Honey Nut Oatmeal with Apples

I highly admire several food activists fighting Big Food these days. One of my idols right now is Andy Bellatti, a registered dietitian from Seattle. He's one of the best tweeters, constantly posting clever, educational, and witty updates. He's also friendly and helpful, and he always answers any questions I ask him.

One of these questions popped up about a month and a half ago. I saw that bizarre PB2 product at the store; it's basically a jar of dried peanut butter, in the form of powder. I rolled my eyes the first time I saw it, but then I couldn't stop thinking about it later. Think of the possibilities! And what would it be like in my oatmeal? Wouldn't it be like using cocoa powder instead of chocolate syrup (not to suggest chocolate syrup is in any way nutritionally similar to peanut butter!)?

So, I asked Andy what his opinion of PB2 was. Not surprisingly, he replied passionately that this product was a prime example of the narrow view of nutrition, focusing just on calories and fat content. He pointed out that peanut butter is full of healthy fats, and reducing it to a reduced-fat powder takes away its nutritional value. My question ignited such a passion in him, in fact, that he wrote up an entire blog post about it the very next day. At least I can say I inspired him, right?

But here's the thing: I do understand that peanut butter has healthy fats...which is why I eat it by the truckloads every day! But as someone with IBS (which makes me sensitive to fatty foods, no matter if it's healthy fats or not!), replacing one of these multiple servings with PB2 would ease some of my discomfort.

In the end, I purchased a jar (mostly out of curiosity). This product appeared to be safe, so even though I agree with Andy that it's nutritionally inadequate compared to the real deal, I thought it was a fine ingredient for oatmeal.

Here is my favorite recipe with PB2. The flavors are warm and comforting, like apple pie (only better, in my opinion). This particular bowl of oatmeal ranks as one of my top favorite recipes!

Here's what I did:

1. Begin bringing one cup of liquid (I used almond milk) to a boil. While it's heating, add two spoonfuls of PB2, and then whisk until any clumps are gone.

2. When the liquid begins to boil, add 1/2 cup of regular rolled oats (and, optionally, a spoonful of milled flax). Stir.

3. Dice and add an apple (I only used half an apple) into the cooking oats.

4. Once the oatmeal has thickened up a bit, add a splash of vanilla extract, a pinch of salt, some cinnamon, and some peanuts or almonds. I also added raisins. (At this point, I also added a spoonful of coconut oil, but that's totally optional [I'm on a high-calorie diet]).

5. When you're pleased with the consistency of the oatmeal, transfer to a bowl and drizzle generously with honey. You could also add another splash of liquid, but I didn't this time. Enjoy!

**You can check out my other oatmeal recipes here, or by clicking the oatmeal tag. You can also find dozens of other oatmeal recipes on my Pinterest board (along with tons of other meatless recipes!). Thanks!

My Oatmeal "Secrets" Answered

You may have stumbled upon a few of my oatmeal recipes by now. I have several, after all. :)

And during this excursion, you might have read some of my directions and asked, "Why?" Thus, I've decided to make one post explaining all of my slightly quirky oatmeal tricks.

The Mashed Banana?
The mashed banana appears in some expected recipes, like Dark Chocolate Banana, but it also pops up in a couple strange recipes, like Lemon Poppyseed and Thin Mints. Why? First of all, with intense flavors like lemon or mint, it completely overpowers the banana taste. The banana, then, is merely used to sweeten the porridge. For example, without the banana in Lemon Poppyseed, the oatmeal would taste like citrus mixed with a hay bale. Additionally, the banana serves three more purposes: to include a serving of fruit in my breakfast, add a creamy texture, and bulk up the volume of the porridge! Not bad, eh?

Flax?
I always mark this as optional in my recipes, and I imagine most people take me up on the offer to forego it. Here's why you shouldn't: flax tastes great, helps the texture of the oatmeal, and is an excellent source of fiber and omega-3 fatty acids (so it's good for your digestion AND your heart!). Flax has a wonderful nutty taste that is especially wonderful in oatmeals with less intense flavors (e.g. Apple Cinnamon). Plus, it helps the oatmeal gel together; after all, flax is used as an egg substitute in vegan baking! It's like dropping an egg into your bowl, without the cholesterol and saturated fat. I use milled flax, flax seeds, or a mixture of the two!

Almond Milk?
You can use whatever milk you want. My favorites are almond and coconut. Why? They taste good, and they're easy on my digestive system (dairy upsets my IBS).

Half Almond Milk, Half Water?
I once saw a European comment on a food blog once about how strange Americans are for cooking their oats in water. She viewed this as evidence of our self-hatred. This made me laugh (and think), but here's the thing: almond milk is expensive! By mixing it with half water, I can essentially double my supply. Plus, almond milk (and most nondairy milks) is pretty thick, so watering it down isn't a problem.

1/2 an Apple/Banana/Whatever?
Whenever I write to use half a fruit, I always imagine people reading it and thinking, "WTF?! What do I do with the other half??" Well, if you haven't learned by now, I'm really cheap. Because I've committed to more expensive higher quality food, I've had to save money in other ways--watering down my almond milk, buying overripe bananas in bulk, and only using half a fruit at a time. For bananas, I slice up the remainder and add it to a bag in the freezer, which I use later to make banana soft serve. For apples and grapefruit, I store the other half in a Glad container in the fridge. The next morning, I have another half an apple waiting for me! You might be thinking, "But apples brown when you cut them!!" Relax. They work great for oatmeal. You're just cooking them again, anyway! And they don't actually brown that much, in my experience.

When to Add What?
I understand my directions aren't always the easiest to follow. That's because oatmeal is difficult to screw up. Really, it all comes down to timing. For apples, bananas, and frozen fruit, I add those almost immediately after adding the oats (to soften them and let them become "one" with the porridge). Fresh stone fruits, like peaches, can also be stirred in early on. For fresh berries, I add them closer to the end, or even as toppings at the very end, so they don't collapse and lose all their flavor and appeal.

When adding flavor enhancers, like vanilla or almond extract, I wait until the oatmeal has thickened up (and about 2/3 of the liquid has been absorbed or evaporated). I'm afraid of adding them earlier because I don't want the extract to evaporate with the simmering almond milk/water. I could be totally wrong about this; I'm just following my instinct.

For cocoa powder, I will typically add it when the liquid is half absorbed. Don't wait too long because the powder needs some liquid to mix with. For chocolate chips, save them until the end to sprinkle on as toppings! Otherwise, they'll melt in right away--which defeats the purpose!

"Finish with Another Splash of Milk?"
I end all my recipes with this line. I never did this until I saw pictures of other people's oatmeal, which always had milk poured on top. I decided to try it once, and I instantly recognized the appeal. Splashing some milk over your finished oatmeal serves three purposes: it cools it down so you can eat it without burning yourself, adds one more source of creaminess and milky flavor, and moistens it up again, especially if you accidentally overcooked your oats. From an aesthetic perspective, it also makes your breakfast look more appealing. :) So don't skip the splash!

