Dog/Kid Sitting

I really need to get better about posting regularly.  It had been a crazy week last week due to conferences at school.  I basically was at school from 8am until 7pm on Wednesday and Thursday, yes Valentine's day.  It completely sucked!  But since I worked extra hours on both those days I got the whole day off from work on Friday! Woo hoo!  It has been a great four day weekend, since today we are off as well.  But tomorrow it is back to work and this time there is not a single day off until March 29 when Spring Break starts.  Hopefully there will be some snow delays in there because that is a lot of work otherwise.  I definitely don't want any full snow days though because I would love to get out of school before the end of June.  I think right now we go until mid June.

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Anyways today has been a terrific day.  I couldn't sleep in past 6:45am but it has been a really relaxing day.  Last night I dog sat overnight for a very close family friend.  The kids also stayed at the house with me.  I have known the kids since they were 5 and 2 years old.  Now, they are 15 and 12 years old so it is no longer babysitting but just hanging out.  Zane is the older boy who pretty much does what teenage boys do, read computer games, and Asya and I just watched Pitch Perfect and she helped me catch up on The Bachelor haha.  Before I went to hang out with them though, I had made this amazing pizza for dinner using a socca crust.

I just mix 1/2 cup garbanzo bean flour with 1/2 cup water, some nutritional yeast and other spices like parsley, oregano, and garlic powder.  Then bake it for 20 minutes at 450F.  Add sauce, Daiya cheese, and broccoli then put it back in the oven for 8 minutes for the cheese to melt.  It was so good!

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I woke up way before the kids did so I enjoyed my quiet morning reading blogs and eating some oatmeal I prepared the night before.  It was a perfect meal to take with me.  Spirulina Oatmeal!

The night before I combined oats and almond milk with chia seeds and flax seeds and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight.  The next morning I stirred in a mashed banana, almond butter, and spirulina.  I love the green color and all the nutrients I got to start my day!

Once the kids woke up I decided it was time for some coffee.  They are old enough to stay home alone and were just going to work on some homework so I went home to get some coffee and enjoyed relaxing at home while the sun beat in the kitchen and read a book.  It was very relaxing.  

A few hours later I also had some lunch.  I wasn't in the mood for anything heavy so decided a smoothie in a bowl would be perfect.

I had some frozen pumpkin in the freezer so I blended it with a frozen banana, some almond milk, chia seeds, maple syrup, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves then poured it into a bowl and topped it with a Banana Nut Bar I had made and some shredded coconut.

After lunch I decided to go spend some time with them.  Zane was still working on homework so I decided to get out of the house with Asya for a little bit.  It definitely isn't warm outside, high 30's, but compared to yesterday it feels so warm.  Yesterday I'm not sure if we even got into the 30's and if we did it was the low 30's.  On top of that there was no sun and it was very windy.  So Asya and I decided to get some fresh air and walk around the lake.  Unfortunately, even though it was warmer than yesterday, my hands still froze and stayed in my pockets the whole time so I did not get any pictures of us.

When we got back from the lake their mom was back so I came home and am going to catch up on some blog reading before preparing some meals for lunch this week.  Then I have to feed my leopard geckos and will probably just enjoy the last day of this long weekend!

Happy Monday!

Oatmeal Love

Breakfast is my most favorite meal of the day!  When I have a delicious breakfast, I know my day will be great because it has already started out so well.  Lately, I have been enjoying yogurt bowls, waffles, buckwheat bakes, and oatmeal.  Oatmeal is probably the thing I eat the most for breakfast.  It is such an easy breakfast to prep the night before so all I have to do in the morning is heat it up and it's ready to go.  Here are some other things I love about oats:

1. They are heart healthy and can reduce cholesterol.
2. Oats contain nutrients like vitamin E, zinc, selenium, copper, iron, manganese, and magnesium (source).
3. Oats have both soluble and insoluble fiber and are rich in protein.
4. Oats are a great source of healthy carbs.
5. Oats can be enjoyed hot, cold, in baked goods, in smoothies, or as granola.
6. They are a blank slate and can take on whatever flavor you want.  

Reason number 6 is probably the reason I love oats the most.  I can eat oats every single day and never get bored just by changing up the ingredients I add to my oatmeal bowls.  Usually I'm in the mood for sweet oats so I usually add fruits.  Some days I'll add just a banana and soy yogurt.  Other days I'll add strawberries and soy yogurt.  Almond butter and banana is another favorite combination!

