Marvelous/Not So Marvelous… And an Oatmeal Recipe

Marvelous is… the fact that I found an old bag of black licorice cough drops in our medicine cabinet.

Not so marvelous is… the fact that I even NEED cough drops due to “the plague.” 😉

Marvelous is… watching the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with my mom.

Not so marvelous is… now I’m craving pizza.

Marvelous is… celebrating one of my friend’s birthdays tomorrow.

Not so marvelous is… if I don’t get over this cold/virus/whatever-it-is I won’t be able to go.

Marvelous is… making breakfast on an actual stove every morning for my parents.

Not so marvelous is… Okay, I can’t really find anything wrong with this oatmeal. Ha.

Banana and Maple Pecan Oatmeal

Gluten/Wheat-Free, Vegan, Nut-Free Option (in Notes below)

Makes 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1 cup liquid (1/2 cup water + 1/2 cup milk)
• 1/2 cup quick oatmeal
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed (ground chia would work too)
• 1 tbsp sweetener
• 1/2 banana
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• dash of salt
• “Maple pecans”: 3 tbsp pecans, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1/8 tsp cinnamon, dash of salt
• optional toppings (I used melted almond butter)

Directions:

1. Heat liquid on high until boiling. Add oatmeal and flaxseed. Reduce heat to medium and stir occasionally for about 5 minutes or until thickened.
2. Slice the 1/2 banana on top of the oatmeal. Stir and let sit for a minute until the banana gets soft. Using a fork whip the oatmeal incorporating the banana until smooth. Mix in the cinnamon and salt then pour into a bowl.
3. In the now empty pan put the pecans, maple syrup, cinnamon and salt. Heat on medium until the syrup begins to boil and thicken. Pour onto the oatmeal and top with optional toppings.

Notes: To make this vegan/dairy-free use a dairy-free milk like almond milk or coconut milk. You could also just use all water for the liquid to make it nut-free but it won’t be as creamy. For the nuts, feel free to omit or replace with a nut-free version like sunflower seeds, pepitas, a diced banana or apple.

Marvelous is… doubling the recipe to make it for two.

Not so marvelous is… not having the right-sized pan and the liquid spilling over causing your stove to smoke. My bad.

Marvelous is… the truckload of Christmas pictures that I have to share with you.

Not so marvelous is… having to upload and edit them all.

So while I get on that, make this oatmeal, pop in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and get to reading some of the other posts that are linking up to Katie’s Marvelous in my Monday.

Hopefully I will be feeling better and able to comment on some of your posts that I’ve missed in the past week or so. Time to return to the land of the living! 😉

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Questions for you:

Which Ninja Turtle is your favorite? I’m partial to the one in red, Raphael. 

According to Nickelodeon’s survey though, I’m DONATELLO!

Like Donatello, you are a brilliant inventor. You may not make all of the Turtles’ gadgets, weapons, and vehicles, like he does, but you’ve got the brains for it! But sometimes you and Donnie are too smart for your own good, like when you’re too busy admiring an enemy’s futuristic laser cannon to run for your lives. But when it comes down to it, it’s other people’s lives that really keep your head in a mission. You fight with your heart, and that makes you a very powerful warrior.

What’s your favorite cough drop flavor? Black licorice obviously.

Have you gotten all of your Christmas photos/recaps up yet? I’m pretty sure I’m the last one…

Thursdays are for Thinking Out Loud #1

Hey! What’s this? A post on a Thursday? I know, I know. I’m a constant bundle of surprise.

I decided to break my normal posting schedule to support Amanda and her new weekly link-up for Thinking Out Loud! I’m not sure if I will do this every week because I don’t want all of my posts to become solely for link-ups, but I couldn’t miss out on this inaugural event. This is history in the making.

In true Thursday Thoughts fashion I am taking a cue from Ms. Spoon’s book and going with some numbers….

