Quick 'n Delicious, Healthy Eats

Remember this picture from yesterday?

See all those delicious grains in the corner there?  Well that is what fuels my addiction for this:

Heaven sent, I tell you.

I think I may have a problem.

Blueberry Blast Oatmeal

• Superhero Oatmeal
• 2 T Chia Seeds
• 1/2 C Kashi Go Lean
• 2 T Coconut Shreds
• 1 T Honey
• BIG handful of delicious blueberries

 The deciousness continued into lunch.

Health is happiness.

• Slice of Marathon Bread topped with Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
• Baby Carrots
• Peach Chobani Yogurt

• 2 C Organic Spinach, Arugula and Radicchio Blend
• 2 Mushrooms
• 1/4 Chopped Red Bell Pepper
• 2 T Goat Cheese
• 1 T Balsamic Vinaigrette

I was craving sweets, so I incorporated that into dinner.

• 2 Slices Multi-Grain Bread
• 2 T Sunbutter
• 1 Banana
• 1 T Honey Drizzle

Life doesn't get much better than this?  Is it wrong that food makes me so happy? I don't think so. :)

Happy Tuesday!  I'm off to the Public Market!

Tropical Treat Oatmeal

Oh yes my friends.  This picture says it all.  Superhero Oatmeal topped with fresh pineapple, strawberries, coconut and a drizzle of honey.

You. must. eat. this.

Recipe

4 C Rolled Oats

1 C Lecithin Granules

1 C Sunflower Seeds

1 C Sliced Almonds

1 C Ground Flax Seed

1 C Wheat Germ

1/2 C Raisins

2 C Oat Bran
1 C Cubed Pineapple
1/2 C Sliced Strawberries
2 T Coconut
1 T Honey

Have a wonderful weekend!

Q&A: Cream and Sugar Kickstart Alternatives

I received this great question from one of my readers:

Morning Routine:

I realize 9 times out of 10, I start my day with about 2 tablespoons of refined sugar and about 4 ounces of fatty cream.  I'm talking about my morning coffee of course.

I'm sure a lot of people will tell you, "There is no way I'm giving up my morning coffee and I don't want to drink it black either."
 

So with that, What are some healthy alternatives to the Cream and Sugar kickstart?

I LOVE this question. Love, love love! I am a firm believer in nixing the white stuff in your diet.

Let's talk natural alternatives. 

Agave nectar: Sweeter than honey, but a more neutral taste.  Available in liquid form. Agave will easily dissolve in cold drinks (iced coffee, anyone?)  Agave nectar is extracted from the Blue Agave Cactus. Raw agave syrup has a low glycemic index and is absorbed into the body much slower than sugar. It eliminates the highs and lows experienced with eating refined sugar.   
60 calories per 1 Tbs.

Honey: Honey in coffee? Sounds weird, but it's delicious! It's sweeter than sugar and available in liquid (which is what I use) and crystal form. Derived from the nectar of flowers gathered by bees. Very romantic, no? Anti-bacterial and anti-microbial. 
64 calories per 1 Tbs.

Molasses: I LOVE molasses - but not in my coffee. Good to know it's out there, though. It's unrefined/unprocessed and make sure to use the unsulfured stuff.  
58 calories per 1 Tbs.

Sucanat:   It is dehydrated, unprocessed sugar cane juice in the form of fine, ground golden-brown crystals. It's better for baking and will dissolve quicker. Since it maintains its innate molasses, Sucanat has been proven to possess the most nutritional content of any sweetener from the sugar cane plant. The molasses adds a certain richness and also contains significant amounts of iron and calcium. Sucanat possesses far fewer calories than white sugar.  
45 calories per 1 Tbs.

Turbinado: You've seen me use this in my B. Bread Recipe. It comes in coarse ground crystals, which require a good stir in your morning coffee to get it all to dissolve.  When making Turbinado, the juice from the sugar cane plant is extracted, heated and then turned into crystals. This type of sugar does not preserve much of its original molasses content, although it is often used in recipes as a substitute for brown sugar. Like Sucanat, Turbinado also contains far fewer calories than white sugar.  
45 calories per 1 Tbs.


Sugar is easy.  Creamer is a little more difficult...

Cream or creamers can have anywhere from 40-90 calories. In addition, some contain saturated fat and/or trans fat. Yikes!

Skim milk is the obvious best choice at only 10 calories per 2 tablespoons, but making the jump from full-fat to skim can be jarring.  Ease your way down starting with 2%, then 1% and finally down to skim.  Give your tastebuds time to re-adjust!


If you still turn your nose up to the thought of adding skim milk, there are a few other options:

Fat-Free Evaporated Milk:  Obviously this is a more processed choice and definitely not natural, but if you are looking for a creamier alternative, try this.   
25 calories per 2 Tbs.

Soy Creamer: Once again, more processed.  It has less fat and calories than your typical whole milk creamer, but some preservatives, stabilizers, and a little added sugar. BUT it's Vegetarian!  
30 calories per 2 Tbs.

  

Coconut Milk:  Go with unsweetened. Preservatives and stabilizers in this too. TONS of health benefits adding a little coconut into the diet. Source of vitamins, minerals and electrolytes. Also, vegetarian.
15 calories per 2 Tbs.

So there you go!  A few options to try out and see which one tastes best to you! TASTE TEST! :)

A Special Delivery PLUS Banana Bread in a Bowl Oatmeal

Guess what came in the mail today!