Without the splash of almond milk, this bowl of Thin Mints Oatmeal would just be a brown blob.

Almonds?
Yes, I use almonds frequently. Many times, a different nut would fit the recipe better. In such cases, I'll say so ("I suggest pecans or walnuts"). However, I can't afford to have a variety of nuts on hand. I can barely afford to have one type of nut on hand. Since almonds are my favorite, I buy them in bulk from Sam's Club, so I always have plenty to add to my oatmeal, even if a different nut would fit better.

No sugar?
Sugar is for ninnies. I "quit" instant flavored oatmeal because of the sugar content (and artificial flavors), so sugar is one thing I never add to my porridge. Occasionally, I'll add honey, but that's more for its flavor than its sweetness. If you're not hardcore like me, feel free to add some sugar, but please, for the love of Michael Buble, do not use Splenda on any of my recipes--nothing would offend me more!

**You can check out my other oatmeal recipes here, or by clicking the oatmeal tag. You can also find dozens of other oatmeal recipes on my Pinterest board (along with tons of other meatless recipes!). Thanks!

Lauren the Baker

As much of a Debutante I am with the stove, I'm even worse with the oven. I used to love baking when I lived with my parents. My mom decorates cake as a hobby/side job, so I had tons of baking tools and recipes at my disposal. I used to bake cupcakes for my boyfriend-at-the-time's family for their birthdays; it's no wonder I was so popular at their house! :)

However, I lost my interest after I got sick of doing the dishes. That's the worst part about baking: tons and tons and tons of dishes.

I also lost interest when I went to college and eventually got an apartment. Once I was buying my own groceries, buying ingredients like powdered sugar, cream cheese, and mass amounts of eggs seemed like such a waste, especially when I was devoting my financial resources toward whole foods and organic produce.

Lately, however, I've been into baking again, but a different kind: healthy baking. Eggless, sugarless, dairyless baking. It's an interesting challenge, but it gives me something different to include in my bento box at school.

When I say healthy baking, I don't mean a cookie with some oatmeal thrown in. I'm so tired of people bastardizing the word "healthy" (I'm looking at you, Pinterest users!). "Healthy" is not reduced-fat cream cheese. "Healthy" is not sugar-free jello. "Healthy" is not apple pie, strawberry ice cream, or banana bread. Including a fruit does not negate the sugar and fat. It's still a dessert. You could say "homemade." You could say "lightened up." You could say, "Made from fresh-picked apples!" But it's not "healthy."

I'm talking about dense and hearty gems concocted from mashed bananas, peanut butter, flax, oatmeal, and other whole ingredients. No sugar. No butter. No egg. No white flour. I look for the most healthful ingredients, and cut out the unnecessary ones. This is what attracts me to vegan recipes so often--the ingredients are typically unprocessed and nutritious. After all, vegan bakers are experts at replacing butter and eggs!

My bakery items are not what most people would consider "dessert," but for my everyday purposes, they're perfect. It's like taking a healthy and nutritious bowl of oatmeal and turning it into a baked good.

Like these banana-oatmeal muffins. Filling, flavorful, and hearty. And to push them over the top, I spread peanut butter on them. :)

I adapted them from this recipe. Although the actual recipe is very respectable, I used flax instead of eggs, and instead of chocolate chips, I went for a more banana-bread-like flavor, so I skipped the chips and added cinnamon instead. Mmm!

If you're also interested in unsweetened (and/or vegan!) baking recipes, check out this blog--she has lots of great healthified takes on classic desserts (although I'm unsure of the Stevia thing, so I avoid that)! I've made the chocolate chip cookies (contains some brown sugar) and breakfast cookies. They were both great!

Coconut Quinoa and Apple Salad

Salad is, like, my thing right now.

And I don't mean iceberg lettuce and cheese. I mean good salads. Super salads. Powerhouse salads.

My world changed a month or two ago when I suddenly realized that I could put fruit on salads. I've always made mine with things like broccoli, hard-boiled eggs, carrots, feta, etc. But then Pinterest came along, and I started collecting super salads. And then I found this recipe, with quinoa cooked in coconut milk. I was sold.

The problem is that I can't afford to buy pomegranate every week. So I adapted the recipe to my budget level. But that doesn't mean it's less awesome; I found it equally enchanting to my taste buds. :) It also fills me up without weighing me down! I love this dish.

They may not be pomegranates...but how can you not like APPLES?!

Coconut Quinoa and Apple Salad

Adapted from the Sprouted Kitchen

1/2 c coconut milk

1/4 c quinoa

1 heaping plate full of greens! (Either spinach or mixed baby greens, like I used)

1/2 an apple, diced

handful of raisins

small handful of sliced almonds

For a citrusy drizzle:

1 tbsp. lemon, lime, or orange juice (I used lime)

1/2 tbsp. olive oil

dash of salt

splash of coconut milk (optional)

1. Bring the coconut milk to a boil, add the quinoa, and reduce heat to low or medium low. Simmer for 15 minutes. Be careful! Sometimes it cooks weirdly fast, and I'll return to the stove to find it dried out and burnt to the bottom of the pan. I hate that! In other words, check on it occasionally. You may need to add more milk or turn down your burner.

2. Cook until the quinoa is cooked (not hard) and the liquid is mostly absorbed. Transfer to a bowl and place in a fridge. I like to spread it out so it cools faster. (I also make the quinoa in a larger batch and just keep it stocked in my fridge, so I always have some cooled coconut quinoa ready!)

3. Prepare the rest of your salad while the quinoa is cooling. On top of your "heaping plate full of greens," add the diced apple (I used organic Braeburn), raisins, and sliced almonds. 

4. Mix together the ingredients for the citrusy drizzle. I like it with the coconut milk because it makes the whole salad all wonderfully coconuty.

5. Spoon the quinoa over the salad. It might be a little warm still, but I didn't mind that. If that bothers you, you can wait until it cools more.

6. Drizzle on the citrusy dressing, and munch, munch, munch!

Probably the healthiest thing I've ever eaten four days in a row.

Uncooperative Intestines

Exactly one year ago, I realized something was wrong with me. A friend and I went to pick up some lunch before our second-to-last performance of the show we were in, but I noticed that I still felt weirdly full. I hadn't eaten anything since breakfast that morning (which was most likely a bowl of oatmeal, or an omelette).

But it was lunch time, and I needed to eat something before my long afternoon. So I had a minuscule bowl of chicken and dumpling soup. Immediately afterwards, the fullness feeling intensified. I felt like I had just finished a Thanksgiving dinner!

After the afternoon show, we had a little over an hour before we had to be back for the final evening show. I was still full, even after the intense dancing, but once again I thought I had to eat something. So I made a small salad.

When I thought about it, I realized I had noticed these feelings throughout the entire week, but they seemed to be getting worse. I knew no other way to interpret these feelings than, "I'm eating too much." Why else would I feel full all the time?