On the rare occasion, I am more in the mood for savory oatmeal.  On these days I'll add zucchini or carrots (with lots of cinnamon! I still need some sweetness!).  Sometimes I'll add veggies as an easy way to get a serving of veggies first thing in the morning. Spinach or kale with a banana is a delicious combination for a "Green Monster Oatmeal" or adding a teaspoon of spirulina is an easy way to get tons of nutrients when you are in a rush in the morning and don't have time to shred your veggies.


Today, I thought I would share my most recent favorite breakfasts:

Banana Yogurt Oatmeal

I know I have already shared this, but it was so good I have made it multiple times since I first posted the recipe.

Peanut Butter Apple Oatmeal

This is very similar to my PBJ Apple Oats but without the jam and I topped it with tons of cinnamon!

Banana Nut Oatmeal

This is another favorite, but more time consuming with all the nuts.  This oatmeal bowl includes a banana, 1/2 tbsp peanut butter, 1/2 tbsp walnuts, 1/2 tbsp pumpkin seeds, and cinnamon.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Oatmeal

 This is not the prettiest picture, but it tastes fantastic!  This oatmeal bowl includes, 1/2 banana, 1 tbsp cocoa powder, 1 tbsp PB & Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams Peanut Butter, 1 tbsp crushed peanuts.

PBJ Buckwheat Porridge

For this breakfast I soaked buckwheat groats with chia seeds overnight.  The next morning I blended them with almond milk then stirred in some peanut butter and jelly.  I think I even add 1/2 banana (slightly mashed).

Pumpkin Buckwheat Bake

This has been another favorite recently.  It is like eating a healthy and tasty cake for breakfast!  I love how easy it is to make, how filling it is, and the amount of protein!  I am always hesitant with bakes like this that are microwaveable because I have had many fails trying to keep them vegan without eggs, which most recipes call for, but this recipe worked wonderfully.  I followed the exact recipe from Lisa Lately, including the peanut frosting.  I have even tried the banana version in place of the pumpkin and it tasted just as good!

Pumpkin Buckwheat Bake with Banana Yogurt

I made the same buckwheat bake from above except topped this bake with soy yogurt, banana, and lots of cinnamon!

Banana Almond Yogurt Bowl

Sometimes when I am in the mood for a lighter breakfast, I add different ingredients to soy or almond yogurt.  This bowl was Amande Yogurt mixed with vanilla protein powder, 1/2 sliced banana, crushed almonds, and cinnamon.

Peanut Butter Banana Walnut Yogurt

Soy yogurt (Wholesoy brand) mixed with peanut flour, sliced banana, and walnuts.  (I added cinnamon after taking the picture this time).

Chocolate Zucchini Muffin Peanut Butter Banana Yogurt

Another thing I love adding to yogurt bowls is crumbled muffins!  I always keep some frozen in my freezer, thaw or reheat it, then crumble it in to yogurt for a tasty breakfast or snack.  This yogurt bowl was mixed with peanut flour, sliced banana, Chocolate Zucchini Muffin, and almond butter granola (recipe from Peanut Butter Fingers).

Banana Chia Spirulina Yogurt

Soy yogurt blended with 1 banana, 1 tbsp chia seeds, and some almond milk.  I set it in the fridge overnight so it would thicken.

Green PB Banana Smoothie in a Bowl

Almond milk blended with soy yogurt, 1 tbsp peanut butter, banana, and 1 tsp spirulina topped with crushed peanuts!  I love thick smoothies and eating them out of a bowl!

After writing about all these breakfasts, I have noticed that I eat a ton of bananas, peanut butter/almond butter, and cinnamon in almost all my breakfast.  I love how creamy the bananas make almost every breakfast and add natural sweetness.  I love adding peanut butter/almond butter to make breakfast for some healthy fats, and I just love cinnamon in almost everything (except savory meals haha).

Also, even though I sometimes add spirulina, if you can't tell I am definitely a sweet breakfast girl!  Maybe sometime I will share my most common lunches and dinners!

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Well it is time to go enjoy the rest of my Saturday.  I already worked out this morning and did some data work.  I'm going to do a little more work before I go out and enjoy my Saturday evening catching up with my friend Jenna!

Happy Saturday!

