Foodie for a Day // More Oatmeal!

Ever since going home and having the oatmeal bar at our “Christmas morning” brunch, I’ve been craving oatmeal more mornings for breakfast than usual.  Oatmeal has always been one of those breakfasts that I love but for whatever reason, I don’t generally have unless I’m on vacation and having a packet of instant I stashed as a “just-in-case.”

This sudden craving for oatmeal is a welcomed surprise as it is super delicious, healthy, and easy to make.  I prefer (Quaker) Old Fashioned oats so it does take a bit longer to cook, but I’ll make two servings at a time and stash that extra serving for tomorrow.

Another great thing about oatmeal is that it’s so easily adaptable, anyone kind find a flavor combination they enjoy and you can change it up to avoid it getting too boring or repetitive.

And with that, I bring you two new combinations for oatmeal that I call delicious! 

Chocolate Caribbean Oatmeal

So it’s not necessarily Caribbean but it seems kind of Caribbean after the toppings. :)

1 cup oats

1 cup milk (I use soy)

1 cup water

1-2 tsps cocoa powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla

Let all of the above cook until thick and creamy.  Then top with 1/2 chopped banana, spoonful of peanut butter and a sprinkle of coconut.  

(If it seems like you put in too much cocoa powder, stir in a bit of brown sugar to balance it out.)

Gingerbread Protein Oatmeal

1 cup oats

1 cup milk

1 cup water

1 TBSP vanilla protein powder

1/4 tsp allspice

1/4 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla

Let the above cook until thick and creamy.  Top with 1/2 chopped banana, spoonful of peanut butter and a sprinkle of raisins.

(I’m sure you can add more protein powder but this was my first time adding it to oatmeal and I didn’t want to add too much.)

Have a great breakfast!

Foodie for a Day

I love oatmeal.  I mean really, how could you not?

I grew up on Quaker Instant Oatmeal Maple and Brown Sugar.  Delicious.  And to this day, that is my go-to instant oatmeal when I want to take something with me while I travel.  (I always recommend the “just-in-case” foods.)

But as I grew up, I learned just how much more oatmeal can be - cooked on the store with milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and topped with peanut butter, bananas, and other fruits and nuts.  You may laugh, but it did open up a new world of breakfast possibilities (even for the girl who eats the same piece of toast with peanut butter and banana every morning).

So while I was home, we had our annual Christmas morning brunch (only a few days late) with my mom’s side of the family.  This year we had an even wider array of foods, including the new addition: the oatmeal bar.

I prepared two pots of oatmeal simply with equal parts oats, milk and water, and then added a bit of vanilla and cinnamon to each.  One pot was made with soy milk (for me and those feeling “brave”) and one with regular milk (for everyone else).  We had toppings of peanut butter, banana, coconut, nuts, and dried fruit.  It was a hit!

As I was driving home from the gym this morning, debating today’s post and what I felt like eating for breakfast, I was reminded of last week’s oatmeal bar and nothing sounded better this morning that a big bowl of oats.  And while I was at it, I made an extra serving for another day.

Today’s oatmeal was the simple recipe from Christmas, topped with peanut butter and sliced banana served in this adorable bowl + spoon my sister got me.

What are your favorite oatmeal toppings?

Foodie for a Day // Comfort Food

It’s been a rough few weeks for me with all that has gone on.  I’ve done everything in my power to remain positive as I know that this will all pass soon.  But at the end of last week what I really needed was some comfort and what better way than with a recipe that has been passed down in my family for years?  A little taste of home; a little taste of comfort.

So I set out to make my (German) great grandmother’s French Coffee Cake recipe.  I remember when my cousin’s would come to town and we’d make the coffee cake and it would hardly last through breakfast.  It’s been a favorite in the family for years.  Comfort food at it’s finest.

French Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup margarine

3 cups flour

3/4 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

2 tsp baking powder

2 eggs

Mix the sugar, margarine and 2 cups of flour with your hands and take out one cup.

Blend the remaining ingredients and put into 2 buttered 8 x 1 1/2 pans.  Sprinkle the crumbs over the top.  Bake for 25 mins and 350 degrees.

I made a few changes to the recipe - swapping out some of the white flour for whole wheat flour, soy milk instead of regular milk and cut the whole recipe in half to only make 1 coffee cake vs 2.  It was so delicious and brought me the joy and comfort I was looking for.  It hardly lasted a few days in my apartment and I had no help eating it... ;)

It’s moments like these when I’m happy I’ve bothered my family for those recipes so I can recreate them at my will and want.  And this was exactly what I needed that night.

A Photo of Something You Ate Today - Day 2

Day 2 of my 30 day writing challenge: A photo of something you ate today

Well breakfast this morning consisted of the usual coffee with warmed soy milk but since I’ve been craving pancakes for DAYS (weeks?), I decided today was the perfect day to finally fulfill my craving.

I made Kodiak cakes - a whole wheat pancake mix (just add water) and stirred in some cinnamon and vanilla, and topped with banana, peanut butter and a drizzle of maple syrup (maybe a little too much syrup...)  Bu they were so delicious and I wasn’t feeling all that full so I decided to eat more.  I am now uncomfortably full, I think all I needed was an orange and I would have been perfect.  But it was still delicious and I think I may only need a snack come lunch time. 

(Yes, I ate more than are shown in this picture)

I’m feeling a little sluggish today and considering a nap before working 3pm-12am, but I also think I’d feel better pulling out my yoga mat and doing a restorative flow, especially since I’m feeling so full.

Tour work is coming along.  Not as quickly as I would have liked but we are putting things together in new territories which is always exciting.  I need to put some additional focus in the areas they’ve played before and get something confirmed as soon as possible so I can start some major promotion.

Work on starting my company is also taking a bit of a hit.  Aka, I haven’t really done much.  I bought the web domain and I have great ideas on how to make it all happen but I need to work on a business plan which is extremely overwhelming and stressful task, which I think is why I’m “slacking” on it.  I also want to get a simple website up (iWeb for now) and get new business cards ordered.  My TO-DO list is ever so long, but I’m still feeling extremely excited and optimistic about the decisions I’ve made in order to get me here.  I’m changing my life in a positive way and making my dreams come true in a way that works for me.  I’m not sure it gets much better. 

And with that, I must pull the laundry from the dryer and get to the rest of my day.  Look at these adorable heels I bought yesterday while on the hunt for a pair of boots!  They were only $30 at TJMaxx and super comfortable!