Peanut Butter Jar Oatmeal

Good Morning, Friends!

I hope you are all having a fabulous morning!  I know I amJ.  Currently, I am sitting in my parents living room (finally home!), in my PJ’s, drinking coffee and singing along to Christmas tunes.  I haven’t done this since being on winter break from college – oh my, weren’t those the days!  While all is well in “Rachael Land” this morning, there is one thing I am pretty bummed about … and that is the fact that my brother did not pick up my granola at the grocery store last night.  I was all ready to have the oatmeal-berry-granola breakfast I had been craving yesterday, but couldn’t make because of my flat tire.  Yes, that means my tummy has been craving this breakfast for two whole days now and I have yet to deliver it.  Although, I am sure know it is content with the breakfast I am currently having J.

Every time I visit my parents house I always bring “emergency” food supplies, which include, but never limited to: (1) Flax seeds, (2) Zico Mango Coconut Water (their grocery store NEVER has Mango, huge mistake on their part), (3) Cliff, Lara and Think Thin bars, (4) Whey Protein Power, and (5) whatever leftovers I have in my cabinet and fridge.  This trip it included vegan chocolate chips, as well as an almost empty container of my new favorite peanut butter – Peanut Butter and Co. Crunch Time (yum!). 

So, despite that fact that my wonderful brother forgot to pick up my granola at the store, I had all of the ingredients to make another breakfast favorite.  Can you guess what I made?

That’s right … Peanut Butter Jar Oatmeal. 

Ingredients

(Oatmeal recipe adapted from Hungry Girl 300 Under 300 Cookbook)

• ½ cup old fashioned oats
• 1 cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze
• 1 cup water
• Pinch of salt
• 1 no-calorie sweetener packet (I used Stevia)
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 medium banana, sliced
• 10 Vegan Carob Chips
• 1 almost empty jar of Peanut Butter and Co. Crunch Time

Directions

In a nonstick pot combine oats, salt and sweetener packet.  Add Almond Breeze, 1 cup water, and vanilla.  Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer.  Cook for about 12 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently (or your oatmeal will stick to the bottom), until thick and creamy. 

Once your oatmeal is finally ready, immediately spoon ½ into your empty peanut butter jar along with some sliced banana and five carob chips.  Repeat with remaining oatmeal, banana and carob chips.

The peanut butter melts, combining with the oats and carob chips so you get peanut butter goodness with every bite. 

I finished mine even before writing five sentences of this post and now I want another!  I definitely scraped everything out of this jar today...

Besides being pretty darn delicious, the best part about this recipe is that you can substitute the peanut butter with any nut butters (i.e., sunflower, almond, cashew, nut, etc.).  I better get working on the almond jar I have in my fridge!

Okay, off to run a few errands before lunch with my mom at my favorite vegan/vegetarian restaurant – Café Metro.  I promise to share my delicious lunch with you all later. 

Have a wonderful morning/afternoon my friends!

What is your favorite way to finish the last 1-2 tablespoons of peanut butter in the jar?

- Rachael -