Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

Strange But Good Blues

By

Blues aren’t always bad.

 

Unlike pink… 😉

I’ve been going through a blueberry phase.  One that has resulted in some Strange But Good creations throughout the day.

 

Breakfast:

This was a new take on my Maple TVP Oatmeal.  I have been craving more savory foods for breakfast lately, and had just purchased fresh rosemary.  Why not with blueberries and a lemon twist?

 

Blueberry Rosemary TVP

Rosemary-Lemon TVP Oats

  • 1/3 C TVP
  • 3/4 C water (or milk)
  • 1 T fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 5-6 drops lemon liquid Stevia
  • Juice from 1/4 lemon
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 1/2 C egg whites (optional)
  • Blueberries

 

Add first 6 ingredients (everything before the egg), stir, and bring to a boil.  

Reduce heat to a simmer and cover.  Cook about 10 mins, until mix thickens.  

Pour in egg whites.  Allow to cook for 2-3 more mins, stirring frequently so that the egg doesn’t form chunks.  The mixture should be silky smooth.  Swirl in blueberries.

Scoop into bowl and add additional berries to top.

Note: For a vegan option, add a flax egg, protein powder, or simply leave the egg out.

 

Lunch:

Again, I was feeling the sweet + savory.  I had made a bison burger as part of my Sunday food prep.  I  crumbled it up, mixed in some BBQ sauce and red pepper flakes, and warmed it in the microwave.  Then I stirred in the blueberries.

These 3 “Bs” sound strange.  The pic isn’t pretty.  But I SWEAR its delicious.  My BBQ sauce is a sweet & spicy, and the sweet hint complemented the berries perfectly.

Blueberres, Bison, and BBQ

 

Dessert:

I have a thing for sweet potatoes, even at midnight.  This midnight snack had me sleeping like a baby.  Until I had to get up to pee at 3am because I drink a TON of water.  I digress.

Sweet potatoes are also part of my Sunday prep.  I roast them in the oven to have on hand for a quick, healthy carb.  I heated this one up and topped it with no-salt cottage cheese, cinnamon, bacon “sprinkles” (thank you, Heather for my new favorite term), and blueberries.  Sweet, creamy, and a teensy bit of salty bacon goodness.

Sweet Potato, Cottage Cheese, Bacon, and Blueberries

Strange doesn’t get any more delicious than this!

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So what’s strange but good in YOUR ‘hood?

The link up rules can be found here or by clicking on “Strange But Good” in the menu bar above.

In short, I want to see what concoctions have earned you weird looks from co-workers, family and friends!  Post your Strange But Good creations, grab the logo below for your blog, and link up here.

 

Sprint 2 the Table

 

Remember to use #strangebutgood in any Tweets and Instagrams of your creations. 🙂



***

All these berries... I just bought strawberries yesterday (on sale for $3 at Whole Foods!).  I must be craving spring...

Do you like fruit with traditionally savory foods?  I love it with salmon!

Are you a savory or a sweet breakfast person?

 

Growing from Challenges + WIAW

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Challenges are necessary for growth.

Even though sometimes it hurts. 

Katy’s 28 Day Blogger Challenge isn’t too painful.  The painful part is find time to make blog improvements.  Since reading her post, I’ve begun making some improvements.

28 day blogger challenge

Progress thus far:

  • Going through old posts to make edits and fix any broken links/pics  
  • (Slowly) transferring all of my Recipes to my Recipage
  • Editing my Google Reader folders for better organization
  • Increased focus on growing my Facebook page
  • Visiting/commenting on new blogs

And the big one: I bit the bullet and created a media kit!  Katy was kind enough to review it for me and then posted it on her Best Blogger Media Kits page!

Does anyone else find these tasks daunting?!

 

Now on to the most important business: food!  A lot of my WIAW meals this week were eaten in the office.  With a little planning and prep on Sunday, I can grab meals to go spending much time in the morning (which is good because I am ALWAYS late).

WIAWbutton

Check out my 7 prepared meals below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how others dined this week!