1. I’m just not feeling super festive yet. Anyone else? Maybe it’s because I still have school in my constant thoughts. If that’s the case, it probably won’t be until next Saturday that I actually start feeling like it’s Christmas time.

2. Despite not feeling all Christmas-y, the constant influx of snow is not letting me forget that we are indeed drawing nearer to Winter. While not a “warm” welcome, it does make me a little giddy and nostalgic to awake to a fresh bed of whiteness on our school lawns. Those happy memories are quickly forgotten though when my feet get soaked as I trudge through the wet snow. I need a new pair of boots that aren’t as thin as paper in the heels.

So basically, I feel like this whenever I go outside.

3. Speaking of boots, lets talk about Uggs for a moment. I own a few pair of knockoffs and they are so warm and comfortable. But are they cute? The consensus among my roommates is no. However, one roommate insists that they are adorable. I think that by definition they are ugly, and that is almost part of their appeal. They aren’t super high fashion so they are accessible to everyone and I feel like I can wear them everyday without much concern. Again, they are the epitome of warm. Nothing more.

 4. I have realized recently that I do best with small changes. Occasionally I do well with just jumping feet first into something (like with this blog, one day it was non-existent and the next I was blabbing away to you all!) But with most things in life it’s better if I get adapted slowly. Like with exercise. I don’t know how many times I have tried to go all out and exercise a lot everyday when I’m first starting. Then within no time I lose that initial excitement and it quickly falls to the way side.

Since Elf For Health‘s challenge on Monday though, I’ve begun slowly adding in just a “bit” here and there. I almost forgot to do the circuit challenge for the day so before going to bed I quickly busted out 5 minutes worth of toning exercises. Is it an overnight transformation? Heck no. However, I’m not doing this to lose weight, and really, I’m not even doing it for the health benefits like potentially reducing the risk of disease, illness, spontaneous combustion, etc. Recently I’ve been intrigued by the idea that incorporating exercise into your daily schedule can help reduce stress and possibly even better digestion. I’m all for that.

Three nights in a row and going strong! 😉 Lol. I have no naive thoughts that what I’m doing is nearly enough, however this time around I want to try the slow approach, adding in a little each day. If you don’t already do wall sits, you really should. Feel the burn.

5. Up next I’m going to make an easy 5 minute arm workout for myself. I love circuits for their short and choppy nature. With reading my favorite books I have no problem doing the same thing for hours on end, but when it comes to working out if I’m repetitive my interest fades fast. What I need is quick and effective stuff where I won’t lose my mind in boredom.

6. Tomorrow (Thursday) is the Hobbit 2 premiere and I am super excited. While I liked the original Lord of the Rings film trilogy I actually think the Hobbit is better thus far. My Loki-loving friend managed to snag seats to a special early showing tomorrow afternoon, so we are driving about an hour north to the city to watch in style. The only thing that could make this sequel better than the first is with the addition of some stellar new cast members. Oh wait, there is! Orlando Bloom as Legolas and Benedict Cumberbatch (as the dragon!). Aren’t you pumped? 😉

8. There are still open spots for the 12 Days of Christmas Recipes link-up! There are 3 or 4 themes left and for those of you worried about being too busy with work and such, all of the days remaining are towards the end so you can work on it in your spare time over Christmas vacation 🙂 A few of the other participants have already been e-mailing me with rough draft versions of theirs (not that you have to do that), which just goes to show how super easy it is join in!

9. I was just going to end with 8… then I suddenly felt a cold blast of air. For some reason unbeknownst to me (and the rest of humanity) someone keeps on turning the air conditioning on in our room. 😯 Hmm… That 6 degree temperature prediction for tonight is not in Celsius, is it? No. No it’s not. However, I’m keeping my lips zipped and pulling on my house slippers in silence. “Peace on Earth, goodwill toward men…”

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Questions for you:

What are you thinking about on this bright, cheery (cold) Thursday?

Does ending on an odd number bother any of you?

