10 Weeks of Winter

Cozy morning time…

Let’s get cozy with some winter oats! A steaming bowl of cooked oats can’t be beat when you want something hot for breakfast on a cold winter morning. After Christmas simple foods like oats can be a comfort for digestion landing a little lighter on the stomach. Winterizing a bowl of oats doesn’t take much, and a little attention to detail makes it even cozier. And if hot oats isn’t your thing, a protein shake can be given a little winterizing treatment too! I like both winter oats and winter oat protein shakes as an afternoon snack or dessert alternative after dinner.

My secret ingredient for winterizing oats is Celestial Seasonings’ Cinnamon Apple Spice Tea. Just add two bags of this cinnamon delight to the boiling oats to layer an essence of wintery flavor over the oats. For a protein shake, brew two bags of tea in about two cups of water and either freeze it in an ice cube tray or refrigerate the tea and add to the shake blend. Hope you enjoy these recipes.

Hot Winter Oats Recipe

Total cook and prep time: 15 minutes

Makes 1 serving.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 2 bags Celestial Seasonings’ Cinnamon Apple Spice tea
• ½ apple sliced into small chunks
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 cup walnuts
• Maple syrup to taste
• Cream or milk

Instructions:

1. Place oats, tea bags, and 3 cups water into pot
2. Bring to low simmer and lightly boil for about 5 minutes or until oats are cooked, stirring occasional to prevent oats from sticking to the bottom of the pot
3. Set oats aside to steep
4. Slice apple
5. Dish oats into serving bowl, removing tea bags
6. Sprinkle cinnamon on top of oats
7. Add apple chunks, walnuts, maple syrup, and cream or milk on top of the oats

Cold Winter Oats Recipe

Total cook and prep time: 20 minutes

Makes 1 serving.

Ingredients:

• 1 bag Celestial Seasonings’ Cinnamon Apple Spice tea
• 1 cup rolled oats
• ½ apple sliced into small chunks
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 cup walnuts
• Maple syrup to taste
• ¼ to ½ cup Greek yogurt

Instructions:

1. Brew one half cup of Cinnamon Apple Spice tea
2. Place oats in serving bowl and pour over with tea
3. Sprinkle cinnamon on top of oats
4. Slice apple and add apple chunks, walnuts, and maple syrup on top of the oats
5. Top with a big scoop of Greek yogurt dusted with cinnamon

Winter Oats Protein Shake Recipe

Total cook time: 5 minutes

Total prep time: 3 hours to cool or freeze tea

Makes 1 serving.

Ingredients:

• 2 bags Celestial Seasonings’ Cinnamon Apple Spice tea
• ¾ cup milk (of any kind)
• 1 scoop protein powder
• 1 banana (ideally cut into chunks and frozen)
• ¼ cup rolled oats (cooked or uncooked)
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp nut butter
• Maple syrup to taste

Instructions:

1. Brew two bags of Cinnamon Apple Spice tea in 2 cups of water
2. Refrigerate tea or freeze in ice cube trays
3. In blender add milk, protein powder, banana, oats, cinnamon, nut butter, maple syrup, and tea ice cubes or ½ cup tea
4. Blend and serve

Winters Oats Photo Album…