Loaded Oatmeal Cups

If there is one thing I am picking up on this past week this pregnancy, is that the babe is HUNGRY.  Might even go so far as to say hangry.  I spent the majority of the pregnancy with a lacking appetite, only finding a few days here and there where I felt like I could indulge, only to be grossed out by it minutes later and throwing it into the trash. Weeks 21-24 were spent in so much intense pain, which was a blast to my appetite as well.  So, I am relieved that at this point my appetite is growing, as the pain is becoming much more milder,  and I’m finally catching up with this “all belly” look I’ve been sporting.

The trick for me is, eating healthy.  I have to pat myself on the back this time around because it has been a top priority.  I do not over eat, or eat ridiculously indulgent meals, I have conquered balance which is such a surprise to me.  With Brody and Owen I would eat 2 bowls of cereal, ice cream every night – and Dan would catch me standing at the pantry with a bag of doritos all the time.  Standing, and not sitting with a bowl like any other human justified that it was a light grazing, hence the 45+ weight gain with those two.

 Don’t get it twisted, you can’t get me to back away from a bowl of pasta – ever.   And my night time cravings are definitely stronger – comfort food, but all in good balance.

So, here I am – at a point where I need to have something to munch on at least every two hours or so, or else I am left feeling nauseas and shaky.  The last two things you want to feel like when I’ve been experiencing other pregnancy woes (um. kidney stone update coming stat.)

These oatmeal cups have been a tried and true recipe of mine for years, only recently I wanted to take them over the edge and add many more ingredients to them.  Trying to shove a bit more balance into these tiny cups – protein, fiber, veggie, omega 3.  Whatever I could grab, I did – and  resulted in these amazing oatmeal cups I can promise you will devour.  Zuchinni, pecans, oats, ground flaxseed … oh baby.

I’ve eaten 3 so far today for breakfast and I feel full + satisfied.  They are so delicious I actually crave them.  Bonus? This recipe makes up to 32 cups! I gave some away, hoarded the others on the countertop and the other half in the fridge to keep fresher, longer.

Make these for your kiddos this week, or yourself, or your hubs, or your neighbor.  They’ll love you for it.

Quick note : dont get nuts about the nuts, I get it, they are expensive.  If you live near a trader joes, that is a must stop for nuts.  A 1 lb bag of pecans is a smidge of $5.  You just cannot beat it, and in this recipe I used 1/2 of that bag – so you get more bang for your buck.

If you have little ones with dairy allergies, this recipe is the best.  No eggs! And now we can finally use whole milk for Owen in recipes, but in years past I utilized almond or soy milk instead.