Have you considered joining in our Christmas recipe fun?

How do you keep warm during the winter? (Electric blankets is not an acceptable solution per University policy. No matter how much I would love to convince them otherwise…)

What Katniss and Peeta Ate Wednesday in Catching Fire

Oh yes I did. In honor of the Catching Fire premiere at the end of this week, I have assembled the ultimate WIAW featuring What Katniss and Peeta Ate Wednesday in Catching Fire:

District 12 

Greasy Sae’s Stew (Chapter 1)

Greasy Sae’s Stew is famous for containing meat of questionable origins and even though Katniss can now afford more expensive meals since winning the Hunger Games, this is still one of her favorites.

Tea and iced sugar cookies (Chapter 2)

When President Snow comes to visit Katniss before she leaves for her Victory Tour Katniss’s mother brings in sugar cookies ice by Peeta and some tea for the President to have.

Train

Lamb Stew with Dried Plums (Chapter 4)

While on the train the attendants try to please Katniss by serving her favorite meals.

Hot Chocolate (Chapter 4)

Hot chocolate is another thing that is served on the train during the Victory Tour.

President Snow’s Mansion

Creamy Pumpkin Brew (Chapter 6)

Pumpkin Stew is one of the first foods that Katniss tries at President Snow’s mansion at the conclusion of the Victory Tour.

Frothy Raspberry Soup (Chapter 6)

This chilled soup is another soup that is served at President Snow’s party.

Capital 12

Fresh Bread (Chapter 10)

Peeta always has freshly baked bread to give to Katniss’s family. Katniss gives some to the runaways that she finds while hunting.

Train 

Warm Milk and Honey (Chapter 14)

Not being able to sleep, Katniss and Peeta watch a video of the Hunger Games while drinking some warm honey and milk that one of the train attendants made for them.

Training Center/Capitol

Sugar Cubes (Chapter 15)

Katniss first meets Finnick after the past victors are introduced, where he is eating sugar cubes by the handful meant for the horses.

Picnic (Chapter 17)

On the last night before going into their second Hunger Games Katniss and Peeta have a picnic on the roof of the training center.

Quarter Quells

Roasted Nuts (Chapter 20)

At first thinking they are poisonous Katniss tells Mags to spit out the nuts, but then she discovers that they are quite safe and taste like chestnuts when roasted against the force field that surrounds the arena.

Seaweed Bread (chapter 22)

The seaweed in this bread represents Finnick’s district and was a present during the games.

Spicy Red Sauce (chapter 25)

This spicy red sauce was a present from District 3.

Oysters (chapter 25)

Caught by Finnick, these oysters are the final meal of the competitors before they head into the jungle to finish their plan.

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Don’t forget to check out all of the other WIAW link-ups today for some incredible meals and recipes!

It is currently way past my bedtime and I can assure you that I will be sleeping into about 7:00 tomorrow morning. Don’t be concerned if you don’t see many comments/responses from me for a little while because I have a huge sales presentation on Thursday that I need to get working on!

I hope you have a Happy Wednesday! 🙂

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Questions for you: 

Are you going to watch Catching Fire? 

Which recipe would you be most interested (or not interested!) in trying?

Have you ever been inspired to make something after reading about it in a book?

No Need for A Cup — “Milkshake” Recipe and WIAW

I must say I was aghast at how many of you admitted to disliking superhero movies on Friday’s post. Truly I intended the question to be more rhetorical and expected everyone to agree that superhero movies are wonderful. While I do think that some of you are missing out on what is Chris Hemsworth in metal breastplates and locks of gold, I’m also happy that you feel like you can be honest on here without being judged (I only thought *slightly* less of you Thor-haters 😉 ).

