Breakfast Bonanza Day 5

I needed a warm, comforting breakfast. 

I needed motivation to face the black, scary night (it’s not officially morning, you know, until the sun peaks out!) 

I needed something to convince me that getting out of bed at 5:30am was a good idea. 

While I have gone running in the “sort of dark” before, today I ran in the “so dark you can’t see your hand” kind of dark.  It was both exhilerating and scary.  There were moments when I questioned whether risking the broken ankle would credit me as being brave or very, very stupid.  I decided it was better not to answer myself.

(FYI, I still brought along a flashlight to alert cars of my presence, along with wearing good reflector gear)

I bundled up well for the chilly 20 degrees.  Running tights, three layers of shirts, and a hat for extra measure (first *hat run* of the year!)  With a bee bop of the head and a couple of Rocky dances to loosen myself up, I trucked out the door, ready to face both cold and dark.  

Nothing but footsteps.  Nothing but my own breath.  The occasional car light flashing as some poor soul drove to work (at 5:30!)  I quickened my pace, savoring the sound of crunchy pebbles and pavement beneath my feet.  I chased the moon into a deep, dark cloud.  On my return, the sun chased me home as it made its gentle appearance.  I love, love, love the start of a new day.  So simple.  So perfect.

Anyways, as I said earlier, I needed a warm, comforting breakfast.  Because the run itself offers nothing but bliss.  But throwing back the covers and getting out of bed?  That takes some serious effort.

I used to be a huge oat bran fan, but I fell off the bandwagon after rediscovering my love for the rolled oat.

Today, I decided that the extra comfort level of a creamy bowl of pumpkin oat bran was exactly—exactly!—what I needed.

Oat bran should most deifnitely become a regular participator in my morning meals.

Creamy Pumpkin Oat Bran

One of the things I like most about preparing oat bran (besides the v-v-volume!) is that it’s ready in record time.  Perfect for busy mornings! 

The secret to voluminous oat bran is the extra water!  Don’t be afraid to go above and beyond what you normally put in.  Adding in the extra 3/4 c. of water to this blend always gives me more than my nut jar can handle, but I’m okay with that. 😀  I like to give the oatbran a quick stir once it’s in the nut jar, just to get it all incorporated (especially with chunky nut butters!)  But scraping down the sides is part of the pleasure too. 

• 1 c. milk + 3/4 c. water
• 1 banana, sliced
• 1/2 c. canned pumpkin
• cinnamon and nutmeg
• 1/4 c. oat bran
• 1 tsp chia seeds (optional, but adds to the creaminess!)
• 1 almost empty peanut butter jar
• toppings: your favorite granola

1. In a medium pot, add milk, water, banana, pumpkin and spices.  Bring to a boil.
2. Add in oat bran and chia seeds, stir rapidly, and reduce heat to medium low.  Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring often. 
3. Once oat bran is thickened to your preference, pour into an almost empty peanut butter jar. 
4. Top with granola and any other favorite toppings! ENJOY!

Question: What motivates you to work out, stay active and/or be healthy?

**Two days left for the Breakfast Bonanza!  Don’t forget to let me know via comment (or email!) if there’s a particular breakfast that you’ve made and would like to see up on the breakfast post for Saturday! 😀

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