February Goals

Why does the weekend go by so fast!?

I am so glad it is Sunday though.  This morning my alarm went off and I opened my eyes and saw that it was bright outside and I flew out of bed.  I thought it was Monday morning and my back up alarm was going off. Then I realized, wait if my back up alarm is going off it would still be dark outside so I realized it was Sunday.  It's always nice to think it's Monday and realize there still a whole entire day left of the weekend.  It sucks when it is the opposite and you wake up on a Tuesday and think it's Friday!  Oh man that happened to me once and it was the longest week ever!

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This morning I woke up and my stomach was feeling kind of off.  I decided to lay in bed and read a little until I was hungry.  I was going to have just a piece of fruit, but figured a more filling breakfast would be the healthier choice so I made some oatmeal.  I sure am glad I did because I think I have a new favorite oatmeal bowl.

I had oats already soaking in almond milk in the fridge so this morning I added 1/4 cup Wholesoy Unsweetened Plain Yogurt, 1 small mashed banana, and 1/2 scoop Sunwarrior Vanilla Protein Powder.  Then I topped it with some banana slices and cinnamon.

This seriously tasted like Banana Cheesecake!

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Let's talk about this months goals.  Some of them are going to be the same as last month since I want to improve on them.

1. Don't Stress Over Time. I realized this past month that I am always stressing over time.  I am always rushing from one activity to the next.  I want to drive home from the store as quickly as possible.  I want to shop for as little time as possible to get back home.  I want to leave Jazzercise as soon as possible after class so I can get other things done in my day.  I can't do this chore now because I only have an hour left to get ready for work.  It's already noon!?  Where is the day going!?  I only have 2 more hours until I should get to bed.  These are thoughts that are constantly running through my head.  I need to stop looking at the time and stressing that there are so many more waking hours left before bed.  I need to stop looking at the time and worrying about when I should eat next.  I need to stop RUSHING through everything I do in my life.  This past month I have realized that time is giving me a lot of stress!  So this month I want to stop looking at the clock so much, stop worrying about what time it is, stop counting down the hours, and just take a moment to breathe!

2.  Eat More Mindfully.  I love food and hate to force it down my throat as fast as possible.  I'm usually pretty good at this, but I would like to put down the fork/spoon between bites and really savor the flavors of my meal.  This also kind of goes with the goal above to worry less about time, since sometimes I eat quickly since I want to go do other things.  I need to remember that it is okay to sit and relax for even 20 minutes to enjoy my meal.

3.  Drink Smoothies.  This is a goal I'm carrying on from last month.  I would like to drink at least 15 smoothies again this month.  It is a good way for me to add extra nutrition and calories in my day.

4.  Be More Social.  This is also a goal I'm carrying over from last month.  This cold weather has definitely been keeping me inside.  After being at work all day and then exercising after, by the time I get home and finally get warm from being outside, I want nothing more than to sit curled up under blankets and catch up on some T.V. shows.  This is okay some nights, but I really need to make an effort to get out more and catch up with friends, especially on the weekends.

I am only going to focus on these four goals this month.  It is a short month and my first goal about time is something I really want to focus on and improve.  Hopefully I can do it!

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On Today's agenda:

• Go to the library to return an old book and get a new book.
• Go to Target.  I'm thinking about getting a curling iron to add some curl to my long, straight hair.  It needs a new style instead of the plain, straight look every. single. day.
• Go to the grocery store.  The last two weeks I have eaten out a few times and made so many soups/stews/chilis.  All these foods have been so heavy for me that I have been craving light, fresh foods like salads, fresh veggies and fresh fruits so I'm going to go stock up!
• Relax the rest of the day and enjoy the rest of the weekend.  And possibly watch parts of the Superbowl, I'm not the biggest football fan though and I hate the Ravens so it depends how ridiculous the game gets.

Happy Sunday!

January Goals Review

Happy Groundhog's Day!

Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow today!  That means Spring is on its way!  Hard to imagine as I walked out the door this morning in freezing weather, the high is only 34 degrees and their calling for some snow flurries.  But I'm definitely thrilled that spring is on its way.  Though I would like a few more days of snow, just enough for a delay, but not too much that school is cancelled and we'll be going to the end of June!

Anyways, I have a lot to catch up on and I keep meaning to become more regular at posting, but I'm still figuring out my schedule and know I will hopefully eventually get into a routine with posting soon enough.  I have to take care of myself before online posting.

