Saturday
May152010
motto for the day
May 15, 2010
PLAY.WITH.YOUR.FOOD.
I’m not talking about mixing mashed potatoes with corn + peas and then flattening it into a pancake before consuming. And I’m not talking about emptying packets of sweet n’ low, salt, pepper and the leftovers from your plate into a cup of water, then stirring vigorously with a straw to leave a surprise for the wait staff. [i’m guilty! but not since i was like 8]
I’m more referring to having fun in the kitchen and not just going through the motion of getting food on a plate.
This is my grown up version of playing with food! I had more fun than usual today making my morning oats and my lunch. I just kept thinking of other things I could add or do next time. I was giddy and it was hard to not dig into either meal before photographing!
Strawberries peaking out from inside :)
I wanted to incorporate Banana Soft Serve into my oats today, but I didn’t have overnight oats waiting in the fridge. I thought it would be fun to layer them into my normal cooked oats. However, I didn’t have a frozen banana. It’s not quite as dessert-ish but if you whip a banana it still gets super creamy, which was perfectly find for today.
I whipped up 1 banana in the food processor along with 1 large strawberry.
What else is in this crazy mix?
Layers in order from the bottom up:
Topped with:
But now how to eat it? With a shovel-spoon of course! This was one of the top 3 oat concoctions I’ve ever made. It was super creamy and I loved all of the layers. Not to mention the melty nut butters.
I tried to eat slowly + savor the goodness.
I snacked on a handful of almonds/walnuts/pecans before leaving for a bike ride. This was the perfect snack to hold me over while riding.
After a 19+ mile bike ride I was staving. It was finally a little bit sunny out for the first 5 laps at the park. I managed to squeeze in a total of 8 laps and made it home just before it started hailing. Lovely.
Then I did some lifting + ab work. Time to EAT!
Lunch was something new + fun + I played even more :) Jessica posted a recipe this morning for a cinnamon fruit filled omelet. Sign me up. As soon as I laid eyes on it, I knew it had to be mine. I know cinnamon eggs might sound kind of odd, but trust me [and Jessica] it is good…better than good!
I’ve actually had cinnamon eggs before as a result of leftover french toast batter. I never like dumping the batter so I always just pour it in the pan and scramble up cinnamon eggs. Don’t judge!
This is the cinnamon egg omelet part of the meal. It looks like a pancake! No flour here! I only made a few very minor changes.
Da-da-da-daaaaaaaaaaaa BEHOLD.
Not only was this cinnamon omelet a GENIOUS idea [we’re talking Mensa level here], the yogurt topping, was nothing short of spectacular.
I have added cinnamon to Greek yogurt before but never have I added a touch of maple syrup.
You should have seen my face when I sat down to eat this. It definitely reminded me of a French toast or pancakes. I kept forgetting I was eating eggs.
Cinnamon Fruit Filled Omelet
I’m sure if you use heavy cream as your milk, it will lead to a bit richer and fluffier omelet. I felt it was important to add a tiny pinch of salt to bring out the flavors. I loved the texture of the creamy banana and would probably add more next time and maybe ditch the pineapple. I love pineapple but it was a little too wet in this.
More playing ensued. I toasted 1/2 of a sprouted wheat bagel [delicious, will give you the brand soon!] and topped it with the following.
Messy but so so so delicious. The peanut butter was melty + warm and the yogurt was nice and cold. Loved the contrast of that with the crunchy bagel.
I know it seems weird to put yogurt + fruit on bread, but trust me [and Allie], it’s not weird, it’s delicious.
Cinnamon Maple Yogurt [also from Jessica]
I doubled the amount of yogurt but kept the amount of cinnamon about the same. Add 1-2t maple depending on your sweet tooth. I didn’t measure mine but just put a dollop in the mix.
I already made another serving of this for my nighttime snack along with a pile of cereal on top.
It is THAT good.
And this is THAT bad. Wow, I was expecting more. This has a great ingredient list and I thought it might be fun when I want something warm to drink at night other than loose leaf tea. You actually brew this in a coffee pot. Well, this was TERRible. It tasted like chemicals. I was really excited about it but I hated it. I’m not sure if it was just this flavor or what. It doesn’t taste like tea in any way shape or form. The name is deceiving but I guess it is called “herbal coffee” and that is exactly how it tastes. Two sips and I was done.
On the other hand this was deelicious! Definitely check out the Tea Dojo website. They are a local Boulder company and hooked me up with 6 bags of their tea. I have been completely impressed so far. Not to mention the packaging is great and each bag is descriptively labeled with brew time, etc. on the back. They have a huge variety and are only $3/bag for very high quality loose leaf tea. [I was not paid to say this! I love a good hearty tea and have definitely been happy with these!!]
