A Typical Monday Morning

By: Ginger Hill

BRRRRIIIINNNNGGG……..SNOOZE!
BRRRRIIIINNNNGGG……..SNOOZE!
BRRRRIIIINNNNGGG……..SNOOZE!
BRRRRIIIINNNNGGG……..SNOOZE!

Well, you have just witnessed a customary Monday morning pattern for a number of people! You hear the alarm buzzing in your ears and your brain does recognize the sound, however, your body simply won’t move! And, your eyes?!?! Forget about it! They wouldn’t open if you had a crowbar trying to pry them apart! When your brain, body, and eyes finally catch up to each other, you realize that you are now pouncing out of bed 30 minutes later than you had intended! Now you only have 30 minutes before you have to leave for work and, what’s worse than that…..You have no time to eat breakfast, not to mention a healthy one. To fully re-charge your battery on a classic Monday morning such as this, you need quick and easy with a breakfast that will give you a healthy surge of energy!

The answer is quite simple! Don’t be cruel….to a heart’s that true! Yes, you heard me right! I broke out in song because with Elvis Presley Oatmeal you won’t be treating your body like a hound dog! Elvis Presley’s most favorite food of all time was peanut butter and banana sandwiches, so why not take it a step further? Add peanut butter and bananas to oatmeal!

Elvis definitely had the right idea when it came to combining peanut butter and bananas because peanuts are high in protein (an excellent source of energy) and “healthy fat”. Bananas also serve as a great source of energy to help shake off the Monday morning “lazies”! Bananas contain no fat, sodium, or cholesterol, however they are rich in potassium, which helps to regulate blood pressure and may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke. Oatmeal, a rich source of soluble fiber, has been scientifically proven to reduce cholesterol, according to the Quaker Oats website. Your body does need some cholesterol to make hormones and to breakdown the fats that you consume, however, if not regulated, high levels of cholesterol can cause major problems. As you can see, this combination is just what you need for a busy Monday morning to help get you going.

But, you have no time to cook Elvis Presley Oatmeal on this manic Monday! Well, over half the battle to coping with such a Monday morning as this is preparation the night before. With this simple recipe, you can actually prepare this oatmeal dish the night before, divide it into microwave safe bowls, cover with plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator. Then, on Sunday night, before you go to bed, place a bowl of Elvis Presley Oatmeal into the microwave so when you fly out of bed, be-bop over to the microwave and press the start button. This way, your breakfast can prepare itself while you get yourself ready for the rest of Monday!

Elvis Presley Oatmeal

3 ripe mashed bananas
½ cup peanut butter
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
¼ cup brown sugar
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp allspice
1 tsp salt
2 ½ cups water

Mix all and bring to a boil. When mixture begins to boil, stir in 1 ½ cups old fashioned oatmeal. Cover and slow simmer the mixture for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally

When done let cool. Divide into 6 microwave safe bowls, cover with plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator until ready to heat in the microwave. For an extra rich flavor, add a little milk or cream after heating in the microwave. Stir and ENJOY!

Elvis Presley Oatmeal is sure to smooth out your rough Monday morning routine by providing you with a hot, healthy, tasty breakfast. Not only are you providing your body with the energy it needs but the added health benefits of this breakfast are priceless. So, go ahead! Indulge in this rich, creamy pea-nutty delight sweetened with ripe bananas that will not have you singing about your blue suede shoes!