 

Meal 1:

Of course, I enjoyed my morning cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos).

Then I took a 30 min incline walk on the treadmill, I devoured a favorite treat – overnight oats in a jar!  But this wasn’t just any jar… it was a tahini tin!  Strange But Good.

Tahini-Banana Oats

Tahini-Banana Overnight Oats

  • 1/3 C oatmeal
  • 1/2 banana, masked
  • 1 tsp chia seeds
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 2/3 C unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • End of a tahini jar (~2 tsp)
  • Stevia, to taste
  • Pinch of xanthan gum (to thicken)

Meal 2:

Salmon and fruit has become a typical meal for me.  Today I ate it with grapes and raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds).  My salmon was pepped on Sunday night, baked in the oven with curry and lime juice

Salmon and Grape Salad

Meal 3:

Lunch was one that made people in the breakroom stare.  I guess swordfish isn’t a popular lunch from home?

On Sunday I’d baked my swordfish with mediterranean seasonings and garlic.  I quickly chopped up some broccoli and red peppers and mixed it with nutritional yeast and apple cider vinegar.  Topped that off with edamame and red pepper flakes just before serving.  I keep red pepper flakes in my desk.

Swordfish and Edamame Salad

The sweet potato was “dessert.”  I coated it in cinnamon.  Cinnamon is also kept in my desk drawer.

Meal 4:

Nearly every week I buy a “naked” rotisserie chicken from Whole Foods.  I de-bone it as soon as I get home, which makes it a really easy meal option throughout the week.  I mixed a portion with my Brown Beer Hummus, purple watercress, and celery.

Chicken and Beer Hummus

Cheers to sneaky beers at work!

Meal 5:

Something about a cold night makes me want meatballs.  Id’ baked a bunch for my Oscar party, so I took a couple of the leftover balls and made an open-faced sandwich with an Ezekial english muffin.

I served my meatball sandwich with a side of parsnip fries and a purple watercress and cucumber salad.  The salad dressing was awesome – I mixed nutritional yeast with balsamic vinegar, rosemary, and a splash of apple cider vinegar.

Baked Meatball Sandwich with Parsnip Fries

Meal 6:

You know what’s awesome? Eggs and bacon with red pepper, mushrooms, and a little cheddar.  I mixed in smoked paprika, freshly gound pepper, and herbs de provence.

Confession: This was going to be an omelette… but I’m not so good at making those.  It tasted just as delicious scrambled. 😉

Bacon and Egg Scramble

Meal 7:

I’m going through a Greek yogurt and cereal addiction.  This bowl was like a creamy, deconstructed PB&J.  What’s not to love?

Deconstructed PB&J Bowl

Deconstructed PB&J Yogurt Bowl

  • 3/4 C Greek yogurt
  • 2 T peanut flour
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Stevia, to taste
  • Brown rice crispies
  • Blackberries
  • Cacao nibs

***

The protein count for the day: 159.4g.  I hope it goes to my ass…

What challenges have you powered through lately?

Is there anything that would enhance your experience on my blog of social media stuff?  I love feedback!

My Figure Delay + WIAW

By

Knowing when to hold off is important.

 

But I really hate it. 

Yesterday I did a leg session with my trainer (I am walking like a granny today).  I was going to do my next figure competition in March, just 4 weeks from now.  We talked about my progress and decided to delay .

This is why:

Back progress

 

My upper body has filled out a lot.  Shoulders are wider, back more developed… he actually said my upper body is competition-ready now.  BUT do you see my butt?  It’s not catching up.  Why, oh why doesn’t chocolate cake go straight to my butt and legs?

So we made the call to hold off until May to give me more time to grow so that I can present better in a couple more months.  We’ll be going super heavy, making some TBD diet changes, and focusing more on my rear.  The diets changes I had made (mostly more fat) have been good, but the gains haven’t been quite to the point we need.

I’m disappointed.  My bum bums me out… but I know my trainer is right.  🙁

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In happier news, I finally have a WIAW post where I got to eat at home!  I don’t really mind being on the road, but not eating out of a baggie is a welcome change.

