Cozy Fall Favorites – Planet OAT

• Food/Nutrition
• Sharing My Favorite Things

As the weather cools down, there is nothing better than a yummy, hot drink that keeps you feeling warm and cozy from the inside out.

The boys and I love to share fun Fall moments together; and  I wanted to share a few of our favorites lately! Also wanted to share our delicious hot cocoa recipe.

Planet Oat Hot Cocoa

Who doesn’t love a good cup of cocoa on a chilly day? The boys and I love to enjoy cocoa; but not just any kind. We are obsessed with having Planet Oat Oatmilk in our Hot Cocoa.

Here is one of our favorite Fall treats we make & enjoy all season long:

Ingredients You’ll Need

• • 2 cups Planet Oat Oatmilk 
  • 3–4 tbsp Planet Oat Dark Chocolate Oatmilk flavor ( if you can’t find Planet Oat Dark Chocolate Oatmilk, you can add cocoa/vanilla/cinnamon or Planet Oat Original Oatmilk for a similar flavor)
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • Small pinch of sea salt

How To Make The Cocoa

1.  Heat Planet Oat oatmilk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and bring to a gentle simmer.
2.  As the milk heats, in a small bowl whisk dark chocolate oatmilk with 1 tbsp of the vanilla oatmilk and the maple syrup to form a slurry (this extra step will prevent the cocoa from clumping). Whisk until no lumps remain, then add to the pan along with the vanilla, cinnamon, sea salt.
3. Using an immersion blender or hand frother, blend until the hot chocolate is frothy. Or simply whisk vigorously by hand. Pour into two mugs (or one — no judgment!), top with whipped cream or marshmallow, and enjoy!
4. Add any fun toppings you like such as  marshmallows, butterscotch chips, whipped cream, cinnamon 

We love the taste; and all Planet Oat flavors contain 2 grams of protein and lots of fiber per serving! So you can sip your cocoa guilt-free.

We also love having pancakes with our cocoa. Banana Oatmeal Pancakes are our favorite. I am always looking for new fun, healthy recipes that the boys will enjoy.

Give them a try and you’ll soon be adding them to your Fall favorites list too.

Ingredients

These healthy pancakes are made with:

1. Add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend on high until completely smooth, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Let the batter sit in your blender while you heat your pan up.
2. Lightly coat a griddle with coconut oil, butter, or olive oil and place over medium heat.
3. Once the pan is hot, add 1/3 cup of the batter to the griddle for each pancake and cook for 2-4 minutes until pancakes slightly puff up and you see a few bubbles along the edges.
4. Flip cakes and cook until golden brown on the underside. If you find that pancakes are browning too quickly then you need to lower the heat. I normally start on medium heat, then decrease to medium-low later so that my pancakes don’t burn. If at any point your griddle starts smoking, it means your pan is too hot.
5. Wipe skillet clean and repeat with more oil and remaining batter. Makes 9 pancakes in total. Serves 3, 3 pancakes each.

Playing in the Park

My boys and I love getting our exercise and especially when the leaves are changing colors and there is a cool breeze outside.

The boys like to kick soccer balls, ride their scooters, and sometimes we even bring our yoga mats and do some outdoor sun salutations and tree poses. Being in NYC during the Fall is seriously one of my favorite times of the year. The boys have a little extra pep in their step and definitely get a boost of energy from the fresh air.

Fall Crafts

There are a ton of different creative crafts that make for the perfect fall festivities for the kids. Painting pinecones is fun, and we also love to gather leaves in Central Park and create collages. Leaves are great for lots of things, you can help the kids make a garland, a leaf crown, or do a leaf press with crayons as well.

These fun festivities will get everyone in the house excited. What’s better than going on an adventure gathering leaves and pinecones; and jumping in humongous leaf piles?

All of these activities will be sure to keep you and your kids in a good mood. I’m really looking forward to more fun Fall festivities and all the yummy drinks and foods that come with the season.

Make this Fall one to remember with new fun family traditions and activities!

Kristin

Kristin McGee is a celebrity yoga and Pilates instructor in New York City. She is currently teaching yoga with Peloton. She is the star of over 100 videos, seen in several magazines and tv shows and is a spokeswoman for many brands and causes she believes in. A proud mom to three, she sure keeps herself busy!