Love the red berries in the mix.
Thursday climbing action. So there was a problem I was stuck on the last time we were there. It was 1 move in particular we were both having a hard time with. Chris completed it on Thursday and I got much closer. Even grabbing 1 or 2 more holds is success in my mind. It shows improvement from the last visit. It might not mean you’re stronger but it does mean you’re learning to move your body a little differently to be able to boost up higher or twist harder for a difficult reach.
Here was one of my attempts. Basically I’m holding onto those 2 holds and you can see my right foot up high next to my right hand. Here was the issue. You basically had to hold on and swing both feet from the right side to where my left foot is headed. It takes a LOT of ab strength to control yourself to move the bottom half of your body over there without swinging out of control and falling.
I never realized how much of ab workout climbing would be, before we started into it!
Another attempt. Apologies for the blurriness, but the flash just looks SO bad. So this is 1 step before the image that is above.
And there I go swinging my legs over with my right foot not touching the ground.
I got both my feet around and now the next step was taking my right hand to a hold about 1.5’ above my left hand. You basically have to tuck your body up into the wall to the right and use your abs to pull up so you can make the reach.
I got it this time!!! Finallllly!! And then I got about 2 holds further before needing a break. Some of the routes are SO exhausting.
Anyway, I just wanted to share a little more about our climbing fun. :)
Happy Saturday! I’ll be at the job all weekend. Later bloggos!
Ashley
I’m not talking about mixing mashed potatoes with corn + peas and then flattening it into a pancake before consuming. And I’m not talking about emptying packets of sweet n’ low, salt, pepper and the leftovers from your plate into a cup of water, then stirring vigorously with a straw to leave a surprise for the wait staff. [i’m guilty! but not since i was like 8]
I’m more referring to having fun in the kitchen and not just going through the motion of getting food on a plate.
This is my grown up version of playing with food! I had more fun than usual today making my morning oats and my lunch. I just kept thinking of other things I could add or do next time. I was giddy and it was hard to not dig into either meal before photographing!
Strawberries peaking out from inside :)
I wanted to incorporate Banana Soft Serve into my oats today, but I didn’t have overnight oats waiting in the fridge. I thought it would be fun to layer them into my normal cooked oats. However, I didn’t have a frozen banana. It’s not quite as dessert-ish but if you whip a banana it still gets super creamy, which was perfectly find for today.
I whipped up 1 banana in the food processor along with 1 large strawberry.
What else is in this crazy mix?
Layers in order from the bottom up:
- strawberry banana fluff
- 1/2 sliced strawberry
- cinnamon Scottish oats
- strawberry banana fluff
- cinnamon Scottish oats
- 1/2 sliced strawberry
- cinnamon Scottish oats
- strawberry banana fluff
Topped with:
- cinnamon Scottish oats
- cocoa-coco-pnat butter
- maple cinnamon almond butter
- strawberry slice
But now how to eat it? With a shovel-spoon of course! This was one of the top 3 oat concoctions I’ve ever made. It was super creamy and I loved all of the layers. Not to mention the melty nut butters.
I tried to eat slowly + savor the goodness.
I snacked on a handful of almonds/walnuts/pecans before leaving for a bike ride. This was the perfect snack to hold me over while riding.
After a 19+ mile bike ride I was staving. It was finally a little bit sunny out for the first 5 laps at the park. I managed to squeeze in a total of 8 laps and made it home just before it started hailing. Lovely.
Then I did some lifting + ab work. Time to EAT!
Lunch was something new + fun + I played even more :) Jessica posted a recipe this morning for a cinnamon fruit filled omelet. Sign me up. As soon as I laid eyes on it, I knew it had to be mine. I know cinnamon eggs might sound kind of odd, but trust me [and Jessica] it is good…better than good!
I’ve actually had cinnamon eggs before as a result of leftover french toast batter. I never like dumping the batter so I always just pour it in the pan and scramble up cinnamon eggs. Don’t judge!
This is the cinnamon egg omelet part of the meal. It looks like a pancake! No flour here! I only made a few very minor changes.
Da-da-da-daaaaaaaaaaaa BEHOLD.
Not only was this cinnamon omelet a GENIOUS idea [we’re talking Mensa level here], the yogurt topping, was nothing short of spectacular.
I have added cinnamon to Greek yogurt before but never have I added a touch of maple syrup.
You should have seen my face when I sat down to eat this. It definitely reminded me of a French toast or pancakes. I kept forgetting I was eating eggs.
