Cool Nights, Warm Nut Butter

on September 8, 2011
in All Posts

In the last three days, the weather has completely turned to fall.  The mornings are cool and bright, and the evenings as crisp and clear.  I love it. 

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The gardenia bush in the backyard knows what’s up – I’ve read that the flowers only bloom when it gets cool at night, and low and behold, one aromatic flower has popped up.

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I literally stood with my face buried in that bloom for five minutes this morning, inhaling the scent.

 

Maybe the perfume went to my head because I slapped a big glob of sunflower butter in the middle of my oatmeal.  There’s something about the texture combination of nut butter and warm oats that I don’t normally like (I know, crazy) but I tried it again today.

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And guess what? I liked it.  Taste buds evolve, I guess!

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On the stovetop:

 

1/2 cup oats

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup almond milk

1 banana

Toppings: sunflower butter and blueberries

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Oh – something special for you! 

 

Peter Hollens (here’s the funny story of how we ‘met’) has released a new video featuring music by Adele (swoon!).  All sounds and beats made by his mouth!

Why isn’t he hella famous yet?! So talented.

{ 64 comments }

 

  • Casey @ Pocket Full of Sunshine September 8, 2011, 9:45 am

    I love the title of this post Caitlin. Totally share your enthusiasm for fall–I just love everything about it!

  • Katie of Cabbage Ranch September 8, 2011, 9:45 am

    I love me some Fall mornings- they’re my absolute favorite for riding, running, or just hanging out on the porch. Now all we need is some rain!

  • Beth @ Beth's Journey September 8, 2011, 9:46 am

    Man I am so jealous. In DC its just been rainy and gross for the last several days. Yuck!

  • Aine @ Something to Chew Over September 8, 2011, 9:49 am

    It won’t stop raining here in Ireland!

  • Samantha September 8, 2011, 9:49 am

    I have been IN LOVE with Peter Hollens’ voice ever since you first posted him on your blog. He’s SO talented. I got my little brother hooked too. Seriously, how is he not famous yet?!

    • Caitlin September 8, 2011, 11:08 am

      Seriously!

  • Kristin @ STUFT Mama September 8, 2011, 9:53 am

    LOVE hot oatmeal with nut butter! 🙂 Glad your taste buds evolved. He he. I’ve never combined Sunflower butter with blueberries though. Sounds delish! I always mix my nut butter with chocolate. Fruit would probably be a better idea. ha!

  • Khushboo September 8, 2011, 9:53 am

    OMG peanut butter and warm oatmeal makes me swoooon….and apparently ages me like crazy through the use of words like ‘swoon’

  • Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat September 8, 2011, 9:53 am

    WOW that is amazing!! I agree – WHY isn’t he super famous yet?! Your bowl looks delicious. Happy Thursday!

  • Samantha Angela @ Bikini Birthday September 8, 2011, 9:57 am

    Have you seen Mike Tompkins’ videos. He does the same thing with pop songs, recreating them entirely acapella. He’s pretty talented too.
    Check out his YoutTube channel, you’ll love it.

    (here’s his website too: http://www.mike-tompkins.com/)

  • Alyse September 8, 2011, 9:58 am

    I love it when you post stuff by Peter. He is truly an artist in so many ways. I’d totally buy a CD of his if he ever put them out. I don’t do the iPod thing cuz I’m not that cool ;-).

  • Stephanie @cookinfanatic September 8, 2011, 10:03 am

    that video is amazing!!! he is really talented!!

  • SeekingAmy September 8, 2011, 10:03 am

    What a pretty flower! 🙂

  • CJ @ http://healthy-happy-whole.com/ September 8, 2011, 10:17 am

    Gardenias are my absolute favorite because they remind me of my great grandmother who I am actually named after!! The scent is so beautiful and crisp.

  • Holly @ The Runny Egg September 8, 2011, 10:21 am

    I’m also not a fan of the nut butter in warm oats — in overnight oats it tastes great, but it almost tastes too sticky in warm oats.

    I love the colder weather!

  • Gina @ Running to the Kitchen September 8, 2011, 10:33 am

    Gardenia is my all time favorite flower scent. It would’ve had my face stuck in it too!

  • Alex @ Raw Recovery September 8, 2011, 10:36 am

    I love the songs he has done! They are so beautiful. I like the mashup here too.

  • Ashley O. @ The Vegetable Life September 8, 2011, 10:45 am

    Hahaha i love smelling fresh flowers! Such a great way to start your day!

  • Annette @ EnjoyYourHealthyLife September 8, 2011, 10:49 am

    WHY isn’t he famous?! he’s amazing!

    I am all about nut butter in oatmeal—I think I will have to have that soon, the temps are dropping here too!

