Apple Peanut butter Oatmeal

Everybody knows what a great snack apples spread with peanut butter is and that inspired me to make my Apple Peanut butter Oatmeal for breakfast last week. It even made a great easy lunch (just heat in the microwave) when I need something healthy to put in my lunch bag this week. It is a HUGE portion that leaves me feeling full and not hungry for at least 4 hours, when I may be ready for a light snack of fruit.

Ingredients:

1/4 to 1/2 C dry oatmeal (I like rolled oats or "old fashioned" whole oats)
water according to package
Milk or non-dairy substitute (I use unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
1 TBSP Apple butter, or 2 TBSP Apple sauce
1-2 TBSP peanut butter (or other nut butter, I use Trader Joe's almond butter w/ roasted flax seeds)

Directions:
Cook oatmeal per the container's directions.

When fully cooked, stir in milk or non-dairy version, to reach desired consistency. If you prefer dryer oatmeal, you can skip this step.  Stir in peanut butter until thoroughly combined.  Spread apple butter across the top and Enjoy!

 For added decadence use a dash of cinnamon and/or pumpkin pie spice when stirring in milk.

Calorie count my version: 3/4 C cooked oatmeal (150) + 1/2 C almond milk (20) + 1 T apple butter (35) + 1 T almond butter (100) = 305 calories
Check your containers for calorie counts.

Hints: Make 1 1/2 C dry oatmeal per package directions w/ a dash of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice in the water. Cook until close to done (should still be pretty wet, but cooked), allow to cool, and then store in the refrigerator - makes 3 cups of oatmeal enough for four 3/4C breakfasts - just heat one serving in the microwave and add the stir-ins.

(sorry, I don't have a picture for this yet. The next time I make it I will take one!)

Portion Size

It's really important when speaking about moderation to understand portion size. The chart below shows for 100 calories the amount of healthy food you get compared to some other typical snack options. So when you are thinking of having those candy bars and chips, make sure you know how many calories you're getting. Maybe you'll want to reach for some fruit instead.

Source: healthyfitandtoned.tumblr.com via Ashley on Pinterest