Apple Cinnamon Protein Oats

Recipe:

1 serving of oats cooked

1 scoop of vanilla protein powder

1 T hemp hearts

1T flaxseed meal

1 T chia seeds

1 T chopped pecans

1/2 t ground cinnamon

1/2 T butter (if you can find the brown sugar and maple syrup variety)

drizzle of honey or maple syrup

pumpkins seeds to top

1/2 diced apple (I love Granny Smith)

Option: add egg whites to the oats while cooking for an added protein boost; 1/4 cup = 5 grams

Macros:

38 grams protein

61 grams carbs

23 grams fat

14 grams of fiber

When the weather cools down, I find myself really craving a nice bowl of oatmeal. There's just something so comforting about a warm dish, plus it's a great way to play around with different nuts, seeds, and fall flavors. I like to add canned pumpkin to mine for that extra fiber boost and all the goodness of Vitamin A. It's like a cozy hug in a bowl!

Oats are gluten-free, have lots of fiber and some protein on their own. If you're looking to boost the protein to hit your 30+ grams of protein at each meal in menopause, you can boost those grams by adding a scoop of vanilla flavored protein powder, seeds, egg whites, and even nut butters!

The toppings can definitely add up in simple carbs so be sure to keep them accounted for ... I love pumpkin butter, a drizzle of honey or a really good maple syrup! Some of those granolas you buy premade from the store are definitely high in carbs and fat, so read your labels.

Play around with the flavors you like ... experiment, and have fun with the options for getting in more protein, even if it is in a bowl of oats!