaded with milk and butter in the cooking process.
Another bonus from soaking: it makes them easier to digest. I was listening to The Model Health Show (<— fave podcast if you haven’t checked it out!) and one of the speakers was discussing lectins and how they can make certain plant-based foods more inflammatory. Lectins are the plant’s protective response to keep predators or humans from eating it, and can cause inflammation in the body. Soaking, fermenting, and pressure cooking are all effective ways to reduce lectins.
So back to the protein and pecan pie aspect of this breakfast recipe. While the oats are boiling, I’ll add in 1-2 egg whites and a little almond milk. I’ll stir it around as it’s cooking – the eggs cook very quickly – and then when I remove the pan from heat, I’ll add a little bit of cinnamon, vanilla extract, and sea salt.
For the pecan pie topping, I heated up 1 tablespoon of butter in a saucepan, and after it was melted, I stirred in 1 teaspoon of coconut sugar, 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. When everything was smooth, I added 1/4 cup Georgia pecans. It took about 30 seconds to fully coat the pecans, and then everything was poured on top of the oats.
You guys.
It was so dreamy and delicious, and since it had added bulk from the egg whites, it kept me full and satisfied for hours. I need all the energy I can get packing suitcases and carryon bags.. especially when the temperature is supposed to vary by 30 degrees each day.
Feel free to add a bit of nut butter, like almond butter, on top for an extra bite of healthy fats, protein, and flavor!
Any awesome oatmeal or breakfast hacks? What’s your favorite Thanksgiving dessert? I love ALL PIE, but I especially love my nana’s homemade coconut cake.
xo
Gina
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