Cinnamon Fruit Filled Omelet
- 2 eggs
- 2T milk [any kind – Jessica used heavy cream, but I only had 2%]
- small pinch of salt
- 1t vanilla
- 1/2t cinnamon
- 1/3 banana
- 1 champagne mango
- 2 strawberries
- 1 pineapple ring
- Cut up all fruit.
- Heat a small greased pan over medium/low heat.
- Whisk eggs, milk, vanilla, + cinnamon in a bowl.
- Pour into pan and cover with lid or foil, until the eggs are set. You do not have to stir!
- Slide the omelet out with a spatula.
- Top with fruit + fold over.
I’m sure if you use heavy cream as your milk, it will lead to a bit richer and fluffier omelet. I felt it was important to add a tiny pinch of salt to bring out the flavors. I loved the texture of the creamy banana and would probably add more next time and maybe ditch the pineapple. I love pineapple but it was a little too wet in this.
More playing ensued. I toasted 1/2 of a sprouted wheat bagel [delicious, will give you the brand soon!] and topped it with the following.
- at least 1T homemade peanut butter
- ~1/4c yogurt crack
- fruit
Messy but so so so delicious. The peanut butter was melty + warm and the yogurt was nice and cold. Loved the contrast of that with the crunchy bagel.
I know it seems weird to put yogurt + fruit on bread, but trust me [and Allie], it’s not weird, it’s delicious.
Cinnamon Maple Yogurt [also from Jessica]
- 1/2c plain Greek yogurt
- 1/4-1/2t cinnamon
- 1-2t maple syrup
I doubled the amount of yogurt but kept the amount of cinnamon about the same. Add 1-2t maple depending on your sweet tooth. I didn’t measure mine but just put a dollop in the mix.
I already made another serving of this for my nighttime snack along with a pile of cereal on top.
It is THAT good.
And this is THAT bad. Wow, I was expecting more. This has a great ingredient list and I thought it might be fun when I want something warm to drink at night other than loose leaf tea. You actually brew this in a coffee pot. Well, this was TERRible. It tasted like chemicals. I was really excited about it but I hated it. I’m not sure if it was just this flavor or what. It doesn’t taste like tea in any way shape or form. The name is deceiving but I guess it is called “herbal coffee” and that is exactly how it tastes. Two sips and I was done.
On the other hand this was deelicious! Definitely check out the Tea Dojo website. They are a local Boulder company and hooked me up with 6 bags of their tea. I have been completely impressed so far. Not to mention the packaging is great and each bag is descriptively labeled with brew time, etc. on the back. They have a huge variety and are only $3/bag for very high quality loose leaf tea. [I was not paid to say this! I love a good hearty tea and have definitely been happy with these!!]
Love the red berries in the mix.
Thursday climbing action. So there was a problem I was stuck on the last time we were there. It was 1 move in particular we were both having a hard time with. Chris completed it on Thursday and I got much closer. Even grabbing 1 or 2 more holds is success in my mind. It shows improvement from the last visit. It might not mean you’re stronger but it does mean you’re learning to move your body a little differently to be able to boost up higher or twist harder for a difficult reach.
Here was one of my attempts. Basically I’m holding onto those 2 holds and you can see my right foot up high next to my right hand. Here was the issue. You basically had to hold on and swing both feet from the right side to where my left foot is headed. It takes a LOT of ab strength to control yourself to move the bottom half of your body over there without swinging out of control and falling.
I never realized how much of ab workout climbing would be, before we started into it!
Another attempt. Apologies for the blurriness, but the flash just looks SO bad. So this is 1 step before the image that is above.
And there I go swinging my legs over with my right foot not touching the ground.
I got both my feet around and now the next step was taking my right hand to a hold about 1.5’ above my left hand. You basically have to tuck your body up into the wall to the right and use your abs to pull up so you can make the reach.
I got it this time!!! Finallllly!! And then I got about 2 holds further before needing a break. Some of the routes are SO exhausting.
Anyway, I just wanted to share a little more about our climbing fun. :)
Happy Saturday! I’ll be at the job all weekend. Later bloggos!
Ashley
Reader Comments (38)
Wow - look at your amazing arm muscles, impressive!! I need to take up climbing :P
Love the oats, love the lunch, LOVE the bagel - I agree about the greek yogurt on bread thing; I saw it on Allie's blog too, tried it, and was blown away..... :)
Have a good Saturday!
Mmm I really need to get on that fruity omelet, don't I- it looks fantastic!!
xo
K
Those oats do look nothing short of fantastic!! I am so tempted to try banana soft serve in my oats but the thought of pulling out the FP and making soft serve at 6am does not tempt me enough. ;)
Love the egg crepe!! Brilliant idea.
Look at those arm muscles girl!! What a fun functional workout!