WIAWbutton

Check out my 7 home-cooked meals below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how others dined this week!

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Meal 1:

I’m still loving my morning cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos).

30 mins later I made my new favorite breakfast: toasted Ezekial English muffin with some warmed no-salt deli turkey, nutritional yeast sauce, and a runny egg.  I ate it with a side of sweet lime.  Sweet lime = Strange But Good.

Yolk porn

Savory Nooch Sauce

  • 1 T nutritional yeast
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Cumin
  • Cayenne
  • Liquid smoke
  • Pinch of xanthan gum (to thicken)

 

Meal 2:

I really love having salmon with fruit for meal 2.  Today I ate it with my sweet lime, raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds), basil, and a little cayenne.  Sweet lime really is amazing – like a mild orange.

Salmon and sweet lime salad

 

Meal 3:

Lunch was post-workout, so it was a Carrot Cake Whey creation.  This is one of my go-tos. I love carrots.

Carrot Cake Whey

Carrot Cake Whey

  • 1 scoop vanilla whey protein
  • 1 carrot, grated
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1/4 C greek yogurt
  • 1/4 C raw oatmeal
  • Enough water to mix

 

Then I decided I deserved a little treat – kombucha!  I drank it in the car with the moon roof open.  I’m loving being home where it’s 60 degrees and sunny by lunch!  I re-set my HRM post-workout to catch the leg day after-burn.  125 cals in the hour following my workout!

Leg day afterburn

 

Meal 4:

After talking to my trainer, we are going to be looking at keeping the fats high.  This way I can shovel in more calories without being too stuffed to want to eat (which is what happened when we tried to drastically increase carbs).  This is the fun part!  I made bison burgers… cooked with bacon.

Bison and bacon

 

The bottle in the background is Robbie’s sugar-free, low-sodium BBQ sauce I found at Whole Foods.  I’d made my own before my first competition, but when I saw this I had to try it.  I like mine better, but this wasn’t bad!

Eaten with cucumber slices and some unpictured hummus

Bison burger and cucumbers

Meal 5-7:

That’s not a typo – this was like 3 meals in one.  I had dinner at Lure with local bloggers and friends, Beth and Amy.  I love these girls – we laughed through the entire meal.

When we sat down we were gifted with a giant punch bowl from the owner.  It was some sort of apple cider and rum concoction, and it was absolutely fabulous.  We must be getting old, because we actually couldn’t finish it all.

Lure Atlanta

For my app I ordered brussels.  It’s actually a side item, but it sounded so good.  Roasted brussels with grapes, pumpkin seeds, and lemon aioli.  I loved the flavor together, but the aioli was so rich that I only finished half (it was a HUGE serving!).  There was some (unpictured) sesame bread involved too.

Dinner was a delicious grilled Arctic Char fillet coated in berbere spice served with young carrots and farro verde.  I almost licked my plate… but saved a little room for dessert.  A chocolate and peanut butter mousse cake.  It was so good I forgot to take a pic until we’d eaten all but 2 bites of the slice.  Bad blogger.

***

The protein count for the day: 150.1g.  I think… you never know with restaurant meals.  Either way, I sufficiently refueled after a brutal leg day.

Have you ever had to take a step back to perform even better in the long run?

Do you enjoy traditionally savory foods with a pop of sweet from fruit?  It’s a favorite Strange But Good in my kitchen!

 

Happy Singles Awareness Day

By

I like being married to the gym single.

monopoly cats

I couldn’t even handle having a cat in my life.

What I can handle is eating red food.  I’ve been traveling too much to make anything special, but if I make it to the grocery store today I may eat something red.

In the meantime, I did manage to round-up my favorites… and separate them into courses.  This is what happens when you blog on an airplane.

Then I couldn’t help myself – I made a new sugar-free, high protein microwave cake when I got home from the airport.  It was late, the pics are dark… but this is what happens when you are without chocolate cake and Nuttzo for days.  Cravings must be satisfied!  Recipe at the end.

