Saturday

Happy Saturday morning.
I hope everyone got to sleep in today. Unfortunately I'm up and heading to work. But not before enjoying a hot bowl of oats.

In the mix: Oat bran , Bob's spice n nice hot cereal, water, and almond milk.

Topped with: Strawberries, coconut, and a smidge of almond butter.

I will see you later today. Please do something fun for me. I'm heading to the gym after work and then I have a get together with a friend later tonight.

Toppings make the meal

This bowl of oat bran this morning is simple but has some pretty delicious toppings on it.
In the pot:
1/4 cup oat bran
2 TB. Bob's apple cinnamon hot cereal
1 cup hot water
splash soymilk
Topped with
warmed up pear sauce
crumbled up pieces of a Great Harvest pumpkin muffin
vanilla coconut crunchy granola (from the bulk bin at the health food store)

All while sipping on a cup of Mighty Leaf tea, the organic Chinese one.

Save the oatmeal

I may have drowned my oats, but is was very delicious.
In the pot:
1/4 cup oat bran
1 TB. Bob's spice n nice hot cereal
1/4 tsp, chia seeds
1 cup hot water
1/4 of a sliced banana stirred in at the end

Topped with
the last of the pure maple syrup, which was more then I thought.
peanut butter
Yogi walnut spice granola

So sweet and delicious with the maple syrup and banana. Too bad I can't drown my oats everyday.

I received my secret Santa gift yesterday at work, such a cute felt bag.

And inside was a nice big candle, it smells very tropical.

Warm way to start the day

It's a cold morning with a dusting of snow on the horizon for later today. I needed something warm and toasty to start my day.
In the pot:
3 TB. oat bran
1 TB. Bob's spice n nice hot cereal
1 cup hot water
splash of soymilk
1/4 of a sliced banana stirred in at the end

Topped with
drizzle of raw white honey
sprinkle of homemade cheery almond granola

Spice n nice

Spice and everything nice.
As the holiday's get closer I'm starting to feel festive, at least with my food.

In the pot:
3 TB. oat bran
2 TB. spice n nice hot cereal
1 cup hot water
heavy splash of mint chocolate soymilk
mix together and cook on low
Topped with
marionberry all fruit spread
dark chocolate chips
sprinkle of unsweetened coconut
sprinkle of low fat almond vanilla granola

I really need to start busting out my holiday cook books and recipes soon. I have some planning to begin for gift exchanges, cookie exchanges, and for treats to eat.

A perfect mix

Breakfast of champions.
In the pot:
a little less then 1/4 cup oat bran
1 TB. Bob's apple cinnamon hot cereal
1/4 tsp. chia seeds
(I always forget about these guys and they are packed with so many healthy nutrients)
1 cup hot water
splash soymilk

Topped with
1/4 diced banana
almond flax butter (just can't get enough of it)
a VERY healthy dollop of raspberry all fruit spread (it was the last of the jar)
Nature's path pumpkin flax granola

I used less of the oat bran and less water this time which helped with the portion control. I think it's because the oat bran absorbs so much more water then oats do.

Pumpkin

This little guy became the highlight of my breakfast this morning. I swear this pumpkin muffin is the best muffin.

Pumpkin oats
In the pot:
1/4 cup oat bran
2 TB. Bob's spice n nice hot cereal
2 cups water (the oat bran requires more water)
dash salt and cinnamon
2 TB. pumpkin puree stirred in at the end

Topped with
pure maple syrup
a few crumbles of a Great Harvest pumpkin muffin

This bowl was some of the best oats that I have had in a long time. I think I would cut back on the amount of oat bran next time. The extra water needed amped up the portion to be too big and I only ate half.

Simple

Simple and classic, that was what I was going for today.
In the pot:
1/4 cup oat bran
2 TB. Bob's apple cinnamon hot cereal
1.5 cups hot water
splash soymilk
cook in a pot on the stove for about 5-10 min.
Tj's spiced chunky applesauce stirred in at the end

Topped simply with
raisins
cinnamon
pure maple syrup

Stove top

Out of convenience and time I used to always make my oats in a bowl by just adding instant hot water (from the hot water tap) to my oats and stirring until mixed and cooked. It worked fine, tasted fine, and got the job done. Until a couple weeks ago I decided to make a single serving pot of oats on the stove top. Well that day changed everything and there is no going back.

It was actually quick and easy to make and takes only a few minutes. So today I used up the last of my hot cereals to make an amazing bowl of oats.
In the mix
2 TB. oat bran
2 TB. Bob's spice n nice hot cereal
2 TB. Bob's apple cinnamon hot cereal
1 cup water
few splashes almond milk
mix together and cook on low for about 5 min.
at the end I added 1/4 of a diced peach

Topped with
Crofter's raspberry all fruit spread
Sunflower nut butter
sprinkle of Yogi walnut spice granola

This bowl of oats was so perfect. The peach was one of the best all season. The oats on the stove top require much more water then my old way. Which results in a bigger portion then I'm used to. I think I will cut my portion down to just the 1/4 cup and omit the 2 TB.

Bowl full of toppings

I made the best mix of toppings this morning. I absolutely love TJ's pear sauce, if you haven't tried it you must.
In the mix:
1/4 cup oat bran
2 TB. Bob's spice n nice hot cereal
(I'm almost out of my Bob's hot cereals. I must make a trip to the official Bob's red mill store and restock)
1/4 cup water
mix together
Topped with
warmed up pear sauce (the best part)
Crofter's raspberry all fruit spread
Justin's chocolate hazelnut butter (yum)

Topped with some crunch
Tj's low fat almond granola

I can't believe it's Friday. With a short week it came so quickly. Maybe we need to always have 3 day weekends.

I'm off to buy a bike today after work, I'm so excited.

