new oats

So yesterday I mentioned that I just bought Bob’s Red Mill Muesli.  This morning was my first time having it cooked.  Muesli is usually just oats mixed with fruit + nuts.  This specific kind has: Rolled Oats, Wheat, Rye, Triticale and Barley, Almonds, Date Crumbles, Raisins, Sunflower Seeds and Walnuts. 

Kids in pj’s are so stinkin cute!

Morning Jakey!

 

The serving size only says 1/4c. at 110cals.  I knew that wouldn’t be enough!  It calls for equal parts liquid to the muesli, but I ended up adding a bit more. 

• 1/3c. Bob’s Red Mill Muesli
• 1/2c. vanilla unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 banana
• pnut butter glob
• Yogi strawberry crunch cereal

This is 1 of the awesome bowls Melissa bought me for Chanukah :)

Banana time.

I really really liked this but could have eaten double the amount, hehe.  I had about 1/3c. of the Yogi cereal with almond milk after, and I actually stayed full for 3hrs.  I was shocked.  I guess it was more filling than I thought.  I didn’t think it would keep me as full since there were a lot less oats because of the other added ingredients.

I definitely recommend this product.  It was delicious and I liked the texture a lot.

Jake + I went for a walk before he ate lunch.  Melissa’s neighborhood has some really steep hills!  It’s finally warming up here and even thought it was only in the 40’s it felt HOT with the intense sun.  How cute is he!?

Lunch time for Jake!

Lunch time for me!  Leftovers of the delicious butternut squash pasta from last night.  Soooo yum!!

Butternut Squash Pasta:

I don’t know exactly how much squash I used, but I chopped and used a whole one that was about 3lbs?  You can also use sweet potatoes if you like them better.  I would say 2-3 of them?

• ~3lb butternut squash
• 1/2c. onion
• 1/2 container pasta [serving for 4]
• 1t minced garlic
• 1/2c. parmesan
• 1T fresh chopped rosemary
• s+p to taste
• ricotta cheese
• 1/2c. of the cooking water from the pasta

1. Cube the squash, toss with 1T olive oil + salt, roast @400* until desired doneness [30-40min] 
2. Fill a pot with water and cook the pasta
3. Heat a large pan with ~1T olive oil and sauté onion + garlic until soft
4. Add in squash, rosemary, s+p. 
5. Cook for a few min and then add in reserved pasta water, pasta and parm cheese.
6. Toss and let thicken for 2-4min and serve with or without dollops of ricotta.

If something doesn’t seem right with this or if you have a question let me know.  I can’t find the actual recipe, but think I got it right! ;)

I also pan sauted brussel sprouts on the side, as you can see.  I added some fresh rosemary to them, s+p, and a little red wine vinegar.  Tasty!

I could have definitely chowed down more of the pasta but had a pear instead.  It was suuuper sweet + delicious.  I swear I’ve had some of the best pears ever this season!

Chris came to hang out tonight and stay with me until Jake’s parents get home tomorrow.  I had a meal all planned out.  Three bean + Kale soup.  It was definitely a 30min soup, which is always so nice, and I thought the taste was great without having to add a million seasonings.

Hello Shiraz, you are so yummy!  Jake + I made a quick trip to Whole Foods to get a few more things…like their mini $.99 loaf of French bread [soo good!!].

The soup was really thick with the beans and kale.  It looks like there wasn’t enough liquid but you could always make it more “brothy.”  I would keep it the same next time.  I loved that it was like eating a huuuge bowl of veggies + beans with not too much broth.

Ohhh yum.  Lunch tomorrow is going to be hard deciding if I want this soup or the butternut squash pasta!

You might spot some brussel sprouts.  I added them in from leftovers that I made last night.  Awesome addition!

I got this recipe from Cooking Light and only changed a few things.

Two Three Bean Kale Soup [what I changed]

• 1 can black beans, 1 can cannellini beans, 1 can lentils [I still pureed the can of cannellini beans as directed]
• 2T red wine vinegar [instead of 1T]
• 1c. carrot [instead of 1/2c.]
• 2/3c. onion [instead of 1c.]
• 2t. rosemary [instead of 1t]

Yummmm!!!

Night all :)

~Ashley

“mom” for the weekend

I was up bright and early to get a good workout in, before leaving for Melissa’s house in Colorado Springs [about 1hr from me].  I ate 1/2 a banana so I wasn’t starving while working out.

It was 7deg. when I left for the gym…eeek!

Workout!

• 25min treadmill – 1/2 hill walking 4mph @8% incline – 1/2 running 6mph @2-3% incline
• 20min elliptical with arms
• quick ab workout

When I got home I was in a hurry to shower + pack + make something to eat!  I chomped on a deeelicious pear.  My sis [in law] left me a cute note this morning.  Happy Hannukah, if you celebrate!!!  [I was raised Jewish, and had a Bat Mitzvah when I was 13.  My dad isn’t Jewish, so we always did all of the holiday.]