Oh yes, I broke down and bought my ABSolute (pun intended) favorite piece of gym equipment off of e-Bay.

Call me silly, but I am obsessed with the Ab Wheel.  Ever since my mom got one off an infomercial many moons ago up, until I was re-introduced to one at the RIT gym, I have been in love.

I can not find a single pilates class, machine, or exercise video that kills my abs like this little baby.  All you have to do is get in a modified push-up position, hold the handles, and roll in and out. Don't forget to keep your tummy tucked to support your back!

I cannot wait for the pain I'm going to be in tomorrow. Ehhh- Call me a masochist! :)  

Speaking of pain, this definitely was NOT.

I like to call it Banana Bread in a Bowl Oatmeal.

• 1 Banana
• 1 Tbs Honey
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 Tbs Chia Seeds
• 1/2 C Oats

Delish!

Happy April Fools!

Weekend Eats and Treats

Oh boy, do I have some catching up to do!  You know those weekends that are really busy, but you don't really know with what?  Well, that was my weekend.

It began with a trip to Fleet Feet for new running shoes! Yay!! My knees were starting to bug me, and I was definitely over due.

These bad boys have seen better days.

Now I have these great little babies.

I think I am going to really like the dark gray.  Won't show the dirt as much. :)

Later that evening, we dug out the ole' charcoal grill from Collin's storage and had The First Grill Night of Nicer-ish Weather!  (I say "nicer-ish" because its only maybe gotten up to 60--But hey! For upstate New York, that's a heat wave!)

 

The burgers were delish, as were the bakery-fresh rolls and the grilled asparagus.  I love grilled asparagus.  Toss in a little olive oil, sprinkle on some seasoning of your choice, roll them around on the grill for a couple of minutes and BAM! Done. :)

Saturday evening, we headed over to the McCormack's for a little post-St. Patrick's Day Celebration.  Collin's mom made traditional Irish cabbage, cooked vegetables and ham.  So good! Juicy and delicious.  Yum!  I had a huge plate, plus cornbread, AND soda bread. Oh my.  I am full just thinking about it.  On top of all that, Katie made Bailey's cheesecake. Needless to say, I left stuffed to the max.

Sunday morning we had fresh pineapple and scrambled eggs with salsa verde. 

Do you live near a Wegmans?  If you do, pick this up!

 I really can't get enough of it.  

Sunday was grocery shopping day.  I got lots of yummy stuff.  

I think I need a bigger basket...

Here's a tip for you:  Clean and cut a few fresh veggies.  That way it's easier to throw together a quick salad or healthy snack.

Store them in tupperware and you're ready to go!

I also made a big pot of Quinoa (pronounced Keen-Wah).

For those who may be unfamiliar with this grain, quinoa is a complete protein, meaning in contains all of the essential amino acids.  It's also high in dietary fiber, phosphorus, magnesium and iron.  Also, it's gluten-free!

It's super easy to cook.  Just like rice.  I put this in tupperware too.  I have some delicious meals in my future!

Speaking of delicious meals, check out this breakfast.

I die.  Every bite was heaven.

This is my Superhero Oatmeal topped with:

• 1 Tablespoon of Chia Seeds (soaked with the cereal)
• 1 Tablespoon Nutella
• A handful of raspberries
• Sprinkling of Shredded Coconut

Certainly a great way to start my week off!  Hope you are having a great Monday too!

Superhero Oatmeal

After my last rant regarding McDonald's oatmeal, I figured it would only be fair to provide you with a healthy alternative.

Delicious, wholesome goodness.  And I'm not talking just your everyday Quaker Oats Oatmeal. Oh no.  This is special oatmeal.  I may even go so far as to call it Superhero Oatmeal.

First things first, the recipe:

 

4 C Rolled Oats

1 C Lecithin Granules

1 C Sunflower Seeds

1 C Sliced Almonds

1 C Ground Flax Seed

1 C Wheat Germ

1/2 C Raisins

2 C Oat Bran

Note: I buy/prepare in bulk. Each mixture is approximately 24 servings . 

It's just easier and cheaper that way.  Remember, I am a poor college student.

Here is the recipe analysis I created at SparkPeople.com

Every morning, after a night filled with sweet dreams, I head to the kitchen, and make myself a delicious bowl of this superfood.  Half a cup is enough for me.

It's best if you let it soak overnight, but at least a half hour works, so plan ahead.  I let it soak in water but skim milk is also a great option.  You can eat it hot or cold, although I prefer mine hot.  One minute and 15 seconds in the microwave seems to bring it to just the right temperature.  Add milk, protein powder, chia seeds, fresh fruit...the possibilities are endless!

YUM!

"What makes it Superhero Oatmeal," you ask.  Well, I will tell you.

Rolled Oats and Oat Bran are high in Insoluble Fiber which helps promote feelings of satiety, lower the occurrence of obesity, insulin resistance, inflammation, and heart disease.   They help reduces LDL Levels and provide a good source of Vitamin E, Zinc, Selenium, Copper, Iron and Manganese.

Lecithin has been found to positively affect cardiovascular health by lowering cholesterol.  It promotes liver health and aids in the breakdown of fat.

Flax is high in Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids which has been found to be protective against cancer and acts as an anti-inflammatory. 

Sounds good to me!  Now go and start your morning right, Superhero style!