Raw Rolled Oat Cereal

I'm not sure when I started putting down Harry Potter and picking up self-help or nutrition books for recreational reading but I'm thankful I enjoy these things. I recently read, 'The Beauty Detox Solution' by Kimberly Snyder. One of the things I took away from the book, besides the 'Cheat Sheet' I posted earlier, was that though cooked oatmeal is great for you, they are even BETTER raw. Now, i'm not crazy about the taste yet. But I like to do things just because they are good for me, why else would anyone drink 'Wheat Grass Shots' and I know you're out there. If you're interested, here's the recipe. Its definitely filling. 

Note: I used steel cut oats because I hadn't made it to the store to buy the 'Groats'.

Raw Rolled Oat Cereal

Ingredients

• ½ cup raw organic oat groats soaked overnight and rinsed well (if you can't find oat groats, use steel cut oats instead)
• ½ avocado
• ½ tsp Stevia
• 1 to 2 Tbsp cold filtered water, as needed
• Pinch of high quality sea salt (optional)

Directions

Place the soaked oats and avocado in a food processor and blend. Add the sea salt and Stevia and mix well. If you prefer your oats thick and chunky, you can nix the water altogether. Otherwise, add one tablespoon of water to thin the mixture, and a second tablespoon as needed.

Let me know what you think. I used honey... I wouldn't recommend that combo with the avocado... maple syrup may work better if you don't have the Stevia. 

I miss you 'blogging world'

I am soooo behind. So much has happened! I finished cooking school! Hip Hip! My mother can finally say, 'I finished school.' My nutrition degree is still in the making... it'll happen... slowly but surely. Anyway, I figured I would start back with some photos that I hadn't already posted on my twitter. Here we go...

 went to see SI in NY. So eventually... one day.. there will be a lovely blog post about me going there (on their part) and that will be the highlight of my afternoon. 

 I still go nuts over these quinoa salads. I've discovered my signature dressing, girls love it. I will post it. 

 I found myself a ring barer! He's adorable. 

friends at the WBC!

 Home. 

 Homemade pizza-pre my gluten free diet. 

and this is me for the rest of my life... read this, memorize it. 

stay tuned for a raw oatmeal recipe! oh, sounds delicious doesn't it!

Breakfast

I have been trying to 'balance' each of my meals throughout the day. Meaning, at every meal I include a carb, protein, and fat. I eat 4 small meals and a snack. I try to balance the snack as well being that the snack is usually my 'after workout snack' and it's generally a string cheese and an apple, celery with peanut butter and a glass of almond milk, toast and almond butter, or greek yogurt with chia, nuts, and berries. So, in an effort to balance my breakfast this morning I ended up with this:

an egg, egg white, quinoa, avocado, tomato, and half of a grapefruit. 

A couple weeks ago on Facebook I posted the question, 'What do you eat for breakfast?' I got a lot of responses and I've been trying to pull ideas from all of you for my own breakfasts (hence the grapefruit and avocado). 

Here were some of your responses:

1. Oatmeal and Grapefruit
2. Greek Yogurt with Walnuts and Almonds
3. Honey nut Cheerios new Meledy Crunch, sprinkled on yogurt with blueberries
4. Gluten free bagel or english muffin with lite cream cheese or a poached egg
5. Low cal, low carb lavish bread (with flax) with 2 eggs, mozzarella cheese and salsa! Serve with some side of fruit, like fresh raspberries or strawberries!
6. Egg white omelette with lots of veggies!
7. Green smoothie
8. Steel cut oats with cinnamon & raisins & Naked Green Machine

I've yet to try this smoothie but it sounds delicious. Any of you men out there that aren't intimidated by all these ingredients... let me know how it tastes! Sounds delicious.  

• 2 handfuls of Kale
• 1 cup each of blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, red grapes
•  Trader Joe's Omega 3 Trail Mix, 
• 1 banana, 
• 1 apple
• 1 avocado. 
• 1 dollop of almond butter
• coconut milk or almond milk
• Ice Cubes
• Dash of Cinnamon

Blend!

Thanks for all the great Ideas everyone. 

Desserts.

I rarely ask for a Dessert after a meal now. I don't crave it anymore and I know it would be trouble if I did. I go nuts on the stuff. Yesterday, I went a little 'crazy' and I 'got mad' at the chocolate chips, craisins, apricots, crackers, and honey nut cheerios that we had left in the house. I threw them all in the trash. I felt a little bad considering there are children starving but they should be eating better things than that anyway. I was on a workout high as I headed into Cooking school for my 3rd to last class and determined to resist the desserts I knew we were about to make. Fail, halfway through class Jason handed me his spatula covered in Chocolate Cake batter, I went in the corner and licked it all off. (sigh). 

 delicious caramel 

 finished caramel

 Guess what I made!!!

 'Apple Gillette' 

 ICE CREAM!

 Besides my scooping, it was possibly the most delicious Ice cream I've ever had. So fluffy. 

 Then we practiced plating. 

 Lemon Tart

 Of course I came home and finished off the day with a bag of "Broccoli Slaw" and Marinara. If you haven't tried that then I suggest you do. (Steam the Broccoli and stir in your marinara). 

and this is my delicious (not) cleansing tea that I feel the need to drink after all of that Sugar. 

We just keep on going, keep on trying, eventually we succeed. No sugar. 

Happy Easter!

Our Easter Centerpiece. I need floral design lessons. 

Happy Easter!

No matter how old I get, the most beloved part of Easter is the Easter Egg Hunt. I stuffed about 60 eggs with gummy bears, peach rings, and robin eggs and we are hiding them in the most obvious of places. Besides that- dinner is an obvious high point and I'm cooking up Pork Chops with Sautéed Apples, Roasted Asparagus, Spinach Salad, Homemade Rolls, Cinnamon Swirl Bread,  Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, and Berries with Whipped Cream.

What's your favorite part of Easter? xoxoxo