Unfortunately, this caused a period of several months in which I continued feeling more and more full, consumed less and less, and lost more and more weight. It wasn't until the end of March when my aunt made a comment to my mom about my Facebook pictures that I realized something was horribly wrong.

(FYI: No worries, I have since gained that weight back.)

I told my mom about how I thought I had been overeating because I always felt full. I spent a long time on Google, and when I found several sites stating that a feeling of fullness is a symptom of ovarian cancer, we made a doctor's appointment.

The doctor actually laughed when I told her my suspicion. She eventually sent me to the GI specialists, the thyroid specialists, etc. Everything they tested came back negative, which means I ate radioactive scrambled eggs for nothing. ;)

It's been a year, and as I write this post, I am feeling incredibly, miserably, frustratingly full after eating a nutritious and delicious bowl of oatmeal an hour and a half ago (and you've seen my oatmeal recipes, so you know they are a perfectly reasonable portion size). You'd think I would have gotten used to the feeling by now, but it's just as frustrating as ever. Sometimes, I become so disgruntled that I sincerely believe the only solution is to fast for the rest of my life, but then the voice of reason tells me to eat through the pain.

As you can imagine, this problem is especially annoying to a food lover like me. I will often be in the kitchen preparing an elaborate meal for dinner, and I'll sit down with something like this or this (which were both amazing, by the way), and I'll still feel full from LUNCH. But I have to eat anyway.

But this weekend, my mom and I figured it out. It's my IBS. Duh.

What particularly baffles me is how none of my doctors could come up with a solution this obvious. Instead, they scheduled me for appointment after appointment to perform upper endoscopies, elaborate x-rays, blood tests, ultrasounds--y'know, all the things that help them make lots of money.

So I've identified the problem, but what's the solution? I'm already doing all the steps to reduce my symptoms (small but frequent meals, exercise, high fiber, no caffeine, etc.), but it's still affecting me. This must stop!

The Best Day

I have had the best day ever. Well, kind of. But it does really seem like things are going my way today.

I started my day off right with some fun and delicious Choconut Oatmeal.

For lunch, I made linguini with my homemade tomato sauce and lentil balls, with a salad consisting of baby greens, grapefruit segments, raisins, sunflower seeds, and a raspberry-lime-coconut vinaigrette.

In the afternoon, I dragged myself to the wellness center. I really didn't want to be there. But after just 2 laps of running, I suddenly felt great. I knew I was going to run more than a mile. Gleefully, I ran a mile and a half...which sounds anticlimactic, but not if you consider that I haven't run more than a mile at a time since high school. I was considering continuing to two miles, but then my lungs really started hurting, so I wimped out. :)

Then I went to my beloved grocery store, which I actually haven't been to for nearly two weeks! And wouldn't you know it? They've expanded the health market section. And guess what one of the many new products is? A blend of almond milk and coconut milk. I'M NOT MAKING THIS UP. I was so excited that I opened it up as soon as I got to the car and took a swig. Such an interesting flavor! It begins with that typical nutty flavor I know and love, but then it hits you with the coconut. Bam!

Soon, it was time to make dinner. I had purchased all the ingredients to make this fantastic shredded brussels sprouts and apple salad...including the tofu. I really hate tofu. Or at least I thought I did. But then I read somewhere that if you tried tofu and didn't like it, it's because it wasn't prepared right. So I decided to give it another chance.

Um, this salad is possibly the best thing I have ever made (although I'm not sure it could beat my chili...or roasted butternut squash and kale pizza). I have been allllll about interesting salads lately (check out my Pinterest board!), but this one just blew me away. Charred, flavorful, sweet from the apples, crunchy from the almonds (I used sliced almonds instead of pine nuts), and.....that TOFU. I caramelized mine by sauteing it with olive oil, salt, garlic, and blackstrap molasses. It was crisp and sweet and smokey and wonderful...and it didn't taste anything like that dreadful sponge in the package!

Let me make this clear: if you've tried tofu and didn't like it, it's because it wasn't prepared right.

And then, just because I was so delighted with the world and needed some dessert, I made a glass of pina colada soft serve, with just three beautiful ingredients: frozen bananas, frozen pineapple, and coconut milk. And gosh darn it, it was the perfect ending to a great day. It was super healthy, yet it tasted far more rich and decadent than a brownie, or my mother's amazing baked cheesecake.

I tell you, my friends: clean eating is a blast and a half.

Choconut oatmeal

One of my favorite things about adopting a more healthful diet is that it taught me to try new foods. My diet used to consist of various combinations of potatoes, ground beef, corn, and Campbell's Condensed Cream of Chicken, with occasional doses of Cheetos, Lucky Charms, and Toaster Strudels. Anything beyond that, I hated. If it didn't taste exactly like something my mom made, I would turn my nose up.

Opening my mind to all foods has really helped me embrace all flavors and textures. Many foods that I hated five years ago have now become some of my favorites.

One food in particular has really captivated me lately: coconut. I had always hated it. I hated german chocolate cake because of the coconut. I hated Samoas because of the coconut. I hated coconut cream pie because of the coconut.

Perhaps it was Malibu (and Pina Coladas) that helped me acquire a taste for it, but I've lately been coconut crazy. I bought some coconut milk yesterday to make this coconut quinoa salad for dinner--which was beyond delicious--and this morning I used it to create this chocolatey coconut oatmeal. Or, as I like to call it, Choconut Oatmeal. :)

Choconut Oatmeal

• 1 c coconut milk
• 1/2 c old-fashioned (rolled) oats
• 1 tbsp. flax or chia (optional)
• 1 tsp. cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp. chocolate or carob chips (I used Nestle dark chocolate)
• shredded coconut (I didn't have this, so I skipped it)

1. Bring coconut milk to a boil. Add oats and flax, and reduce heat to medium. Stir frequently.

2. After several minutes, add the cocoa powder. You could also use chocolate chips here instead, but I wanted to keep the added sugar to a minimum, so I used cocoa powder. It takes a little longer to mix in, though.

3. When the oatmeal is done, transfer to a bowl and top with chocolate chips, shredded coconut, and another splash of coconut milk. As you can see from my picture, I stirred half of my chips in and then added the other half on top. 

I rarely have oatmeal with no fruit. To compensate, I followed up this beautiful bowl with a gorgeous grapefruit (so much alliteration!). I always aim for 4-6 servings of fruit and vegetables a day.

**You can check out my other oatmeal recipes here, or by clicking the oatmeal tag. You can also find dozens of other oatmeal recipes on my Pinterest board (along with tons of other meatless recipes!). Thanks!

Thin Mints Oatmeal

I have a love-hate relationship with bananas. In general, I kind of hate them. I rarely eat them plain; their taste and texture make me gag a little if I'm not in the right mood. On the other hand, they are just wonderful. They are a natural sweetener, super cheap, and versatile. I can put them in sandwiches, smoothies, oatmeal, or baked goods, which is why--despite my on-and-off hatred of them--I almost always have some on the counter.

