New Year, New... Oats??

Well, it's that time of year again where everyone is setting themselves up for 'The Greatest Year Of Their Lives!' The year when everything is going to change. Healthier, happier, fitter, stronger, less stressed, living life to the fullest- and whilst all these are good, good things... my New Years Resolution was a little different...

See, I'm a person of routine- it seems to suit me and it's comfortable, you know??

But never have I ever been a person of routine with my meals. No two days have ever been identical for me and that's the way both me and my taste buds like it!

Recently, however, I've been seeing more and more of my favourite and standard meals on repeat each and every single week and this is slightly terrifying as I glimpse back to the young, little, creative Steph who would wake up in the morning with no prospect at all as to what she was going to whip up for brekky lunch or dinner and come up with vegan cinnamon scrolls with banana nice cream for breakfast, home-made veggie stacks for lunch and zucchini noodles with roasted veg for dinner.

I miss young Steph.

Then again, we're back to that whole notion of a 'New Year, new me' right??

So my new years resolution this year?? Is to surprise myself each and every day, at least once. Because that sounds fun. And fun is good.

Now how does this relate to today's post? Well, it doesn't really... although the breakfast I did create this morning was rather surprising in that it involved green milk:

And oats:

Combined:

To create this:

Ooooh yeah!

That my friends is the deceptively delicious and highly nutritious breakfast I like to call my POPEYE OATS!

Yes, it does involve spinach, no you cannot taste it, yes you should try it, preferably in an almost empty jar of nut butter:

POPEYE OATS:

INGREDIENTS:
2 chunks frozen spinach
1 cup almond milk
1/2 cup water
1 cup rolled oats
1 thinly sliced banana
4 chopped dates (I just pull em apart- big chunks, little chunks- variety!)
1 teaspoon maca powder (optional)
1 teaspoon cinnamon (preferably not optional- so good!!)

METHOD:
1. place the spinach and almond milk in a high speed blender and blend on high until extremely smooth (no spinach chunks! Will ruin breakfast!!)
2. Place the oats, banana, dates, maca powder and cinnamon in a medium saucepan, pour over the 'milk' and add water
3. Stirr every now and then over medium heat until bubbling away and then stir vigorously to blend in the banana and dates slightly (helps to add more sweetness)
4. When fully thickened and absorbed leave to cool slightly and then pop into a bowl/ mug/ almost empty jar of nut butter and top with your favourite toppings (nut/ seed butter highly recommended!)
5. ENJOY your delicious green oats!!

 Honestly guys, these were so so good- little bursts of caramel-y sweetness from the dates, smooth creaminess from the banana, thick, gooey delicious oats...

 And a pack of spinach in their to start your date on an awesome foot!

 So why the idea for spinach?? Well recently I've noticed a slight slump in my energy levels and this has probably coincided with less nom-ing on my dark leafy greens, so, I thought- why not, like I already do with my smoothies, add a bunch of spinach to my oats??

 So I got my frozen chunks from the freezer, popped some in the blender, crossed my fingers et voila:

 Success!! And a delicious one at that!!

 With the amount of exercise I do, the fact that I am a girl, the fact that I am a growing teenage girl, the fact that I am a growing teenage, vegetarian, girl, runner... means that I am probably one of the most at risk people of an iron deficiency and trust me- that is not something one would long for!!

 Thus, upping my dark leafy greens, lentils, nuts, fortified grains, cereals and soy milks is definitely on the agenda as of recently and spinach is such a great source of iron, especially paired with some healthy fat for even better absorption of all those amazing vitamins and minerals- this brekky truly is a win, win, win!!!

So now that I know how easy it is and how little effect on taste spinach has to my oats- you better believe their going to make a regular appearance in my oat creations (obviously in all my different oat creations as I continue to surprise myself in 2017!! :P)

Happy New Year folks and remember to set a goal for this year that truly motivates you and inspires you to be the best person you can be!!

Your turn:
What's the strangest thing you've ever added to your oats?
How do you normally get your dark leafy greens in?
What is your New Years Resolution for this year??

I hope you all have a truly epic day, do something you love and do something that surprises you- life's way more fun that way! Oh and eat something delicious!! :) Bye for now friendly friends! :D :D