While we speak of being honest I must also admit to forgetting quite a few promised posts. Today is just one check off the list of several that I will be knocking down. Starting Monday I have plans to tackle them full force, one each week. Today though is all about the food. Since I tend to only post recipes for baked goods, you may have started to think that that’s all my family eats. On the contrary those make up just one or two days out of the weekend and during the work week their days are dessert-less (aka. much more lackluster 😉 ). On Friday I showed you a savory recipe involving beef and vegetables that is much closer to what my mom and dad have for supper each night.

Another thing that my dad personally consumes multiple times a week is his smoothie. Oh how the man loves his smoothies! When home I (and my mom) are probably asked four times a day if we will make him one. And only about 25% of the time do we say yes.

I posted one of the smoothies on Instagram two weeks ago but I also want to share a version of it on here. While the smoothies that I make do contain fruit and yogurt, they actually are much more “milkshake” like in taste and texture (at least that’s what my dad has led me to believe!)

The base of the smoothie always includes one or more bananas and some plain organic yogurt. Most often I also add in nut butter and carob powder as well. Here is the recipe that I have been making most recently:

Banana, Carob, Nut Butter “Milkshake”

Grain/Gluten/Wheat-Free, Dairy/Nut-Free Options, Egg-Free, Vegan Option, Paleo/Primal

Makes about 2 1/2 cups (1 or 2 servings)

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe bananas, sliced and frozen
• 2/3 cup plain organic yogurt (use coconut to make this dairy-free)
• 2-4 tbsp nut butter (just a “big scoop!”) (to make nut-free use sunflower seed butter)
• 2-4 tbsp carob powder (again, I just add a scoop in, no measuring necessary)
• optional: a splash of vanilla and a dash of sea salt

Directions:

1. Place the frozen bananas in the food processor first and blend until creamy and smooth. You may need to use a spoon occasionally to scrape down the sides of the processor to fully incorporate the bananas.
2. Next add the yogurt and blend.
3. Now with my base I add in the nut butter, carob powder, vanilla and sea salt. Give it a whirl until it is all one color and thoroughly combined!
4. Enjoy 🙂

Note: He also likes them with strawberries which I would add instead of the nut butter (1/2-1 cup frozen). But peanut butter and carob is his favorite combination.

***Although the pictures are in a glass, my dad much prefers I just hand him a spoon with the food processor, blade and all 🙂 ***

Are you someone who can drink your smoothie straight out of the food processor or blender? Or do you always have to serve it in a glass? Have you ever eaten your oatmeal straight from the pan, or a lasagna right from the casserole dish? Or does it just not feel “right” unless you eat your serving from a plate or bowl?

I’m definitely an in-betweener on this. While I feel perfectly fine snacking straight out of whatever I cooked/made my food in, I always have to eventually remove it to a plate/bowl/cup to eat my actual “meal.” Otherwise it doesn’t feel legitimate to me… Am I the only one?

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Before I skidaddle, I want to fulfill my promise from Friday and give a quick review of Thor 2.

Using one of the most frequent words in my vocabulary, it was AWESOME! 🙂

If you enjoyed the first movie you will certainly like this one as well because there is a lot of character development with Thor and Loki. There is also some great chemistry between Jane and Thor which I adored.

If you didn’t like the first movie, I would still encourage you to watch the sequel. After it was over I was explaining to my friend that I can’t pick a favorite of the two because they are just so DIFFERENT. It’s would be like comparing… a smoothie and a milkshake? ( 😉 ) Both are amazing but to compare the two is unfair because they have different qualities that don’t crossover.

This sequel was extremely fast-paced and was jam-packed with humor. I don’t think I stopped laughing for more than a minute before Loki made some snarky comment again. Kat Dennings as Darcy Lewis was as hilarious as ever, and the minor characters of Dr. Erik Selvig, the new intern Ian, and of course all of the royalty/warriors from Asgard were wonderful too. The lines were very well written and the back-and-forth dynamic between the characters was perfect. Witty. Visually Stunning….

GO. WATCH. IT.

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Oh, and go check out Jenn’s WIAW party for this week too… 😉

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Questions for you:

Just tell me your thoughts!