The fruit I have available typically dictates what kind of oatmeal I'll make for breakfast. For the most part, I mainly switch back and forth between apple cinnamon oatmeal and banana bread oatmeal, but sometimes I get creative. This was one of those mornings.

I had one banana left on the counter, and it was looking pretty sad and close to death. I was much more in the mood for apple cinnamon, but that banana demanded my attention, and soon. Begrudgingly, I began cooking the oats and mashing the banana.

But then I had the idea: mint chocolate chip. Why not? It's not just an ice cream flavor, after all. The Girl Scouts proved that mint chocolate chip makes an excellent cookie as well, and anything that makes a good cookie will also make a good oatmeal. That's my theory, anyway.

How does a banana fit into the equation? Just like I used it for my lemon poppy seed oatmeal, the banana sweetens the oatmeal, and it also bulks it up both literally and nutritionally! Because of the strength of peppermint oil, you most definitely will not taste the banana. Which is exactly what I wanted that day. No banana.

I was surprised by how much I liked this oatmeal. It was somehow refreshing and hearty at the same time!

Mint Chocolate Chip Oatmeal (or, "Thin Mints Oatmeal")

• 1 c of milk, water, or a combination (I use half water and half almond milk)
• 1/2 c Old-Fashioned Oats
• 1 tbsp. milled flax (optional)
• 1 mashed ripe banana
• 2 tbsp. cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp. peppermint oil or extract
• 1 tbsp. dark or semisweet chocolate or carob chips

1. Bring your water/milk mixture to a slight boil. Add the oats and flax and reduce heat to medium.

2. Mash up your banana so no chunks are left. If you don't mash it enough, you'll end up getting tastes of banana during your mint chocolate chip experience, which is not ideal. Once it's all perfectly mashed, add to the pot.

3. Wait until the oatmeal has thickened up, and then stir in the cocoa powder. Stir, and watch your oatmeal transform into fudgy goodness. Next, add the peppermint oil and stir again.

4. Serve the oatmeal with another splash of milk, and then sprinkle some chocolate chips on top.

You could also top it off with other mix-ins, like nuts or shredded coconut. I left mine plain.

Aaaaand now I really need to do some homework. :)

**You can check out my other oatmeal recipes here, or by clicking the oatmeal tag. You can also find dozens of other oatmeal recipes on my Pinterest board (along with tons of other meatless recipes!). Thanks!

Mint chocolate chip "ice cream"

My favorite flavor of ice cream is mint chocolate chip. Sadly, I cannot remember the last time I had it. In fact, I can't even remember the last time I bought ice cream. 

I never made a conscious decision to avoid ice cream; my body just did it naturally. Whenever the option was presented to me, my digestive system practically sobbed in horror. It got out its iPhone and sent some fiery tweets to my brain, forcing it to imagine the inevitable gutache that would result from those few scoops. Like this:

@stomach: @brain Don't do it. You'll regret it.
@brain: @stomach Dude, back off. I'm not afraid of a little dessert.
@stomach: @brain Don't eat the ice cream.

@brain: @stomach But it's really good!

@stomach: @brain You know what's NOT good? Being imprisoned in your bathroom with upset stomach, having post-dessert regret. 

@brain: @stomach It won't be that bad...

@stomach: @brain ...remember last time?

@brain: RT @stomach Don't eat the ice cream.

So you can imagine the joy of both my brain AND stomach when I discovered a digestion-friendly alternative to my beloved mint chocolate chip. 

I've been eating "frozen banana soft serve" for at least half a year now. Even though it's an amazing alternative to ice cream, I sometimes got sick of the banana taste (note: in some variations, you can't taste the banana at all! I'm just too cheap and lazy to invest in other ingredients). That is, until I bought myself a spiffy bottle of peppermint oil.

I blend some frozen banana slices with whatever milk I have on hand (almond, soy, coconut, rice) and a few drops of peppermint oil. Then I stir in a small handful of dark chocolate chips. And voila! Mint chocolate chip " ice cream" that doesn't taste like bananas OR make me miserable for hours afterwards!

A rather liquidy version, right after blending. You can make it thicker by using less liquid (if your blender
 can handle it) or placing it in the freezer for a short time.

Here are my other favorite mix-ins for banana soft serve:

- a spoonful of peanut butter and a dash of cinnamon (works well as a green smoothie as well)
- half a teaspoon of jam and a drop of almond extract
- coconut milk and frozen pineapple (a creamy Piña Colada!)
- berries and almond extract
- berries and chocolate chips

Meatless Meatball Marinara

Behold! Heaven on bread. Actually, the bread was heaven, too... Heaven on a plate.

It's even better than the Christmas decorations.

Yes, I know I said I was going to make this two days ago, but you know how life goes. So TODAY, I finally got to work.

Even in my meat-eating days, I've only had a meatball marina sub once. It was last April, right after I temporarily switched to a high-calorie diet. My friend Natalie and I decided to meet for lunch at Subway. I had always gotten the same sub (turkey), but I realized suddenly that this was an excellent opportunity to carelessly pile on the calories. Eagerly, I went on the Subway website and checked out the nutritional information. I scanned the chart for the highest calorie sandwiches. Bam! Meatball marinara. At the time, it was second only to the Big Philly Cheesesteak (although they have since added more in the 500-calorie range).

Oh man. It was pretty good. I am a little skeptical about Subway, due to the high sodium, controversial ingredients in their "fresh" bread, and that AWFUL smell of the restaurants that just CLINGS to your clothes for hours, but this sub was delicious. In a wrong, sick way.

I'm not sure how I got the idea to recreate this sandwich. I've been wanting to incorporate more lentils into my diet, so I was thinking of making meatballs again. And this idea came to me. I was planning on just using regular bread, or perhaps "Thin Buns" (I love those things), but then something better stumbled into my hands. My boss randomly makes Italian-herb baguettes from time to time, and on Tuesday, he had a loaf for me.

He said to me, "When you leave tonight, you can take one of those loaves."

I pursed my lips thoughtfully and replied, "Hmm....maybe!"

To which he replied with a smile, "Oh no, that wasn't a request. That was an order. You're taking one of those loaves." ;)

And then I realized this bread would be perfect for my sandwich. So after weeks of considering this recipe, I finally put it into execution.

The meatballs are adapted from my favorite veggie burger recipe, Jennifer Perillo's lentil burgers. I have raved about these before. They rock, and they're so versatile! When I made this batch, I didn't even shape any of them into patties; I put them all in balls. Some were used for this sandwich, some will be used for pasta, and others will be crumbled up for other things (pasta, chili, etc.). Love this stuff.

