​Happy Thanksgiving!

Just when I thought I was going to make it all fall without doing anything with pumpkin puree, BAM! I found this recipe in US Weekly of all places and had to try it. I modified it a little and I love it!

One of the comments I hear most often from my clients is “What is something quick I can grab for breakfast?”. And I totally get it! Mornings are so rushed as it is, I don’t know anyone that has time to be scrambling eggs before work!

First though, I want to mention a quick note about how important breakfast is because I know a lot of people put off eating breakfast for as long as possible hoping this will lead to weight loss. And I know we’ve heard it a million times-breakfast is the most important meal of the day-and I’m chiming in to say…It’s true.

Why is breakfast so important? Well, let me tell you about the Sumo Wrestler Diet, aka the diet many American women are following hoping to lose weight. Sumo Wrestlers wake up and workout for hours on an empty stomach and THEN eat breakfast. This causes their metabolism to tank so they can gain more weight! And hey, does this sound familiar? It’s the dieting advice that every women has been told to do if they want to LOSE weight!

So on this one I’m going to go with a “better safe than sorry” approach and just eat something before I workout. I mean, maybe working out on an empty stomach makes us burn 10% more calories…but maybe it slows our metabolism to a slow crawl. I don’t want to take that chance. Plus I like food.

I think doing a short/easy (30 minutes or less) workout on an empty stomach is ok, but ideally we should be eating within an hour of waking up. Otherwise our body will hold on to fat because it thinks its starving. Fair enough?

Before I get to the recipe below, house update time! Our house if officially under construction! Last week they dug the hole and poured the footings. So, in 16 weeks approximately we should be moving in!

Here is our pile of dirt so far!

    Today we took Rocco out there and showed him where his backyard would be. He was super excited. The next step will be foundation but we are supposed to be getting some big storms next week so we’ll see. I had the brilliant idea that to countdown these 16 weeks, every week I need to get rid or something or clean out a closet. Probably one of the worst ideas I’ve ever had!

Alright, here is the recipe for these breakfast bites. These are so good!!

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Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Squares

3 cups whole rolled oats (I go for organic gluten free ones)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon pumpkin pie seasoning or nutmeg
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup +/- mini chocolate chips (could also use raisins, craisins, nuts or something else if you don’t want chocolate for breakfast)

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9×9 pan.
Place oats in a food processor and process until they resemble a course flour.

In a large mixing bowl, melt the butter and stir in the brown sugar, applesauce, pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon & pumpkin pie spice.
Add the ground oatmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt to the mixing bown and stir to combine. Stir in peanut butter & chocolate chips and then pour into the prepared 9×9 pan.
Bake for 20-30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Alright, that’s it! And now tomorrow is Black Friday! Or I guess Black Friday starts today. What are you shopping for?