  • jamie @ cueyourlife September 8, 2011, 10:50 am

    No kidding…why isn’t this guy crazy-pants famous yet?! He is amazing! Love it!

    I introduced two new loves in my life today on the blog…thought you might like to meet them.

    http://cueyourlife.com/2011/09/08/walk-swim-play/

    Have an amazing day!

  • Hilliary @ Happily Ever Healthy September 8, 2011, 10:53 am

    This guy is amazing!! Love it!

    And I am all about nut butter in my oatmeal! Sunflower butter is my favorite!

  • Jessica @ Jess Go Bananas September 8, 2011, 10:54 am

    Wow that guy is talented!
    I have never had nut butter on warm oats but I have had them on VOO. But since this chilly weather is a comin’, I guess it is time for things to warm up…

  • Sarah September 8, 2011, 10:56 am

    I love nut butter and oats! But, I think you have to have the right ratio, otherwise it just tastes kind of like nutty cement 🙂

  • Jasmine @ Eat Move Write September 8, 2011, 11:00 am

    Speaking of people remaking amazing songs… Have you heard of Aston? They remake popular songs in a symphony style. It’s FREAKING AMAZING. They’ve redone songs by Lady Gago, Rhianna, Britney and they are just beautiful. You must here them.

    This one is Someone Like You: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMSr-HTzCwA.

  • Kelly September 8, 2011, 11:09 am

    Ahhhh those are two of my favorite Adele songs!! I need to download that when I get home. Love Peter Hollens.

  • Yolie @ Practising Wellness September 8, 2011, 11:10 am

    That flower looks absolutely stunning – I love stopping and smelling the flowers, too – it’s so pleasurable! 😀 <3 And that breakfast makes my stomach and taste buds swoon, lol! 😉 xyx

  • deva (voracious vorilee) September 8, 2011, 11:14 am

    the flower looks gorgeous! we went from summer temps to fall ones practically overnight, but i expect that it will warm up again before becoming true fall 🙂

  • Chelsea @ Go Chelsea Go! September 8, 2011, 11:18 am

    You have made me love Peter Hollens even more!! It’s really amazing what he can do!

  • Julie (A Case of the Runs) September 8, 2011, 12:16 pm

    These past few days have been some of the hottest yet this summer, and I don’t even LIKE summer. Hoping for some weather like yours very soon!!!

  • cassy September 8, 2011, 12:18 pm

    this has nothing to do with your post–
    just came across this on a blog.

    http://www.marcandangel.com/2011/09/04/140-ways-to-change-the-world/#more-388

    #7.

    p.s. you’re rad.

  • Lindsey September 8, 2011, 12:29 pm

    We are having a total heat wave right now! Hottest days in last 3 months! But I am more than ready for fall too 🙂

  • katie @ KatieDid September 8, 2011, 12:34 pm

    ohhh the nut butter is just sinking in a pillow of oatmeal, i love it! Don’t you love crisp mornings!

  • kathleen @ the daily crumb September 8, 2011, 12:45 pm

    i absolutely LOVE your friend peter. in fact, i just heard his version of born this way during my morning walk today! i also am slightly obsessed with adelle and cannot wait to check out his latest twist.

    happy fall!

  • Victoria September 8, 2011, 1:08 pm

    Hi! Totally off topic, but I saw this article on Yahoo! and remembered you Tweeted the other day that sometimes you missed your maiden name. I thought this might be a fun blog post! And since I am getting married next Sept (and have debated this in my head multiple times already) I would love to hear your thoughts as to why you missed your maiden name as well as other people’s thoughts on why you should or shouldn’t change. Just a thought…http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/sex/should-you-keep-your-maiden-name-2544639/;_ylt=ArgJ07kzOmHPSdUYnaVlDhCDbqU5?pg=1#comments

    • Mia September 8, 2011, 3:16 pm

      I didn’t read the article…but I wanted to tell you that I did not change my name and the thought never even crossed my mind. Why should i take his name, and not the other way around? Besides, I really like my last name and it has personal significance to my family, because my grandfather changed it to escape the holocaust (!!!). So my parents, brother and I are literally the only 4 people in the United States with our last name…I don’t think many people can say that.
      I didn’t even want to hyphenate our names…I have to say the whole name changing thing is just weird to me.

      • CaitlinHTP September 8, 2011, 8:52 pm

        Interesting comments and article! I will definitely do a post about this soon!

  • Rosa - Fitness, Food, Fulfilled September 8, 2011, 1:22 pm

    I so want it to be fall here on the West Coast. We just started heating up, and I want the cool nights and mornings again!

  • Amber K September 8, 2011, 1:26 pm

    I love nut butter with oatmeal, although I have to say not actually together. I like the nut butter on the side so I can take a bite of oatmeal and then a bite of the nut butter. But I’m this way with pretty much everything. Apparently i never grew out of my desire to not have my foods touching!