Lauren's Lentil Balls

Adapted from lentil burgers from In Jennie's Kitchen

• 1 1/2 cups cooked lentils
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp. water
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 cup oat bran (OR breadcrumbs)
• 1 tsp. sage
• 1 tsp. fennel
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Cook the onions in a tablespoon or two of oil over medium high heat until translucent. Remove from heat. (I did this step while my lentils were simmering).

Transfer lentils to a large bowl. Mash or puree with a stick/immersion blender (or do this in your food processor). DON'T puree it all the way! I keep around half of them whole.

In a small bowl, mix water, oil, and baking powder. This is the replacement for the egg (which I never seem to have on hand these days; I guess you could say I've taken on a vegan-inclined diet when cooking at home). So alternatively, you could just use an egg. :) Add the mixture, OR a lightly beaten egg, to the lentils.

Add the onion and oat bran. Mix. Add sage, fennel, black pepper, and salt. Mix again.

Shape into your preferred shape. The possibilities are endless! In fact, I bet if you added more spices (cayenne!!), they would transform into some fantastic breakfast sausages. :)

Refrigerate them for an hour or two (or longer!) before frying in a little oil on all sides.

For the meatball marina sandwich:

After the meatballs were browned on all sides, I added the marina to the pan. As it turns out, this was a terrible idea. Hot pan + cold sauce = sizzle, splatter, and hiss. Duh! (Proof that I'm still a kitchen debutante.) Try heating up the marina separately before adding!

I cut off a 5-inch chunk of the baguette and sliced it in half. I toasted it slightly on our Pizzazz. :)

And then I assembled it all. :) And DANG. It tasted SO GOOD. I actually felt a sense of loss when I had finished it all. I will definitely be using the remains of my baguette to repeat this meal!

The Oatmeal Addict

I really love oatmeal. It's not just something I eat in the winter time, and it's not something I eat once a month. I have it at least four times a week, all year round.

I had oatmeal for the first time two years ago, during my sophomore year of college. I knew I needed more soluble fiber in my diet to get my digestion issues under control, but I also wanted a low-cal option to help me lose my freshmen you-don't-even-want-to-know-how-much.

I first tried the Quaker Instant Banana Bread flavor. Wow. I can remember being a little apprehensive of it at first (so mushy!), but the flavor appealed to me, so I stuck with it. By the time I finished that box, I was hooked.

That year, when I was home for spring break, all my mom had in the pantry was the giant carton of instant Quaker oats. I was so addicted to my daily bowl of oatmeal that I was willing to try it out.

I made it like I used to make Cream of Wheat. After I took it out of the microwave, I added butter, cinnamon, and sugar. And then I tried it. And gagged. So I added chocolate. And gagged again.

Flavored oatmeal packets spoil your taste buds with artificial flavoring and tons of sugar. And if you don't know how to prepare unflavored oatmeal properly (which I didn't), it makes the transition even more appalling.

Dark Chocolate Banana Oatmeal

Needless to say, I have come a long way. I now find flavored oatmeal packets revolting (although I still smile as I remember my mornings in my dorm room, digging into a warm bowl of Banana Bread goodness while I checked my Facebook). And I can whip up a mean bowl of oatmeal.

So, my Christmas present from me to you:

5 Easy, Adaptable Oatmeal Recipes

Dark Chocolate Banana Oatmeal

There are several ways to achieve this, but my favorite is by using Dark Chocolate almond milk. Which is heavenly, but I rarely let myself buy it because it's what I call a "frivolous purchase." But when I do buy it, I always make sure to have bananas on hand so I can make this delightful breakfast.

• 1/4 cup Dark Chocolate almond milk
• 1/4 cup regular almond milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup Old-Fashioned/Regular Rolled Oats
• 1 ripe banana
• additional mix-ins (I suggest chopped almonds or walnuts)

Bring milks and water to a boil. Add oats. Reduce heat to medium. Mash half the banana and mix it into the cooking oatmeal. Slice the other half of banana and add to the pot. Stir occasionally until oatmeal is thick and creamy. Add chopped almonds or walnuts. Serve with another splash of regular almond milk.

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

This is one of my favorites to make, simply because I friggin' love apples!

• 1/2 cup regular Almond Milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup Old Fashioned/Regular Rolled Oats
• 1/2 (or a full) medium apple (I typically put in about 1/3 of an apple and eat the rest sliced with peanut butter)
• vanilla extract
• cinnamon
• additional mix-ins (I suggest chopped almonds and raisins)

Brink milk and water to a boil and add oats. Reduce heat to medium. Slice and dice about half an apple, or all of it if you want. When oatmeal gets closer to finished, add a splash of vanilla extract (maybe 1/2 a tsp or so?) and a bunch of cinnamon. Add almonds, raisins, whatever. Serve with another splash of almond milk and another sprinkling of cinnamon.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal

This one is easy, but so delicious.

• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup Old Fashioned/Regular Rolled Oats
• peanut butter
• vanilla extract
• cinnamon
• additional mix-ins (nuts, raisins, banana, jelly, sunflower seeds, etc.)

Brink milk and water to a boil and add oats. Reduce heat to medium. Wait until the oatmeal thickens up a little bit, and then add a spoonful or two of peanut butter, a splash of vanilla extract, and a sprinkling of cinnamon. Add any other mix-ins you desire, and serve with another splash of almond milk.

Oatmeal with Jam, Jelly, or Preserves

This one is super easy. It's my go-to recipe when I have no fruit or peanut butter on hand.

• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup Old Fashioned/Regular Rolled Oats
• any flavor jam, jelly, preserve, or fruit butter (peach, strawberry, or raspberry work beautifully for this recipe)
• 1/2 tsp almond or vanilla extract
• additional mix-ins (I go with my standard: raisins and chopped almonds)

Brink milk and water to a boil and add oats. Reduce heat to medium. Wait until the oatmeal thickens. Add a heaping spoonful of jam/jelly, and then the almond extract. Stir (a lot) until the jelly mixes into the oatmeal; this takes some patience. Add other mix-ins and serve with another splash of almond milk.

Oatmeal with Fresh Fruit

Out of all my "creative" oatmeal recipes, this one--in all its simplicity--continues to be my favorite. I have two versions: one with almond extract, and one with vanilla and cinnamon. It's so simple, I'm not even going to write a recipe. For blueberries and cherries, I suggest almond extract. For everything else, I suggest vanilla extract and cinnamon.

Add your fruit right away (unless you're using blueberries. Add those when you would add your "mix-ins" or they'll pop and stain your oatmeal all blue). Wait until your oatmeal thickens, and then add extract (and cinnamon, if you're using vanilla). Then add the other mix-ins.

Cinnamon Oatmeal with Fresh Peaches

**You can check out my other oatmeal recipes here, or by clicking the oatmeal tag. You can also find dozens of other oatmeal recipes on my Pinterest board (along with tons of other meatless recipes!). Thanks!

Run, Lauren, Run!

