Cold days call for sledding and comfort food

Happy snow day! Well, to those of us living in the midwest and being blasted with loads and loads of snow. For the first time in a long time, I don't mind a snow day because that means I get the Train home for the day with me. Happy snow day indeed.

With the falling snow and the bone-chilling temperatures, I was inspired to comfort by way of nothing other than warm sweet oats. Not wanting to fall into routine or be menontinous, I played around with different recipes to spice things up. First up Cinnamon Chai Spiced Apple Oats. These oats were the perfect beginning to such a frosty morning and with my obsession of chai, these oats made me smile inside and out.

 Cinnamon Chai Spiced Oats:
1/3 rolled oats
1 c. almond milk - or any type of milk you prefer, or water
1 apple, chopped
1 tbsp chai seeds
1 tbsp cinnamon - this is a lot, but I love cinnamon, so feel free to start with 1 tsp
1 scoop Lifetime Life's Basic vanilla protein (optional)
1 packet stevia
1 tsp vanilla

Place the oats, apple, chai seeds, cinnamon and milk into a small sauce pan and place on medium low heat. Bring to a simmer stirring constantly and then remove from heat, placing a lid on the pan so to trap the heat and allow the oats to cook and the apple to soften. After 10 minutes, add the protein, stevia and vanilla, and mix well - it'll take a little work to make sure the protein gets incorporated well - and enjoy the piping hot spicy goodness warming your soul.

After a trip on the elliptical trainer watching the snow continue to fall and blanket the KC, I was ready for some things good to eat. Again, I turned to oats, but made sure to change it up and give myself - and you - something different. Lunch consisted of Monkey Oats. Peanut butter, banana, and chocolate cooked together with oats, nothing better for a post-workout lunch.

Monkey Oats:
1/3 c. old fashion oats
1 c almond milk - or your milk of choice, or water
1 banana
2 tbsp PB2
1 tbsp carob powder - cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 packet stevia

Place the oats, banana, PB2 and milk into a small sauce pan and place on medium low heat. Bring to a simmer stirring constantly and then remove from heat, placing a lid on the pan so to trap the heat and allow the oats to cook and everything to heat through. After 10 minutes, add carob powder, stevia and vanilla, and mix well, and enjoy the piping hot chocolatey, nutty goodness warming your soul.

For those of you not familiar with PB2, its a delicious substitute to peanut butter. All the peanutty goodness without the saturated fat, PB2 is peanuts that are roasted and then pressed into a powder creating a deep rich peanut flavor. I suggest trying it in smoothies, sauces, dressing and of course oats.

Of course the Train and I could not let all this beautiful snow go to waste, so after dinner, all bundled up, we trecked out to the famous Mad Dog hill down the road for some good old fashioned sledding. Not only was this so much fun, it totally kicked my butt walking back up the hill with 10lbs of extra clothes on and 6 inches of snow to get through. It was totally worth it.

After a good hour of trips up and down Mad Dog, we decided to call it a night and resume tomorrow after the snow has packed down a little - yes, the Z man and I are truly dorks at heart. Once we peeled all 6 layers off, I made something that I knew would do some serious warming of my heart. Chai tea latte made with almond milk, oh the things you do to me chai tea. It was just what my cold body needed.

After finishing off this lovely cup of sweetness, the Train and I plopped it on the couch and watched the snow fall. It was a perfect ending to a wonderful day. The best part of it all, we get to do it all over again tomorrow.

Happy happy snowy snow day indeed.