Peach spectacular

Big brother and a little sister peach ready for my breakfast.

I made a peach spectacular oatmeal bowl this morning. I told you I'm going to live on peaches while they are here. I think peaches are only truly good during August and when they are grown local.
In the mix:
1/4 cup oat bran
2 TB. Bob's spice n nice hot cereal
1/4 cup water
1/2 of a diced peach
mix together

Topped with
almond butter
1 diced donut peach
sprinkle of Natures path mixed berry flax granola
sprinkle of Kashi GoLean berry crisp cereal
sprinkle of unsweetened coconut

Spread the love

It's Friday once again, but only Thursday for me.
Today is a cereal/oats mix:
1/4 cup oat bran
1/4 cup water
topped with
Puffins honey brown rice
Barbara's bakery spoonfuls shredded multi grain cereal

Topped with
1/4 of a sliced banana
almond spread
(mix together 1 tsp. almond butter and a few splashes of almond milk. Microwave for 20 sec. and stir together)
The spread makes the nut butter go further, I liked it.
dark chocolate chips (my Friday treat)

I have some fun activities planned for this weekend, once I get through working today and tomorrow morning.

Back to class

It's Wednesday and I'm finally back to dancers workout and kickboxing today. I haven't been in two weeks due to meeting's being scheduled on the last two Wednesday's.

I needed a breakfast that would give me lots of energy. I know today's class we be really hard and they probably have even started a new round since I have been gone.

In the mix:
1/4 cup oat bran
1/4 cup water
mix together
Topped with
Natures path berry flax granola
(this one is new to me and it's pretty good, but not my favorite)
Barbara's bakery shredded spoonfuls multi grain cereal
Yogi walnut spice granola

Topped with
1/4 of a sliced banana
almond flax butter
Raspberry all fruit spread
a few splashes of almond milk

I cut back on the oat bran so that I could add more granola/cereal on top and have it be a mix of oats and cereal.

Donut time

Donut peaches n cream
1/4 cup oat bran
2 TB. Bob's apple cinnamon hot cereal
1/4 cup water
mix together
1 small donut diced peach
mix together

Topped with
sprinkle of unsweetened coconut
drizzle of pure maple syrup
Tj' low fat almond granola
Barbara's bakery cinnamon shredded oats

Finally it's Friday

Friday fun oats
1/4 cup oat bran
2 TB. Bob's apple cinnamon hot cereal
1/4 cup water
mix together

Topped with
frozen blueberries
1/4 of a sliced banana
drizzle of raw honey
dark chocolate chips
almond butter

Topped with
almond milk
sprinkle of Galaxy cranberry orange granola

This oatmeal mix was pretty filling, I couldn't finish it all. But it was really good.

Rolling on

Cherry pear oatmeal
1/4 cup oat bran
2 TB. Bob's spice n nice hot cereal
1/4 cup water
mix together
topped with
pear sauce
sprinkle of unsweetened coconut
almond flax butter

Topped with
a cherry on top
Galaxy cranberry orange granola

Another day

1/4 cup oat bran
2 TB. Bob's apple cinnamon hot cereal
1/3 cup water
mix together

Topped with
warmed up pear sauce
almond butter
drizzle of coconut butter
Galaxy cranberry orange granola
Bear Naked banana walnut cereal

I'm off to work, have a good Saturday.

Peach season

Peaches n cream oats
August is the only time I get to have peaches n cream. I refuse to have an out of season peach, they are horrible. I picked up a local peach last weekend and I have been waiting all week for it to ripen all week. Finally this morning it was ready to be eaten. The best peaches will be out in about a week or two, so this one wasn't the best but was still good.

1/4 cup oat bran
2 TB. Bob's apple cinnamon hot cereal
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp. chia seeds
splash soymilk (for the cream)
1/3 of a diced peach
mix together

Topped with
almond butter
drizzle of pure maple syrup
Tj's low fat almond granola
dark chocolate chips (I got a little carried away and didn't eat all of them)

This breakfast was very filling and I wasn't able to finish all of it. I'm feeling a little full right now.

It's all about the toppings

This morning it's all about fueling up for today's dancers workout and turbo kickboxing. I need a lot of energy to get through these two high intense classes.

I picked up this Bear Naked cereal the other day in banana walnut. It's a little too high in calories and fat in my opinion for cereal, but it makes a great topping. It's loaded with lots of healthy grains.

1/4 cup oat bran
1/3 cup water
1/4 tsp. chia seeds
few slices of banana diced up
mix together

Topped with
2 TB. Bob's muesli
sprinkle of Bear Naked banana walnut cereal
a few Kashi whole wheat biscuits

More toppings
sliced banana
blueberries
Tj's almond and flax butter
splash of soymilk

Welcome back fun oats

Fun Friday oats are back. Since it's Friday, and I'm going camping it seemed like the perfect morning for some fun oats.

1/4 cup oat bran
2 TB. Bob's spice n nice
1/4 cup water
mix together

Topped with
organic blueberries (bitter blueberries)
almond butter
drizzle of raw honey
Yogi walnut spice granola
Whole oats peanut butter raisin granola
a few dark chocolate chips

Local organic produce delivery
Yesterday my produce delivery came. Every two weeks I get a delivery of local organic fruits and veggies delivered to my door. I have found that organic is far better quality then conventional. The problem is that in the winter they have to out source the produce to California and Mexico. Which I understand nothings growing here in Oregon in the winter and early spring.

But it's the Middle of July and I'm still getting half of my delivery is from California and Mexico. Local is supposed to be within 100 miles. Right now in Oregon we have a bounty of fruits and veggies so I don't understand why they are out sourcing. I have told myself that I will keep going with the deliveries until Fall, and then make my decision then If I should continue. I'm really thinking of canceling it in the fall and signing up for a CSA half share.