Pumpkin Pie for Breakfast

Fall is definitely upon us, and I am starting to feel the usual disheartening of getting out of bed before the sun is up and hitting the pavement, other years this is when working out goes out the door until spring, but I am determined to continue this year. This morning was one of those mornings when I really just wanted to hit snooze and forget about my morning run, don't get me wrong, I love running, and was looking forward to try a new path, but when that alarm went off, I forgot all about my excitement and just wanted to roll over and go back to sleep.

But I also knew if I didn't get up I would miss out on the opportunity, with a full time job, kids, and life running either happens first thing in the morning, or it just doesn't happen, so I peeled myself out of bed and got dressed. I am not going to lie, it was a pretty rough for the first mile, but finally Willie and I settled into a good pace and managed to get in a decent session, although we did walk more than usual this morning, but still we made it and even managed a couple hill repeats.

As usual this morning my mind turned to food. Mainly breakfast. It's amazing how thinking about what to have for breakfast can really inspire you to finish strong, or at least run faster in order to get home to make breakfast.


Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
1/2 cup oats
3/4-1 cup water
1/4 canned pumpkin, or fresh pumpkin puree
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tablespoon real maple syrup - you could use brown sugar, but the real maple syrup is amazing (also I do not usually sweeten my oats, so if you are used to sweeter oats you are probably going to want to add more maple syrup)
4-5 walnuts

I put oats, pumpkin, and spice in a bowl and add the boiling water, stir and add more water if necessary so it's the right consistency, I like my oats thick. Then drizzle maple syrup over and top with walnuts. The rest of the pumpkin from the can will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days, when using the chilled pumpkin I usually have to microwave the bowl after adding the water for about 30 seconds in order to get it warm enough for my tastes.

Between the pumpkin oats and a call from my MIL about when she is having Christmas, I feel the holidays are fast approaching. I would like to say, 'I love the holidays!' but I am feeling rather 'Bah Humbug-y' tonight. I am really not ready for the stress this holiday seemed to always cause us. :( I guess I better go have some banana pudding!!

Night all!!

First Day of School

I cannot believe school has started again and like good mothers everywhere this morning I made pancakes, but not just any pancakes, Flax Pancakes. Well they were actually Hungry Jack Pancakes mix, plus 1/4 cup ground flax seed. Ground flax seed is a wonderful ingredient you can add to almost anything (cakes, muffins, cereal, yogurt, meatloaf) to add additional fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and many other wonderful healthful properties. I have found just adding a 1/4 cup to our pancake batter makes the pancakes more filling, and it adds just a bit denser texture, which makes the pancakes easier to flip. You can find ground flax seed on the cereal aisle at G&W, just make sure you pick up ground because your body cannot break down the whole seed, so if you buy whole seed you will have to grind it yourself.

This batch finished off my box of just add water Hungry Jack mix, so now I am on the search for a better pancake mix, while looking at the list of ingredients this morning on our box I noticed that Hungry Jack uses partially hydrogenated soybean oil :( up until recently I thought as long as a product said Trans fat free, then it really was trans fat free, but this is not true, as long as the product has less than .5 grams per serving of trans fat then the product can be labeled as trans fat free, but several servings of seemingly trans fat free foods that really aren't can really add up!! I realize I can't manage to keep my kiddos from eating any trans fat, but I can try to limit their exposure to it as much as possible. Trans fat was once explained to me as plastic we put into our body, it is so far from anything natural that the body has a very difficult time dealing with it, which explain why it lowers your good cholesterol and raises your bad along with a whole bunch of other lovely side effects.

That batter looks a little strange, but just trust me. You might find you need to add just a bit more liquid to your usual pancake batter if you add the ground flax seed, I had to add 3-4 tablespoons more water until it was the right consistency.



Don't they look yummy??


Now with peanut butter, banana, and a bit of maple syrup ~~ swoon. . .

Colten thought I should show you he made a happy plate. . .

What kind of pancakes do you make? Do you worry about the amount of trans fat your family consumes? Did you make a special breakfast did you make this morning for your kiddos?