Got all ready and made a PUMPKIN green monster for the road!!  It rocked but not as much as the first one.  My can of pumpkin was low [only about 1/4 cup] and I didn’t use enough cinnamon.  Oh well, still really creamy and tasty! 

Jake is the best baby I have ever been around.  Seriously…he is so calm + happy.  He is content just hangin out on the floor, on his playmat, or in the his excer-saucer.  I had him on my lap facing me for at least 30min tonight too and he was just babbling away as I talked to him.  He only fusses [a tinnnny bit] if he’s hungry or sleepy. 

His famous HUGE grin.  He makes this face all the time.  Like I said…he’s a really happy baby!!  I think our dogs are needier than Jake is, haha ;)

Snack time for me!  Stonyfield plain yogurt [1cup?] and Bob’s Red Mill muesli.  I know you’re supposed to cook this stuff, but it was yummy uncooked on the yogurt.  I just bought it for the first time and am super excited to make it for breakfast tomorrow!!

Bottle + nap time for Jake!

I’ve always heard, when the baby sleeps, the mom is supposed to sleep too…so that is what I did, hehe :)  Then I woke up and had this coffee drink!  It tasted a little “tinny” from the can, so I poured it in a glass and it was much better.  The flavor was great and not thick/syrup-ey or too sweet, like a lot of the Starbucks cold coffee drinks.  I would buy it again for sure.

Melissa was totally awesome and had me make her a grocery list for the food I wanted this weekend.  I found 2 recipes and she got everything I needed…Including a HUuuge butternut squash!

love.it.

She told me to help myself to some of their wine. Not a problem!  I had the shiraz and it was tasty!

The view out of Melissa’s kitchen window.  Awesome!

The view out of Jake’s window.

I had to wake him from his 2hr nap so he could eat.  I didn’t want him getting off schedule!!  Sleepy kids are so so cute. 

Dinner for Jake!  fruit + rice cereal + veggies

nom nom nom

A little messy but not bad at all!!

all.gone.

While Jake was taking his little evening nap, I made dinner.  I’ll post the recipe tomrrow.  There are minimal ingredients and it was a really easy recipe.  It was also SO yummy!!!  I wanted to make it while I was here, because Chris, Pat + Nat do not like butternut squash.  Had to take advantage while I was away :)

Ricotta dollops on top + sprouts on the side.  I’m excited for the leftovers for lunch!

Off to bed…gotta be ready for Jake bright + early!!

~Ashley  

what did I do today?

I can’t really remember what I did today.  There is a blur of photo taking, editing, apartment hunting and cooking.  I guess I do remember what I did, but it seems like a fog of a day.  I woke up with a hangover-like headache, except I did not drink anything the night before.  It is the worst way to start the day.  I felt really dry, so I chugged 16oz of water and 8oz of some delicious organic pomegranate blueberry juice.

And then….I made oats :)

Can you tell I love my new bowl??

Normal creamy banana oats, topped with: pnutty butter, melted cacao bliss, yogi cereal, ch ch ch chia seeds

Looove the melted coconutty chocolate goodness.

I did a bunch of computer work and then made lunch.  Leftovers from last night’s pasta + veggies + breadcrumbs with a delicious salad on the side.  I topped it with the rest of the roasted butternut squash, which was sooooo good.  I wish I had it on hand everday!  I drizzled a little olive oil + balsamic on top.

I don’t like this “lettuce” that is included with mixed greens.  WHAT is it!!??  It’s hard to get in your mouth and kind of twiggy…blegh!

After lunch I ran a bunch of errands and then Chris + I went for another fail of a day looking for a place to live.  Ohhh so much fun!! hehe

Snack time before apartment hunting. 

I looove pears!

I never buy berries in the winter.  They were on sale from WF and grown in CA and actually looked good…and they were! 

  

I’ve been wanting to make stuffing lately.  It’s just so warm and delicious.  Perfect for this FREEZing weather.   

It was a basic herby stuffing including:

• WF sourdough loaf
• veggie broth
• carrots/celery/onion
• spinach
• mushrooms [there would have been but the boys don’t like them!]
• thyme
• sage
• s+p
• sage turkey sausage + basil/garlic [fresh from WF, not pre-cooked]

It didn’t photograph well…some things just don’t look too appetizing as a photo!  Maybe if photos could smell….. ;)  Served with some salad on the side and a balsamic dressing that I whipped up.  mmm

To the right..

To the left…

Totalllllllllly exhausted.  Off to Melissa’s [babysitting her son all weekend] tomorrow morning and hopefully squeezing in an early morning workout at the gym!! 

niiiight!

~Ashley

Check out the “my story” page.  I finallllly got it up! :)