Top 10 Oatmeal Topping/Combos
Can I just say that this post started out as a “top 5,” but after looking through all my oatty pictures, I realized five just wasn’t gonna cut it.
Actually 10 doesn’t really either. Lucky for you, I only have a quarter of my total blog pictures on this computer, as my laptop has been living underneath my bed for the past 8 months. Still waiting for Santa to send me that Macbook for Christmas in July October.
Top 10 Oatmeal Topping/Combos:
1. Microwaved peanut butter apples.
If you microwave chopped apple, nut butter and a little almond milk in the microwave for ~45 seconds the result is soft buttery apples that taste great on top of oatmeal.
2. Baked goods.
Be it red velvet cupcakes or coffeecake, there’s nothing better than a doughy baked good on top oatmeal. Plus who says cupcakes aren’t a breakfast food?
3. Smores toppings.
Aka chocolate and cinnamon cereal.
4. Peaches and cream.
Truth be told, I’m not much of a fruit and oatmeal kind of girl (unless it’s cranberries — see #9), but peaches are a totally different story. Give me some soft peachy oat goodness any day.
And if you’re wondering what kind of “cream” I’m referring to, move on to #5.
5. Bailey’s Irish Cream.
Need the recipe? Here you go.
Your life will now be complete.
6. Nut butter “sauce.”
Aka nut butter thinned with milk and microwaved for ~30 seconds.
Look past the mound of peanuts and chocolate chips.
I have a new addiction.
Which brings me to number 7.
7. Pumpkin and chocolate chips.
Mild pumpkin, sweet chocolate, heaven.
8. Crunch.
This encompasses everything from granola to walnuts to banana chips.
A bowl of oatmeal isn’t complete without some crunch.
9. Cranberries.
I wish I could reveal to you the full extent of my cranberry kick last winter, but I don’t want to frighten any readers away. I’ll just say obsessed doesn’t even come close to describing it.
Whether dried, fresh or frozen, I’ll take cranberries in my oatmeal any day.
I guess winter does have some upsides.
10. Chocolate almond milk.
And there I go with cranberries again.
Seriously though, talk about total winter comfort.
Adding chocolate milk to oatmeal might be the best idea since sliced bread OIAJ. And you should never repeat that sentence outside of the blog world — people will think you’re crazy.
So there’s my top 10.
**********************************
What’s in your top 10?
My Mother, the Ultimate Prepper
I think that title says it all.
I’d be willing to bet my life that if asked her #1 cooking tip, my mom’s answer would be…
Prep!
Her fridge totally confirms my assumption.
I spy the makings of shrimp tacos.
And ready-to-heat-and-go rice.
And salad dressing that’s ready to be poured.
And either my mom has taken to drinking or she’s got Bourbon bread pudding ready to bake.
Seriously though, my mom swears by prepping everything ahead of time.
Me? I’ll read recipes through before I start cooking so I know to call Joey and make him chop an onion for later, otherwise I’m pretty much a “chop-as-you-go” kind of gal.
I also don’t have a real job that keeps me from being home early enough to cook everything at once or a daughter and a husband who get rather cranky when dinner isn’t on the table at a certain time. Oh hey, Beanie and Dad — yes, I’m talking about you two!
While I don’t get my prepping skills from my mom, I do get my love of cooking from her. The excitement in her eyes as she told me about the menu she had planned for when Joey and I came over for dinner on Wednesday was totally something I can relate to.
Either she likes to cook, or I’m just really really fun.
Or she shares my love of making fun of Joey.
Good thing he’s a good sport 🙂
Happy Friday!
***********************************************
Do you prep things ahead of time?
What’s your #1 cooking tip?
WIAW: One of Those Days
I know “one of those days” typically means it was a bad day, but yesterday I had one of those days that was just plain awesome. And for no other reason than that I ate really good food and shared it with really good company.
Here’s to hoping today is “one of those days” for all of us.
Breakfast:
Pumpkin oatmeal.
If you don’t like pumpkin oats, I invite you to try throwing some chocolate chips on top. Seriously, something about sweet chocolate and mild pumpkin just works together.
Topped with chocolate chips, peanuts and peanut butter.
Insert blog reading, laundry and a trip to the grocery store.
If you’re grocery shopping with a 3-year old, please don’t also be on your cell phone the entire time you’re in the store. I will be annoyed every time I pass you and your daughter will open everything you put in the cart. And you won’t notice either one.
Lunch:
My sister suggested we go out for lunch, I suggested we go to Mod Market.
There’s no love like my love for Mod Market. Except maybe my love for Udi’s. RIP.
From the website:
Crimini Mushroom
Mixed greens, roasted crimini mushrooms, goat cheese, pecans, pear and balsamic vinaigrette
Calories 330 Fat 29g Protein 9g Carbs 13g
Verdict: DELICIOUS.
Also from the website:
Curry Split Pea
Vegan, gluten free
Calories 85 | Fat 3g | Protein 2g | Carbs 13g
Verdict: LOVE.
The only thing that could have made this meal better would have been if someone hadn’t bussed my soup before I was even finished with it!! I know I only had three spoonfuls left, but I wanted those three spoonfuls.
Insert shopping and sweater-purchasing.
Insert worst stationary bike workout ever. The bike wouldn’t move as far forward as I needed it to be and level one was such a struggle. I can’t imagine what anything above one was like! I called it quits after 20 minutes and moved on to some lifting, yoga-ing and ab-working.
Oh and snacking.
Snack:
Almonds and raisins.
x2.
I’ve been out of almonds for so long and finally replenished my supply.
Lemon ginger tea and some wisdom on the side.
Insert shopping at Bed, Bath and Beyond and maybe a trip to the liquor store…
Now I can reach my top shelf and drink wine. Score.
Dinner:
“Cheesey” kale, roasted white acorn squash and a Field Roast Grain sausage.
All smothered in ketchup, naturally.
How you know you’ve converted your boyfriend into a healthy eater:
-
Upon entering the apartment he claims it “smells delicious in here!” and all you’ve done is roast a squash.
-
He tells you he “loves ‘cheesey’ kale” and could “eat it everyday.”
-
He defends vegetarianism when someone says vegetarians just eat salad.
Then you come home and find a Smashburger bag in the trashcan and all illusions float out the window.
C’est la vie. At least he liked this meal.
Insert 3 episodes of Revenge and an early bedtime. Solid day.
As always, thanks to Jenn of Peas and Crayons for hosting WIAW! I’m off to read about the lovely things everyone else ate yesterday.
*******************************
When’s the last time you had “one of those good days?”
What’s the best thing you ate yesterday?
Are you a ketchup smother-er?
Lauren Loves Good Food 