Okay. I hate exercising. Like, I really hate it. That is, traditional exercising: running, lifting weights, etc. Not only am I clearly a descendant of the sloth, but I also just get bored. I listen to music and everything, but the whole time I'm running, all I can think is, "Ughhhh, so bored, wanna stop, I have so many other things to do right now, so bored, how much farther? Ugh...so bored...so bored.......so bored..."

Being in Ireland really got my legs going. All that walking!! After returning to Amurrica, I spent the month of August speed walking and even jogging around the nearby track. I was doing great...until school came along.

Not only does school suck up all my time, but now I have to deal with the weather. As someone who suffers from Seasonal Affective Disorder (diagnosed by myself, of course), every single ounce of motivation to go outside and exercise disappears the second the thermometer drops below 35 and the wind picks up to over 10 mph. Yeah, I'm a wimp.

But I read this article today called "Diabetes a growing threat to young and slim," and it's basically about seemingly healthy girls getting Type II Diabetes because they only focus on diet and don't exercise, creating a "skinny-fat" atmosphere in your body:

"A big skinny-fat risk factor? Neglecting exercise and regulating weight through food choices alone, a behavior plenty of young women in our diet-obsessed, desk-strapped culture are prone to. Turns out, breaking a sweat is key in lowering blood sugar, because even moderate exercise causes muscles to suck up glucose at 20 times the normal rate (regular workouts are also the only way to shed visceral fat)."

Fudgecracker! That's me.


I thought about this for a while and came to the conclusion that if I'm willing to preach to people about eating whole foods, despite the extra time and effort, I should be willing to put more time and effort into my exercise.


But I won't be running. Oh no.


I love cardio. It does feel good. But I only love it if it's in the form of dancing. :) So that's what I do. And that's what I will do now.

This is going to make everyone realize how much of a loser I am, but I love pulling up Just Dance 1/2/3 videos on YouTube and dancing to them. It's incredibly fun. And it's doable, but still challenging. And it requires me to focus on something OTHER than boredom, school, or life. And it has lots of good songs. And it makes me feel talented (as long as I can't see my reflection anywhere).

Oh yeah, and it makes me sweat and stuff. Without having to go outside. Or run.

And the best part? I didn't have to go out and buy a Wii. Thanks, YouTube!

I will update you on how well my exercising is going. I will test things out for a while and then set some specific goals and expectations for how often I'm going to do it. Because I really don't want Diabetes.

P.S. Happy Veteran's Day!

Chili-Stuffed Acorn Squash

You know I love chili.

Do you see the little black specks? Yeah, I burnt the quinoa.

And you know I love squash.

So I roasted some acorn squash and stuffed it with my bean and quinoa chili.

The more nutritious version of the almighty bread bowl.

And I even thought about sharing my chili recipe this time. But then I tasted it, and realized it wasn't my best. I mean, it was GOOD, but not as good as last time. It was lacking that depth and velvety richness, so I need to figure out what I did differently.

But the dish as a whole...mmm. :) And interestingly, as I was tagging this blog post as "vegetarian," I realized it was also vegan. This exemplifies why I will defend a vegan lifestyle. So often, people assume vegans have nothing to eat except salad. LOOK AT THAT PICTURE. Is that a salad?! No.

So often people claim they could never enjoy a vegetarian or vegan meal. This is why I love informing people when they ARE. For example, I was out for lunch one day in September with my sister and her husband. We all were eating soup: I had tomato, and they had broccoli cheddar. I smiled and said, "Awww, we're all eating vegetarian!!" They both froze for a millisecond, trying to think of a witty comeback, but all they said was "....oh." Zing! I win. :)

Eric Schlosser

This evening, I was blessed with the rare opportunity of meeting one of my biggest heros, Mr. Eric Schlosser.

This is the man who changed my life. This is the man that forced me to think about food in new ways. This is the man who uncovered a passion in me that I had never felt before. This passion for food, health, and sustainable living gave me confidence, energy, and purpose. It gave me an identity. A hobby. A lifestyle.

Growing up in rural South Dakota, I often struggle with the mainstream adoration of biotechnology. I once got in a little debate in class with a bunch of ag education majors who were mocking the organic market. And this is normal for me. So as I sat in the fourth row, seeing Eric Schlosser right there in front of me, speaking about all the things I am most passionate about, knowing many of my friends, peers, and community members were all there listening to it, made me more emotional than I have been since leaving Ireland.

As expected, the question and answer period brought much heated discussion. Every question began with, "I am a family farmer. I actually agree with some of the things you said, but..." And then it went downhill from there.

I noticed quickly during this time that the audience was segregated. Whenever one of these farmers said something, applause roared from the back of the theater. As these farmers were speaking, all the people around me in the front of the theater were rolling their eyes, shaking their heads, and muttering to their neighbors about how embarrassed they were by these members of the opposing viewpoints.

(On one hand, I agree. There were a few comments that just made me duck my head in shame, and they reminded me of why I want to move to Europe. On the other hand, I felt it disrespectful for us to want "the others" to keep their opinions to themselves.)

I used to think I was alone as a food activist in South Dakota, but the segregation of the audience at this event made me realize I'm not alone--I'm just socializing with the wrong people. :) It also makes me realize that there's a distinct segregation in the culture of this community, state, and perhaps the country as a whole. If you look at my school alone, we have the "farm kids" and the "not-farm kids." To say that we don't always see eye to eye  would be an understatement. (One of my best friends comes from a farm....but that's an organic farm, so I don't think that counts).

One question/comment given tonight really caught my attention. A man introduced himself as a family farmer (naturally) and explained that--in this region--it's almost impossible to get ahold of seed that ISN'T genetically modified. The large corporations have taken over so much that even those that WANT to plant non-GMO crops are having a hard time making it happen.

So anyway, let's skip to the happy part. As if hearing him speak wasn't enough of a pleasure, he was also doing a book signing afterwards. I'm not going to lie--I was on the verge of tears. I held them back so people wouldn't think I was crazy. Although, if you saw how much I was shaking and fidgeting around, you'd probably think I was crazy anyway. :)

And then it happened. I stood in line for 10-15 minutes, and then there I was, at the front of the line, nervously pushing my copy of Fast Food Nation toward him.

I said to him, "Thank you so much for being here. Growing up around here, it's just....welll....you heard those attitudes out there, so you know what I'm dealing with. And it's just so....confining and frustrating, and it's just so refreshing to have someone like you come here, so I really appreciate it..thank you so much." And he said that that was great to hear. And then I added that I saw Food Inc. about a year and a half ago, and it just absolutely changed my life. He smiled and said thanks again, and my friend Alex, who was standing next to me, made some comment about how I was boosting his confidence or something? I don't remember. And Eric laughed and replied, "Yeah, I kind of needed that, thank you." :) My schoolmates bruised his ego.. :( And I fixed it. :D

And then I asked for a picture with him. He laughed and said, "Are you sure you won't regret this someday?" He has a fabulous sense of humor.

Now if only I could meet Michael Pollan...