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Breakfast

Raspberry Baked Oatmeal (To-Go!)

Raspberry Baked Oatmeal (To-Go!)

♥

Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal

Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal

♥

Roasted Beet and Orange Smoothie

Roasted Beet and Orange Smoothie

♥

Mains

Crabby Smoked Gazpacho

Crabby Smoked Gazpacho

♥

Vegan Goat Cheese Stuffed Oven-Roasted Tomatoes

Vegan Goat Cheese Stuffed Oven-Roasted Tomatoes

 ♥

Veggie Sushi with Beet Wasabi Sauce

Veggie Sushi with Beet Wasabi Sauce

♥

Dessert

Beet Protein Frozen Custard

Beet Protein Frozen Custard

♥

Strawberry Smoky Almond Tart

Strawberry Smoky Almond Tart

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This last dessert is the one I made upon arriving home last night.  I had a fierce peanut butter and chocolate craving, and this sugar-less treat fit the bill.  And did I mention it has 30g of protein???

If you stop the microwave while it still looks a tad jiggly on top, you’ll have a gooey, molten cake.  Which is exactly when I did, and highly recommend.  Then I topped it with a healthy serving of Nuttzo (which I am obsessed with), and a festive strawberry heart.

PB Chocolate Cake

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Microwave Cake

  • 2 T peanut flour
  • 1 scoop (2T) chocolate protein powder
  • 1 T cocoa powder
  • 1/8 tsp baking powder
  • 1 T pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 C egg whites
  • 1/4 unsweetened almond milk (or water)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 8 drops chocolate liquid stevia (I used NuNaturals)

 

Mix the dry ingredients in a small bowl.  Add wet to dry and stir to combine.  

Transfer to a small, greased bowl (I used coconut oil).  Microwave until just done, ~ 45-60 secs.  

Transfer to a plate, top as desired, and enjoy!

Approximate Nutritionals: 180 calories, 4g fat, 150.8mg sodium, 11.2g carbohydrates, 4.8g fiber, 1.5g sugar, 31.5g protein

I received this jar of NuttZo free of charge through participation in a FitFluential campaign. I was not otherwise compensated; all opinions on the product are my own (I already ate the stuff religiously). Check out NuttZo on Twitter and/or Facebook!

***

Happy Valentine’s Day!

I think this is the perfect night to curl up with a glass of red wine, some popcorn, and dark chocolate while watching Grey’s.

Do you have big Valentine’s plans?

What is your favorite Valentine-themed food?  I dig those Reese’s hearts… the shapes have more PB!

 

Strange But Good Travels

By

My food get stares at home.

 

And comments.

On the road, people really think I’m odd.  I suppose it isn’t exactly normal to travel with 21+ servings of protein.  Whatever.  Today’s Strange But Good eats may not be strange in the comfort of your own home, but on a business trip in snowy Ohio they weren’t exactly mainstream.

 

My breakfasts were semi-homemade hotel hot bar creations.  The best combo was this high-protein coffee oatmeal:

Coffee Protein Oatmeal

Coffee Protein Oatmeal

  • Oatmeal (pre-made from the breakfast bar)
  • 1 serving vanilla protein powder
  • Cinnamon (from hotel kitchen – they usually have it if you ask)
  • Coffee
  • Peanut butter

 

Mix oatmeal, protein powder, and cinnamon with just enough coffee to combine.  This oatmeal was quite dry, so it took about 3/4 cup.  Top with peanut butter and enjoy!

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My mid-morning snack was not to shabby either!  I packed no-salt deli turkey and almonds, and grabbed an apple from the hotel.  Not strange, but maybe a bit odd to pull out of your bag in a conference room.

 

Everyone wanted to go out for lunch, so we caravaned to Outback Steakhouse.  I suppose I could have found something on the menu, but it would have been filled with salt.  Knowing we’d go out for dinner and I’d get more than my fill of salt later, I ordered a salad and topped it with my BYO protein  – balsamic marinated chicken.  You better believe I swiped a slice of their warm bread.  It’s the only thing I like at Outback, and oh boy is it good.