#1. The strawberry banana fluff? Doing that *right* when I get home. Looks/sounds delish.
#2. I saw you tweet about the cinnamon fruit omlette yesterday. I'm not going to lie, I am skeptical. Not sure if I'm quite ready to try that yet but I'll keep it in mind. :)
Your breakfasts never fail to inspire me...sounds amazing! The cinnamon maple yogurt topping (and peanut butter) looks too good too! Love hearing about the climbing and biking!
I am so glad you loved it! And I LOVED your email. Seriously, it made my night. Now you just have to come to Cleveland next weekend so I can see you! PLEASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSE.
Ok, I know we've commented on this before, but holy arms! In the first picture?! That's just ridiculous muscle going on girl! I love how creative you are in the kitchen. I'm still itching to make the almond butter, but have to eat up the stuff I've got first.
Oh my gosh, everything just looks amazing!
Those oats look incredible! My blender doesn't cut it when it comes to banana soft serve, I am going to need to get a food processor...
Not only do I want to eat everything in this post right now...I also love the motto of PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD! I'm thinking about adding it to my "Smart Kitchen Rules"...
dude, i want to make that oat concoction. and i miss climbing SO much! i lived at the climbing gym all through college and spent many a weekend camping at the crags. I can't wait to get back into it someday.
Wow. Way to be a rock climbing beast! That's awesome....I am a bit of a fail when it comes to bouldering (I prefer top roping). I haven't quite figured out the right ways to move my body to get from A to B on a route...and my arm strength is a little lacking. But in time hopefully, I'll get there! You (and your arms!) are an inspiration, girl!
oh my gosh! oh my gosh! *drools* i have no words.
LOL...a beast..too funny! It is definitely hard and we didn't really start to see improvement until we were going twice a week for about 2 months..then we started noticing we were getting stronger! Thank you SO SO SO much.
I always say dude...I love that you said that, lol..luuuurve climbing :)
YES!!! It's the best motto!
You must get one!
LOL..maybe I need to do some explaining about my arms...it's a lot genetics I think!
LOL fly me out!
Thanks for letting me know the climbing + biking stories don't put you to sleep :)
I Know, it sounds weird...it's ok if you're not ready!!
Hahaha, yeah not sure I would do it if I was up at 6am for work in the AM!
Hope you had a great weekend!
Bahaha three cheers for yog and fruit on bread!! It reminds me of cream cheese, dontcha think?
I love this version of the cinnamon omelet. So easy - I will have to try covering mine and letting it cook - definitely looks more crepe-like, and your maple yogurt topping looks so good as does your oatmeal parfait from breakfast - almost too pretty to eat...almost!
Your rock climbing abilities amaze me. I could only go straight up - those routes that required all that ab work...I always fell right off the wall. Not pretty. ;)
FYI: your links to Jessica's page and the slightly modified link for the pancakes come up with a 404 page.
Excited to try the fruit and egg pancakes. I love pancakes.
Found you through HEAB. Great site! Looks tasty ;).
The pancake though - I'm guessing it actually doesn't taste like a pancake right? More like an omelet type thing...like eggs?!
Hello there!! Thanks for saying hi :) The taste is between a pancake + and omelet. It's more sweet than savory. Felt very different from a typical omelet. I must make this again soon!
I don't understand what measurement T stands for. Is it Tbsp, tsp, or what?
T = Tbsp and t = tsp
Hi!!
I just made your Cinnamon Fruit Filled Omelette! It was delicious!I just stumbled upon your blog and I am so happy that I did! I am so excited to try out some more recipes! Happy Sunday ;)
Amanda
So so glad you liked it. Thanks for letting me know!!
[...] It was soooo good, courtesy of my fave blog, the edible perspective, where you can get the recipe here! You can use any fruit you please! I put in banana, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, and mango! [...]
Stumbled on this today when I couldn't decide what to have for breakfast - whipped banana + oats went down AMAZINGLY! And that bagel looks crazy good, I may just have to steal this food day...
Awesome..so glad you enjoyed!
I may have missed it (I'm new here) but how do you make the strawberry banana fluff? My 3 boys are drooling over that mug of love!
It's basically, banana soft serve, which I linked to in the beginning of the post and then processed that with 1 large strawberry. You'll need a food processor to make banana soft serve, but the only ingredient are frozen bananas and maybe a splash of milk.
Thanks so much Ashley! I've recently lost 30 lbs (finally losing that baby weight after my third son...he's 9! lol) and I can't tell you how excited I am to have stumbled upon your site! I have bookmarked about 20 recipes so far and am still finding things that excite me every day. Thank you for all the hard work you've put into it...it surely shows!