November 3, 2011 (Updated March 8, 2023)

Winter Breakfasts Return

by Anne Mauney, MPH, RD

35 comments

Good morning!

I’ve officially made the switch back to winter breakfasts. Have you guys yet? I love my cereal with fresh fruit and milk, but once it gets so chilly in the morning… a hot bowl of oatmeal is about a million times more appealing.

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My absolute favorite oatmeal combination is my Perfect Microwave Banana Oatmeal (click for recipe) with some frozen blueberries added in half way through cooking, and 1/2 cup cottage cheese added on top after it’s cooked. SUCH an amazing combination. I promise it tastes better than it looks. 😉

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Just stir it all up and enjoy! If you haven’t tried cottage cheese in oatmeal yet… do it. The flavors are amazing together.

In other news, I had a fabulous run this morning around the UNC campus and through Chapel Hill and Carrboro with my friend Genna.

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It’s funny — my running buddies were flip flopped this week! Normally I do my Tuesday a.m. track workouts with Genna and Thursday morning runs with Elle. On Tuesday, Genna wasn’t feeling well but Elle wanted to come. This morning, Elle wasn’t able to make it, but right after I talked to her, Genna emailed asking if I wanted to run! Perfect. 🙂

Since we knew it would be pitch black when we met this morning, we decided campus was a better bet than our usual Thursday trail. We ran 4.25 miles total and it flew by since we were doing so much chatting! Genna is thinking of going back to school to become an RD once she’s done with culinary school, so she’s been reading my How to Become a Registered Dietitian post a lot lately — it was fun to give her some advice in person, too, besides just catching up on life.

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Total time: 39:13. Total distance: 4.25 miles. Average overall pace: 9:14.

Splits:

  • Mile 1: 9:30
  • Mile 2: 9:13
  • Mile 3: 9:11
  • Mile 4: 8:59
  • 0.25 nubbin pace: 9:17

Great run! Hard to get out of bed but felt great to be out and about once we got moving, as always.

I’m off to school — have a wonderful Thursday!

What’s your favorite winter or cold weather breakfast?

Breakfast + Brunch Oatmeal
- anne

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35 comments
  • sMiles from Callie
    Oatmeal! It's the first thing I go for when I get out of bed because I want something to warm me up QUICK. I make a banana version of oatmeal but have been looking for something new. I love the idea of cottage cheese..yum!
    Reply
  • Brittany
    Warm oats are my favorite breakfast when it's cold! Cottage cheese in it is so good too. Don't you just love runs that fly by? :)
    Reply
  • Khushboo
    I am facing the opposite with breakfast: it's become too hot to eat my beloved oatmeal for breakfast- I miss it! My fave is oatmeal cooked with chias, banana, raisins and soy milk with egg whites stirred in. Once ready, I top it with peanut butter and granola- perfection! Ah screw it, I am going to blast the AC tomo morning so that I can eat it!
    Reply
  • Claire, RD
    I'd added cottage cheese in stove cooked oats before, but never as a topping. They were kind of lost with all the other flavors. I think the culinary/RD combo is a great idea - I'd love to go to culinary school some day!
    Reply
  • Ashley @ My Food 'N' Fitness Diaries
    Mmm oatmeal is always a favorite cold weather breakfast for me too! I also enjoy pancakes or a homemade belgian waffle topped with hot maple syrup every once in awhile too. ;) Great job on your run this morning!
    Reply
  • Lindsay @ biking before bed
    My favorite weekday breakfast is oatmeal. My current favorite combination is oatmeal cooked with milk and banana with pumpkin, cranberry sauce, ad crunchy peanut butter. I love making pancakes or French toast on the weekend.
    Reply
  • Lindsey
    Banana oatmeal with egg whites and lots of cinnamon!
    Reply
  • Jeanelle @ Glocal Girl
    any type of eggs and brown bread are my favorite winter breakfasts! I also love oatmeal with cinnamon. I think its great that you have a running buddy so early in the morning. I still haven't found one in Amsterdam since I've moved here, its SO hard to get up when its dark outside (and run on in still dark parks!) alone. Running buddies are the best.
    Reply
    • Anne P
      Mmm LOVE brown bread! Maybe you can find a running buddy on a forum or something? Or via your blog?
      Reply
  • Brianna
    I hate eating breakfast--but you always make it look so darn good! :)
    Reply
  • Margaret @ Have A Good Run
    I've been having the TOUGHEST time getting out of bed to work out in the morning -- this morning I did the old "turn on the light and wake wake the heck up" trick, and it totally worked! And I felt SO good getting the run done with in the morning!
    Reply
    • Anne P
      Good for you! Turning on the light right away is key for me, too!
      Reply
  • Matt
    I definitely prefer a bowl of oatmeal in the winter! It's so comforting :)
    Reply
    • Jenni
      I LOVE your microwave banana oatmeal, I've been eating it for weeks now. It's the easiest way to get a quick, filling (and most importantly in my case, gluten free) breakfast! The ripe banana is definitely the key, and I am so grateful to you for introducing me to the concept :)
      Reply
  • kristen @ livinlifeinlouie
    looks like a pretty run! I defiantly need to find more motivation to get out of bed in the morning. How do you do it?!?!!
    Reply
    • Anne P
      By making plans to meet someone! Easier to bail on yourself than someone else. Going to bed with the thought that I WILL workout in the a.m. helps, too. If I go to bed thinking "maybe I'll get up, we'll see"... I never will. Just don't give yourself the option!
      Reply
  • Maggie
    Anne: that breakfast looks delicious!! I do not like cereal so much..;)
    Reply
  • Renie
    I converted back to oatmeal last weekend. I love steel cut oatmeal sprinkled with dates, cranberries, walnuts. I have never put cottage cheese on my oatmeal but I will try it. I love cottage cheese.How did you do on your bio test yesterday???
    Reply
    • Anne P
      Not sure yet! We'll see when they are graded!
      Reply
  • Adventurer
    Is oatmeal as healthy as is that Nature whatever cereal you recommended before? :-) Any special type best?
    Reply
    • Anne P
      Definitely, it's just a warm option of cereal! I just buy raw oats and make the oatmeal myself (click on the recipe link above) - I wouldn't recommend pre-packaged oatmeal packets since they usually have a ton of sugary additives.
      Reply
  • Katelyn @ Chef Katelyn
    Believe it or not, I had a SMOOTHIE today. Cool and delicious, I loveeee, and then the coffee warms me up!
    Reply
  • Lauren
    I am definitely ready to convert over to hot breakfasts but I heard we're supposed to get back in the mid 60's next week. I might have one more week or two of cereal bowls before I officially move on.
    Reply
  • Megan
    I love oatmeal, especially in the colder weather! My favorite combinations are PB/banana/walnut and pumpkin/pecan.
    Reply
  • Mary
    So this is a totally random/unrelated/strange comment, but has anyone ever told you that you look like the girl from the Kindle commercials? http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0751880/
    Reply
    • Anne P
      Haha, no, I haven't - but I'll take it as a compliment! She's pretty!
      Reply
  • Abby @ Abz 'n' Oats
    I still haven't tried the cottage cheese combo! lol. I don't know why it scares me so much! My favorite breakfast is protein oats from Janetha's blog. I make all different types of variations with the flavors though!
    Reply
  • Elle
    I'm sad I missed our run this morning but I'm happy Genna kept you company! Have fun this weekend! xoxo
    Reply