  • Paige @ Running Around Normal September 8, 2011, 1:30 pm

    The only time I don’t put nut butter into my oats is when I add Greek yogurt to the cooked oats instead. They’re both so good:)

  • Shaya (Eye Girl Eats) September 8, 2011, 1:53 pm

    Very very jealous of your weather. It’s still in the 100’s here every day and I’ve been very slowly melting.

    Instead of craving hot oats like I should be in the mornings at this time of year, I’m still rolling with smoothies. Could be worse I guess!

  • Sharon September 8, 2011, 1:54 pm

    Try this for a yummy Fall oatmeal topping:

    melt 2 tbs. butter in pan
    add 2 tbs. brown sugar
    mix in chopped pecans and sliced bananas

    simmer on stove for just a minnute and it’s done. Best oatmeal topping I’ve had so far and super easy!

    • Ellie@fitforthesoul September 8, 2011, 2:19 pm

      Mmmmm! that sounds heaveeeennlyyyy

      • CaitlinHTP September 8, 2011, 8:53 pm

        ohmigod VERY delicious sounding.

  • Berta September 8, 2011, 2:12 pm

    I’ve recently turned to holistic medicine. It’s amazing what I’ve learned over the past year…natural medicine is incredible and the healthy eating too! I have lost 60 lbs over the past year, due to this healthier lifestyle. Thanks for the recipe ideas…you can never have too many heathly recipe ideas. My Dr has me on a gluten free diet right now…I wonder how your oatmeal and sunflower butter recipe would taste if I replaced it with Quinoa?!

  • Ellie@fitforthesoul September 8, 2011, 2:19 pm

    wowww that is awesome! Gardenia is one of my fave flowers, and I have Gardenia scented/infused bath sea salt hanging in my car 😛

  • Colleen September 8, 2011, 2:23 pm

    He is so talented!!

  • Amy September 8, 2011, 2:35 pm

    I thought I was the only one who wasn’t thrilled w/ nut butters and oats. I don’t think my taste has evolved yet though. I still don’t like it. 🙂

  • Charlie September 8, 2011, 3:05 pm

    I don’t like nut butter with oatmeal that much either, maybe I’ll have to try it again too ;).

  • Katie (Sweet Tater) September 8, 2011, 3:11 pm

    warm nut butter.

  • Mia September 8, 2011, 3:11 pm

    I don’t think you’re weird. I tried peanut butter with oatmeal one time since you all you bloggers seem to love it, and I thought I was going to puke…not being dramatic either…it was the most disgusting combination of textures ever in my book.

  • Anna September 8, 2011, 4:02 pm

    MM I have always loved some good peanut butter blobs in my oatmeal. I didn’t like almond butter the first few times I tried it and I felt weird for not like it but I haven’t tried sunflower butter… might have to get that next time!

  • sara @ the foodie diaries September 8, 2011, 4:08 pm

    I’m jealous!!! I want cooler weather! Send some down here to Florida 🙂

  • Emily September 8, 2011, 5:17 pm

    I think that’s going to be my breakfast tomorrow…maybe almond butter instead, but still, so good! Love blueberries in oats, too!

  • CheezyK September 8, 2011, 8:17 pm

    Mmmm, I love the smell of gardenias! I can’t wait until ours come out again.

  • kristen September 8, 2011, 9:47 pm

    wow! he has an amazing voice!

  • Sophie @ threetimesf September 9, 2011, 2:48 am

    I have never even heard of him before! Amazing!

  • Hayley @ Oat Couture September 9, 2011, 3:13 am

    Love that flower!! I wish my garden was full of those!! The people who look after our shared pool/garden area keep coming and hacking away at all the pretty stuff 🙁 I am also super jealous of your fall… its still scorching here and I long, literally long for some crisp fresh air! The kind that makes your cheeks go pink! 🙂 Roll on November / December!

  • Madison September 9, 2011, 7:46 am

    I love Turning Tables! and Adele of course. 🙂

  • Miranda @ Living One Bite at a Time September 10, 2011, 1:27 am

    Thank you for making me not feel like such a bad food blogger for disliking the texture of peanut butter and oatmeal!! I thought I was the only “weird” one, ha ha.

  • Dominique September 11, 2011, 1:13 am

    That gardenia blossom is absolutely gorgeous! I don’t think I’ve ever actually seen one before.

    I wasn’t a fan of nut butters/oatmeal either. I tried it with PB at first and was totally turned off–I couldn’t finish my oatmeal. Then I tried it again with almond butter (and added more) and it was a hit! It does make the texture of the oatmeal a little interesting but I think I could get used to it.

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