Again, not a strange meal, but bringing your own food into a restaurant will earn you some stares.

BYO Protein Salad at Outback

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I am REALLY proud of myself for getting to the gym both nights at the hotel.  I had great workouts, and my co-workers even joined me for a bit.  Of course, I crammed in my protein back in the room.

Dessert protein (i.e. Meal 7) is the most important meal of the day, right? 😉  This is one of my favorites on the road.  I buy individual servings of Greek yogurt (I used Oikos here), mix it with fruit and other flavors, and cover with foil to freeze.  When it comes time to eat, it’s thawed into fro-yo!

This was an Asian Pear-Cardamom Frozen Yogurt.

 

Asian Pear Fro-yo

Asian Pear-Cardamom Frozen Yogurt

  • 1 serving plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 Asian pear
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp cardamom
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla
  • Stevia or other sweetener, to taste

 

Pulse pear in a blender or food processor until only a few small chunks remain.

Stir together yogurt, pear, cinnamon, cardamom, vanilla, and sweetener.

Cover container and place in freezer.  Remove and let soften to frozen yogurt consistency.  You can freeze just 1 hour if eating immediately.  Or, if you don’t have time to thaw, microwave ~30 seconds.

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Time for some legit strange but good food from YOU!

The link up rules can be found here or by clicking on “Strange But Good” in the menu bar above.

In short, I want to see what concoctions have earned you weird looks from co-workers, family and friends!  Post your Strange But Good creations, grab the logo below for your blog, and link up here.

 

Sprint 2 the Table

 

Remember to use #strangebutgood in any Tweets and Instagrams of your creations. 🙂




***

I'm praying we get off the ground this afternoon before the snow storm hits!  Then I get to do it all over again next week...

Have you ever brought your own food to a restaurant?

What is your strange but good this week?  Do share!

 

Strange But Good Blends + Cocoa-Cayenne Sweet Potato Oatmeal

By

I’m slow sometimes.

Ok, a lot of times… especially in the morning.

Last year was the first time I’d ever heard the term “Blend.”  Now I have some amazing blends.  These people continually inspire me, push my thinking, and are some of the best friends I’ve ever had.

My Blend, Kat,  writes a bi-weekly a guest post on this blog.  Yesterday she included a recipe for Cocoa-Cinnamon-Cayenne Roasted Sweet Potatoes.  I wanted them for breakfast… so I blended her recipe with a breakfast many of you have daily – oatmeal – to start my day with a strange but good treat!

CCC Sweet Potato Oatmeal

If you are  volume eater (and I am), you’ll especially love this.  The sweet potato and the egg whites fluff this up so it’s like a giant bowl of sweet potato custard!  The cocoa is more a secondary flavor – I didn’t want to be straight up eating dessert – but you could add more if you want.

Don’t be afraid of the cayenne.  Start with a little and go from there.  The hint of heat on the end of eat bite is a fun surprise to the palate!

Sweet Potato CCC Oatmeal

Cocoa-Cayenne Sweet Potato Oatmeal

  • 1/4 C oatmeal
  • 1/4 C mashed sweet potato
  • 2 tsp cocoa
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne (adjust to your liking)
  • 1/2 tsp maple extract
  • 1/2 C egg whites (optional)
  • Optional toppings: ground flax, cacao nibs, and blueberries

Cook oatmeal as usual.

Meanwhile, mix together sweet potato, cocoa, cinnamon, and maple extract (you could also use vanilla) in a small bowl.  You may need to add water to keep it moist.

When oats are just down, stir in sweet potato mixture until well-combined.  If using, add egg whites.  Stir constantly to ensure that eggs are well-incorporated and don’t become scrambled.

Transfer to bowl, add toppings, and enjoy!

One of my best blends, Heather, made a Strange But Good recipe that was linked up here a couple of weeks ago!  Our other best blend,  Heather 2, created this scrumptious Lip Smackin’ Vegan Mac, which Heather 1 used to top her burrito stuffings.  Strange but awesome!

vegan mac n cheese

I cannot WAIT to try this recipe!

