Healthy Eggnog Overnight Oats

Six weeks. In only six weeks we will be welcoming a very tiny little baby into our family. Well, let's be honest...based on the weight of #1 at birth (8.9 pounds to be exact) he may not be too tiny. Still, that seems like a pretty short amount of time. I spent some time last night looking through pictures of Riley when he was born in Tokyo and I kept going between moments of glee to have a newborn and moments of complete terror to have two kids instead of just one. I am told that these feelings are completely normal. I suppose you wade through the waters of having 2 kids the same way to do when you have your first. Just keep plugging along doing the best you can and making sure everyone is still alive at the end of the day. I suppose that means I have to be even more purposeful with the way I start my day to make sure it ends well. It's a good thing I've discovered overnight oats. Hello, easy! And these healthy eggnog overnight oats are perfect for the holidays.

Healthy Overnight Eggnog Oats | Set the Table

I like to make my overnight oats with almond milk, which is why my recent (and perhaps a bit behind the curve) discovery of eggnog made with almond milk inspired me to add a little holiday spin to an otherwise very basic breakfast. The flavor is wonderful and, to add some extra creaminess, I added a little vanilla yogurt. The regular kind, not Greek. Though I'm sure whatever you have on hand would be fine.

Healthy Eggnog Oats | Set the Table

Now, let's talk about my favorite part of any meal: the add-ons. I sprinkle plenty of ground cinnamon over my oats (random pregnancy craving plus cinnamon is just plain delicious), along with toasted walnuts and sweet raisins. I like to go a little heavy handed on the toppings to give a little variety to the texture of my oatmeal but you can of course do as you please to suit your tastes. I've been thinking about how delicious (and slightly sinful) this recipe would be with crumbled ginger snaps on top. Am I crazy? Sure. Is that so bad? Depends on who you ask.

My sister is coming to visit today (squeeeeee!) and I'll definitely be giving this to her for breakfast. What could be better than a comforting bowl of oatmeal for holiday guests? Not much, if you ask me. Rebecca and I will be having a Sister Christmas Celebration since we won't be together for the actual holiday this year and eggnog flavored things seems like the perfect way to kick things off. I'll also be freaking her out with the crazy ninja moves the little baby in my belly makes all day every day. It's gonna be awesome.

Healthy Eggnog Overnight Oats

Makes 2 Servings

• 2/3 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup almond milk eggnog (or reduced fat egg nog. or just almond milk.)
• 1/3 cup vanilla or plain yogurt
• 1/3 cup toasted walnuts
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (sounds like a lot...totally worth it)

Combine the oats, nog and yogurt (in that order) in a jar. Do not stir, simply cover with a tight fitting lid and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, stir the oatmeal and transfer to a bowl. At this point, if you'd like it warm (which is totally optional but extra comforting) microwave it for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Top with the walnuts, raisins and cinnamon and enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal

Lately, I've been trying to make breakfast more of an event. I'm fully aware that once we have a second little one around this may not be possible, but a girl can dream, right? I've been getting up a little earlier than usual, spending time waking up, and then deciding what to make. This keeps me from just tossing anything and everything into a bowl and covering it with milk. Oatmeal is often the first thing that comes to my mind because I can dress it up to fit that day. Yesterday, for example, we woke up to cloudy, cold, rainy skies. Comfort food was all I think of and this time of year that means something pumpkin spiced. This pumpkin spice oatmeal was absolute perfection.

The pumpkin puree I posted the other day just melts into the oatmeal and creates a luxuriously creamy texture that is hard to resist. I sweetened things up with a little maple syrup and added that wonderful, warm cinnamon-spice flavor with a couple teaspoons of pumpkin spice seasoning. Topped with crunchy, protein-packed toasted walnuts, this made a super satisfying breakfast that could honestly pass as dessert. So awesome.

The 5 minutes of complete quiet that happened while I ate this bowl of perfection were sweet, too. And exactly what I needed in the midst of a couple really tricky days. Sometimes being a mom is hard. Not everyone tells you that but I'm guessing its not an easy thing to describe. At least the hard days sometimes begin with a delicious, healthy breakfast so you don't have a complete nervous breakdown, right?

Who knows? The way this week is going this just might end up being my dinner tonight. And that's totally fine with me.

Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick cooking)
• 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 2 tablespoons real maple syrup
• 1/3 cup toasted walnut halves

Instructions

1. Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the salt, then the oats, and stir. Lower the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
2. Stir in the pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and maple syrup. Cook until heated through.
3. Transfer to two serving bowls, top with the toasted walnuts, and serve as soon as humanly possible.