So since it is the beginning of the month, I figured today's post would be a good day to review my goals I set for myself in January and see how I did with those goals.

My first goal in January was to eat more clean at home.

I think I have a ton a fantastic job at this.  Instead of grabbing an easy packaged snack bar, I have been eating the ones I have already made myself.  I try to save the packaged snack bars for when I'm out of the house since that is the time they are more convenient.  Snack bars are the only processed food I eat so this was quite an easy goal for me.  I guess my Almond Yogurt is the only other thing I can eat less of at home.  They are packaged yogurts that are easy to take with me for lunches on school days.  The only thing about them is I like to add hemp seeds so I would have to pack those as well which makes eating the yogurt at home actually easier.  At home I try to eat the bulk yogurt that I can add whatever mix-ins I like.  Plus, almond yogurt is too expensive to eat daily at home whereas bulk yogurt from Amande or Wholesoy is much more budget friendly.  However, if yogurt is the "worse" I'm eating at home, I don't really think I need to worry too much about it for the health reasons and easiness of eating it at home rather than at school, just the cost reasons.

My second goal was to gain more muscle mass.

This is actually hard for me to judge since I didn't take exact measurements of myself.  My trainer took some and I took before pictures, and even though I see a different, I don't have anything to compare it with.  I have been keeping track of my weight and that has remained pretty much the same so I would like to improve that, which makes me think I need to improve on gaining more muscle mass.  I'll keep working on this goal.

My third goal was to drink a smoothie a day.

My Banana Berry Yogurt Smoothie!

I love smoothies and even though this doesn't sound like a hard goal, this was kind of tricky this month.  With work, it is much harder to take the time to make a smoothie and I'm more of an afternoon smoothie drinker.  In the morning I like oats or something that I can actually chew.  At night I'm usually too cold or get home so late that it is more important I eat a dinner rather than a smoothie for my goals.  Plus, this cold weather does not help.  I would much more prefer a hot cocoa than a cold smoothie.  I also tried to drink more smoothies on weekends since that is when I am home and have the time to make them, but lately being at home and having the luxury of a kitchen makes me enjoy being more creative and making different dishes and treats rather than smoothies.  Anyways, including protein shakes and green juices, I had 15 smoothies this month.  That's actually better than I thought, it's about half the month!  I would like to continue this goal in February as well and maybe try to drink about the same amount (since it is a shorter month).

My fourth goal was to cook 3 entrees and 5 treats.  I did really good with this goal.  This month I made:

Entrees:

• Vegetable Lentil Stew

• Tofu Jambalaya

• 4 Bean Chili

• Sweet Potato Quinoa Chili (can't find the picture)
• Black Bean Nuggets (no picture)
• Pumpkin Black Bean Patties (no picture)
• Chickpea Vegetable Avocado Bowl

These Entrees were all new to me except the Vegetable Lentil Stew and the black bean nuggets.  But the nuggets I usually make in the form of patties so it was like a new twist.  The Chickpea Vegetable Avocado bowl was really just food I threw together for dinner one night, but I definitely consider it an entree considering I would make it again.  I have also had other bowls like this with random things, read whatever needs to be used in the fridge, like parsnips mixed with quinoa, zucchini, and chickpeas or other veggie/grain/bean bowls.

Treats:

• Cashew Yogurt (no picture)
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Pudding (no picture)
• Cashew Cookie Bars (no picture)

In addition to all these meals, I also made several different varieties of oatmeals, smoothies, waffles, and other breakfast porridges/bakes like this PBJ Apple Oats!

So even though I wanted to make more treats than entrees and did the opposite, that is fine, I still did lots of cooking/baking.  I just figured at the beginning of the month that treats would be much easier to make than entrees.  But with the cold weather I had lots of cravings for soups/stews/chilis as you can see.  And even though it is still cold, I have totally been getting tired of these heartier meals.  Lately, my lunches have been very snacky and my dinners have been simple grain/veggie/bean bowls.

My fifth goal was to be more social.  I still haven't been as social as I had intended, it is just so hard for me to want to leave the comforts of my warm house on cold nights, but I have made plans with a friend a few times this month and have been texting other friends more often to hang out later this week.  So I am definitely making improvements there.

Since this was such a long post, I will save my new goals for the month of February tomorrow.

Happy Saturday!