It doesn't run in the family.

As I finished slicing some tomatoes in half and sent them into the oven, my brother (also known as my roommate) walked into the kitchen.

"Look!" I said, proudly pointing to a carton of organic half-and-half on the counter. "I bought organic half-and-half for my homemade tomato soup." I rarely have dairy to begin with (because I'm mildly lactose intolerant), so purchasing organic dairy was new to me (with the exception of organic greek yogurt, when it's on sale).

The look on his face said he was clearly just as excited about this as I was. (...Okay, maybe not.) He nodded once, and then opened the freezer and pulled out a frozen pepperoni pizza.

The juxtaposition of my homemade tomato-with-organic-dairy soup with his frozen pizza made me laugh. A dark, defeated, I-wish-he-would-stop-eating-that-crap laugh, but a laugh nonetheless. I've given up converting my family.

I've had far more luck teaching my friends good habits than my family. I have friends who stopped drinking soda, increased their fruits and vegetables, and switched to whole grains. I have friends who even tried the meatless thing with me (hey, Alex!). But with my family, not so much.

They continue to consume Splenda and aspartame.

They continue to consume foods containing trans fat and a long list of chemical ingredients.

They continue to devote half the kitchen space to ice cream, chips, and other junk food.

They continue to consider corn as the vegetable of choice.

They continue to have an entire fridge full of a variety of sodas in the basement at all times.

I just want everyone to be healthy. :(

EDIT: So, I hated that the techies at Food Revolution chose to link to THIS blog post. This post was originally a frustrated and illogical rant, and while much of it contained my true feelings, I worded it poorly and exaggerated a few things that made me come off like a real pretentious idiot. :) Thinking about all the people reading it made me sick. I finally had to tweak it a bit. So if you notice a few parts of this post missing, that's why!

P.S. Check out my Pinterest for hundreds of healthy, meatless meals!

The big decision...

Two days ago, I added "vegetarian" to my Twitter profile description. It felt right. I liked the look of it.

Meat is something that has lost its appeal to me. Kind of like soda. After I had given it up for a few weeks or so, it became something that I just wanted nothing to do with. Sure, bacon will always smell good...but so does freshly cut grass, and I've manage to resist eating that for 21 and a half years, so I think I'll be okay. :)

What I mean is that when I plan out my meals during the day, I think of fresh produce, whole grains, and legumes. No part of my brain is begging for a burger. It's not like meat makes me cringe or anything--it's just not something I desire.

Also, the flexitarian/only-organic-meat thing was too difficult. I mean, it was easy to maintain on a personal level, but it was socially difficult. My peers didn't take me seriously, people didn't understand it, and it always sucked having to plan out days when I was eating out or with other people. If I didn't know ahead of time that we were going to grill out for supper, and I had tuna for lunch, well, I was screwed. And then I would have to explain to my friends, and then they would be annoyed, which I don't blame them.

The strange only-once-a-day rules I was following were bizarre and illogical at times. People would frustratedly ask me, "Why can't you just not eat meat the rest of the week?" or "Why can't you eat meat now if you ate it for lunch?" I originally liked the flexitarian idea because it allowed me to still eat meat in social situations like that, but I have realized that it sent confusing messages. I think my social life will actually be easier if I just establish myself as a vegetarian. People usually take that more seriously than "I can't eat meat for more than one meal a day." As a flexitarian, people will just expect you to always make the exception for them. Nobody expects the vegetarian to make an exception.

Also, the organic thing sounds great in theory, but it's really not fun to tell your stubborn mother that you'll only eat her trademark lasagna if she uses grass-fed beef. Not gonna happen. I couldn't even convince her to use whole wheat noodles!

Yes, vegetarianism has its difficulties...but so does IBS, and I've managed to make that work. Do you think I cry at night because I can't have caffeine? Ha! No. At the end of the day, having IBS has made me a healthier eater. It's like natural behavior modification; when I eat something not-so-great, it punishes me with pain, and when I eat healthy food, my tummy stays happy. :)

Similarly, I have found that eating meatless rewards me with a healthy mind and body, so the social dilemmas are worth it. I wouldn't do this if it didn't make me happy. I genuinely enjoy eating meatless. Regardless of all the other reasons I have listed, this is the deciding factor: I just like it.

And let's be honest--the kinds of restaurants that don't have vegetarian-friendly menus generally suck anyway, because it signals to me that they don't know how to work with basic ingredients beyond burgers, steaks, and fries.

Now I need to decide what to do with the meat in my house. My brother would probably gladly take my beef off my hands, and I'm thinking of taking all my canned tuna to the food pantry.

So that's me... My name is Lauren, and I'm a vegetarian.

Lunch: Broccoli & Cauliflower Soup

If you can't tell from the title of this blog, I love broccoli. And the only reason I started eating it (which wasn't until my sophomore year of college!) was because I was having trouble with my IBS, and I realized I needed more soluble fiber, as opposed to insoluble fiber. That's why I started eating broccoli, oatmeal, rice, etc. Soluble fiber is my best friend.

Isn't it glorious? And it was super simple, too. I got the recipe from a blog called Lori's Lipsmacking Goodness. Prepare yourself if you go check it out: there's some bloody awful music in the background. Can we all agree that background music on websites should be banned? Okay, moving on.

I more or less followed the recipe exactly, except I used almond milk instead of regular milk and colby jack and monterey instead of cheddar. It turned out spectacular. I had seconds.

Pizza. Y'know, the healthier kind.

How's THIS for gorgeous?

This recipe was a huge risk for me. I've never even TASTED butternut squash, let alone worked with it. I've never sauteed kale, or done anything with it besides bake them into chips. I've never made a successful pizza crust. I've tried and failed twice. 

But this was glorious, and it all came together so unbelievably well. I tried a different crust recipe, and it was perfection. And the yeast worked! The dough "doubled in size" like it's supposed to. That's always where my crust usually fails. It also fails when I cook it. It would be too thick, and it would never get "crusty" enough. It would just be like...bread.

And the pizza itself...wow. I didn't know what a pizza with very minimal cheese would taste like, but this blew my mind. It didn't taste like something I made. It felt...better than me. Like it came from a restaurant or something.

To say I'm proud would be an understatement. :)

Soup It Up!

So.

As it turns out, being a senior English Education major in her final semester before student teaching is extremely stressful. When I'm not in class, I'm tutoring. When I'm not tutoring, I'm observing or giving lessons in nearby high schools. When I'm not doing that, I'm giving mock lessons in my labs. When I'm not in lab, I'm waitressing at the pizzeria. When I'm not waitressing, I'm doing homework. And when I'm not doing homework, I'm sleeping.

Or eating.

I might have taken on a little too much this fall. But that's okay, because I've had plenty of soup to keep me warm and cozy and sane.

Since the beginning of the school year, I have made three different soups (not counting chili). All thanks to this baby:

My immersion blender is seriously the most used appliance in my kitchen. It's almost frustrating that it's never clean when I need it, because I often use it multiple times a day. Smoothies, soup, pasta sauces, etc.