Speaking of Blends… registration opens for the Blend Retreat opens SUNDAY!  Doesn’t someone want to sponsor me?

Blend 2013

 

Check out the site.  Register.  Trust me.  This was the BEST retreat I’ve ever been on .  Lindsay, Janetha, and Katie did a fantastic job getting sponsors, organizing activities, and leaving enough down time for us to all get to know each other.

It’s also where I fell in love with Heather!

Heather and Me

Alright, my strange but good blends… show me your weird food!

The link up rules can be found here or by clicking on “Strange But Good” in the menu bar above.

In short, I want to see what concoctions have earned you weird looks from co-workers, family and friends!  Post your Strange But Good creations, grab the logo below for your blog, and link up here.

 

Sprint 2 the Table

 

Remember to use #strangebutgood in any Tweets and Instagrams of your creations. 🙂



***

Thank you all sooooo much for all of the kind words about the adventure race.  This weekend… I’m resting. 🙂

What is your favorite way to prepare sweet potatoes?

Are you going to Blend???

Sweet Potato Baked Oatmeal

By

I am not a morning person.

That’s an understatement.

After hitting snooze too many a few times, I’m forced to race through my morning routine. I squeeze in a quick workout, shower, try to make my face look presentable for work, and inhale breakfast. This means I NEVER have time for something a decadent as baked oatmeal.

Then light bulb went off. Pre-Baked Oatmeal.  I made this Raspberry version last spring, but wanted to create one for the winter months.

Sweet Potato Baked Oatmeal

Sweet Potatoes are one of the seasonal items I most look forward to. The sweet potato helps to bind these bakes together, and provides a creamy texture that is excellent against the chewy rolled oats.

Aside from the pie-like taste they add, sweet potatoes also pack a ton of nutrients. They are rich in Vitamins B6, C, D, and are good sources of iron and magnesium.

Sweet Potato Baked Oatmeal

When you freeze them, all you have to do is pull one or two out and pop it in the microwave to defrost.  45 seconds later you can be shoveling delicately eating your oatmeal on the run.

Yes, this baked oatmeal recipe was created to be made in advance to freeze… however, I dare you not to eat one hot out of the oven.  I “iced” mine with a mixture of Greek yogurt, cinnamon, and a couple of drops of liquid Stevia.

Sweet Potato Baked Oatmeal with Icing

Sweet Potato Baked Oatmeal

Sweet Potato Baked Oatmeal

  • 1 ½ C canned or mashed sweet potato
  • 1 egg
  • ½ tsp almond extract
  • ¼ tsp maple extract
  • 3 C rolled oats
  • 1 T cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 20 drops liquid stevia
  • ¾ C Silk Pure Almond Unsweetened Vanilla

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners, or grease with cooking spray.

Mix together sweet potato, egg, milk, and extracts. Stir in oats, spices, baking powder, and sweetener. Mix in milk and stir until combined.

Pour batter evenly into tins.  Bake 20-25 minutes, or until a tooth pick comes out clean.

Enjoy a few fresh, and allow the remaining to cool completely before placing in a freezer bag for storage. For a quick breakfast, remove muffin from the freezer and microwave ~30 seconds (until warmed through).

Makes 12 muffins.

Notes:

  • Use a flax egg (1T ground flax + 3T water) to make the recipe vegan
  • Use Gluten-Free Oatmeal to make these gluten-free
  • Can sub ¼ C sugar for the Stevia
  • Using Silk Pure Almond Unsweetened Vanilla rather than skim milk saves you 42 calories in this recipe

Laura Hall Sweet Potato Baked Oatmeal Nutrition

Be sure to check out Silk Pure Almond website and Facebook page to see more delicious, creative recipes!

This post is part of a sponsored campaign with Silk and FitFluential, LLC. All opinions are my own. Learn more about Silk Pure Almond Unsweetened on Facebook andTwitter.