Potato Corn Chowder

I essentially made a pureed potato soup, and then cut the corn off the cob and added it in. Only four ingredients: onion, vegetable broth, potatoes, and corn. Everything but the broth came from the farmers market! Vegan, local, and organic. Just the way I like it.

Potato Soup

I used the leftovers from the other soup. And garnished it with fresh rosemary growing from the pail on my balcony. :) Three ingredients: onion, broth, potatoes.

Roasted Acorn Squash Soup

I've never actually had squash before. Or at least acorn squash. Admittedly, I had to ask Google how to roast a squash. But the experience was a positive one! I ended up eating spoonfuls of it before dumping it in the soup. 

So I've done the whole pureed soup thing. Now I'm going to try my hand at hearty, chunky soups. With lots of beans.

Do you eat breakfast? I do.

I've become so accustomed to preparing elaborate breakfasts for myself that I often forget my peers usually just eat a bowl of Frosted Flakes or some Hot Fudge Sundae Pop Tarts. Or, even more likely, they eat nothing at all.

Which is a shame. Besides all the health benefits of breakfast, I can't imagine having one less meal every day. I plan meals hours ahead of time. I think about them. And count down toward them. And drool over the thought of them. I already only get three a day; I couldn't possibly settle for two.

And breakfast has slowly become my favorite meal of the day. I used to think of breakfast food as sugary cereal, white flour pancakes, and frosting-covered rolls. All of which made me MISERABLE. As someone who suffers from IBS, nothing makes me more bloated and crampy than traditional breakfast food.

Then I discovered oatmeal. I originally tried it as an attempt to include more soluble fiber in my diet (because of the IBS thing). I started with the instant packets, and eventually weaned myself onto preparing my own on the stove with old-fashioned rolled oats. Which I recommend to everyone. Because seriously, what's more appetizing to you: "maple and brown sugar oatmeal," or "oats cooked in almond milk with banana, raisins, cinnamon, and almonds"? I choose the latter.

But I've become obsessed with breakfast. Omelettes, toast, smoothies, whole wheat pancakes/waffles, muesli, any sort of porridge, egg sandwiches, etc. I find that being excited for breakfast helps me get up early, which is why I never sleep past 9.

And since I know many people who find breakfast a pain to prepare, I decided to log my efforts for a week, just for fun. :)

Rules for my breakfasts:
1. At least one serving of fruits or vegetables must be included.
2. Be diverse (ex: don't overdo grains, like having oatmeal with toast).
3. The entire breakfast must reach at least 400 calories, which is usually done by pairing two things (ex: oatmeal and smoothie, eggs and toast, etc.).
4. Some good form of protein should be present (peanut butter, eggs, almonds).
5. No meat.
6. Keep dairy to a minimum (dairy is an IBS trigger). I use almond milk for everything, but when I use cheese, I use it sparingly.

DISCLAIMER: None of my classes start before 10, so no, I'm not in a hurry these mornings. However, I worked at 8 AM all summer, and I still got up early enough to prepare these same breakfasts.

Monday

Broccoli and cheddar omelette; banana, peach, and almond smoothie

My smoothies are rarely any color besides green. Unfortunately, I'm not stocked in spinach at the moment. This meal took me quite a while to prepare--nearly half an hour. My breakfasts rarely take more than fifteen minutes to put together, but the steaming of the broccoli and pealing the peaches were quite time-consuming.

Also, my smoothies are always vegan. I use frozen bananas to get that creamy texture. You're aware that blended, frozen bananas have the same consistency as soft-serve ice cream, right? RIGHT?! I buy giant bags of overripe bananas for $.99 at my local grocery store, and then I slice them up and store them in the freezer. Super cost effective.

Tuesday

Muesli with fresh peaches and almond milk; toast with peanut butter and jelly

I fell in love with muesli when I was in Ireland. I had never had it before then. Europe has a fantastic brand called "Alpen," and I ate it every single morning over there, except once, when it wasn't provided (darn you, Shannon Court Hotel!). Over here, I've struggled to find a brand that compares. Right now, I'm settling for Bob's Red Mill Old Country Style Muesli. It's okay. But it's certainly not Alpen.

This breakfast took me about ten minutes to prepare, most of which (once again) went to pealing the peach.

Wednesday

Chocolate-peanut butter-banana smoothie; oatmeal with peaches

This is my most typical breakfast: smoothie and oatmeal. It may be a stretch to call my banana ice cream a smoothie, but at the end of the day, it's frozen blended fruit--a smoothie. I made it super thick this morning so it would actually be the consistency of ice cream instead of an actual smoothie. And the source of the chocolate comes from a splash of Silk's Dark Chocolate Almond Milk. Just enough to add a hint of chocolate and help liquify the mixture. Oh, and the oatmeal... Fantastic. :)

This breakfast took about ten minutes to prepare. I did not peal the peach this time. ;)

Thursday

Oatmeal-banana pancakes with spiced peaches and granola

Are you ready for this? Forty minutes. Yes, I spent forty minutes preparing this little beauty. But:

1. It was worth it.
2. It was time consuming only because I had to grill an entire batch of pancakes, meaning I'll have leftovers! Another morning, all I'll have to do is reheat that puppy. :) So time spent now is time saved later.
3. I don't have class until 3 today. So I'm in absolutely no hurry. ;)

The pancakes are vegan, which I love because I can eat the raw batter without fear (no eggs!). I encourage you to check out the recipe; it contains no refined flours or sugars, and it will make your house smell like banana bread. I almost always use vegan recipes for pancakes and waffles, simply so I don't use up my precious eggs as fast (and so I can lick the batter from the spoon...).

The spiced peaches...mmm. I wanted to do something resembling a peach compote, but all the recipes I looked at included a truckload of sugar. What? They're peaches. They don't need sugar! So I just chopped up the peaches and heated them up in a saucepan with cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg, and I let all of it simmer until the juice thickened, as if I were making a reduction sauce. It worked beautifully. And it was plenty sweet.

Friday

Egg sandwich on multigrain thin bun; banana-peach-almond smoothie

Say hello to my new camera! I spent more time photographing my food than I did preparing it, which was only 10-15 minutes. I used to make this sandwich with a slice of American cheese, but I'm trying to eliminate that particular cheese from my diet. I've been ignoring how processed it is for a long time, but I'm finally forcing myself to accept the fact that it needs to go. :)

So that's five days of breakfasts in my life! Two things stick out as unusual:

1. All the peaches! This week has been quite a luxury.
2. None of my smoothies are green. My smoothies are almost always green. I really need to get to the store and buy some spinach.

Looking over these pictures make me smile. My brother told me once last week that I use more dishes preparing breakfast than he does over the course of the whole day. I denied it at the time...but I knew deep down that he was absolutely correct. ;)

Buon appetito!