***

Thank you all SO much for all of your support during the past weekend’s race.  It was SO much fun, and we didn’t come in last. 🙂  I’m working on a recap!

Are you a morning person?

What is your favorite “quick” breakfast?

Strange But Good Mornings

By

Strange doesn’t wait for 5 o’clock!

Neither does my mother… she’s in Mexico! 😉 

Remember Kat’s “Amazing Kitchen Mistakes” post?  We’ve been on the same wave-length eating similarly, so I apparently am also making happy accidents.

Have you ever under estimated how much is left in a bottle?  I thought there was just a drop of butter extract left when I dumped it into my oatmeal… it was more like 1/2 a teaspoon.  I thought I’d ruined it.  Too much extract can be nauseating (and I don’t need more of that!).  It turn out, too much butter extract in your oats is like eating cookie dough for breakfast.  Strange, but unbelievably good. Cookie Dough Oatmeal

Cookie Dough Oatmeal

  • 1/2 C oatmeal
  • 1 C water
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp butter extract
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla
  • 5-6 drops liquid Stevia
  • 1 T peanut flour (or nut butter, to taste)
  • My toppings: pomegranate arils, Greek yogurt, more cinnamon

Cook oatmeal as usual, adding flavors in the last 2-3 mins (or when your microwave finishes).  Stir in peanut flour when just done, adding addition liquid as needed.  

Add toppings.  Inhale.

I’m not the first person to do eat quinoa in the morning… but it’s still uncommon enough to be strange.  And it’s good!

What took me so long it beyond me, but quinoa for breakfast is amazing.  If you haven’t tried it, you must.  Particularly this cinnamon-y version.  The heaping scoop of cinnamon with the coconut butter had me dreaming of an airport treat that shall not be named.

I just realized this looks a lot like the oatmeal above.  I had a lot of pomegranate.*  Sorry.

 *Did you hear the FTC found “POM Wonderful health claims to be deceptive?”

Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Quinoa

Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Quinoa

  • 1/2 C quinoa, cooked with a cinnamon stick
  • 1/2 tsp coconut butter
  • 1 tsp ground flax
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • 1/2 heaping tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • Milk, to taste (I used ~ 1/8 C unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
  • My toppings: pomegranate arils, Morningstar maple breakfast sausage

Stir it all together, top with your favorites, and enjoy!

In order to kill two craving with one stone for Meal 2, I added a poached egg to the last of my mom’s Matzo Ball Soup.  The strange part isn’t even the egg.  It’s HOW I poached it.  My lazy arse poached that thang in the microwave.

Let me be the first to tell you that runny, silky, yolk porn goodness streaming into a hot bowl of soup is heaven on a spoon.  So good that I wanted to be spooned after it was over.

Matzo Ball Soup

Microwave Poached Egg

  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 C water
  • 1 T apple cider vinegar

Fill a small bowl (I used a cereal bowl) with water.  Add 1 T of apple cider vinegar (this is important – it keeps the egg white intact).  Microwave until boiling hot, about 2 mins.

Crack the egg and gently drop it into the water.  Whites will begin to cook/thicken, and you may need to use a spoon to carefully direct them around the yolk.  

Microwave for another 20-30 seconds.  Remove immediately from water and place in soup, atop salad, on bread, etc.

 

Now for the link up!  The rules can be found here or by clicking on “Strange But Good” in the menu bar above.

In short, I want to see what concoctions have earned you weird looks from co-workers, family and friends!  Post your Strange But Good creations, grab the logo below for your blog, and link up here.

 

Sprint 2 the Table

 

Remember to use #strangebutgood in any Tweets and Instragrams of your creations. 🙂



***

This time tomorrow I’ll be in a forest in FLA… in the midst of an 8-hour adventure race.  Ahhhh!  #strangebutcrazy

Also, I forgot to mention I was featured in FitFluential’s Ambassador Spotlight yesterday! Check it out here.

Have you ever made breakfast quinoa?  What are your favorite mix-ins?

What #strangebutgood creations have you enjoyed lately?

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