Monday, September 20, 2010

Oats in a Loupe


Thank you all for voting for The Next Food Blogger Star!  

Even though I'm so grateful for your vote on my own post, as I mentioned before, there are so many other wonderful contestants who just happen to be great friends of mine, so please be sure to spread the love.  Some more to mention…..


I know this is supposed to be a competition, but truly, all of these girls deserves to win!  

Voting is open for 2 more days for Round 1.  You can click on the link here…. (click me) or you can click on the voting badge located on the right side bar menu on my blog.  

Well now that we have that out of the way, I think I should start to tell you about the most wonderful breakfast I had this morning.  The picture is staring me in the face as I type this and it makes me want to make it all over again.



That would be Overnight Oats in a Loupe! 

Last night, I prepped my oats.  1/4 cup Oats, Raspberry Chobani, 1/2 Ripe Banana, Chia and Flax. This morning I hollowed out 1/2 a cantaloupe and poured the doughy oats inside.  Then I topped it all with berries and white chocolate wonderful PB.



And just because the strawberries were too large to fit, I had them on the side. 

This was incredible!  I wish I would have discovered this earlier, because it was definitely a summery breakfast, but still so very good.  The berries and melons are hanging on so I will gladly continue to consume as much as I can. 

Aside from my breakfast, I was full of color today.  I'm usually a black or grey kind of girl when it comes to my outfits, but today, I rocked out a very bright purple. 



And I got many compliments.  Maybe I should try bright colors more often? 

When I got to work, I started the week off with a few meetings, morning appointments, and some traveling.  Not a bad way to start a Monday, but for some reason I was starving by 11am. 

I decided to push back one of my stops and came home for an earlier lunch. 



I heated up some of my leftover Butternut Squash and Apple Chili and a slice of Pumpkin Cornbread. 



And also made a side salad with Arugula, Zucchini, Asparagus, Peas, Blueberries, and Walnuts. 


This soup and salad lunch beats any combo I could get out. 

Many of you asked for the recipe for the Pumpkin and Black Bean Chili I referred to in last night's post.  I think I told you that it was on my recipe page, but I lied, it's not.  So here it is…..


I adapt this by eliminating some of the broth, and by using almond or coconut milk instead of the cream.

When I got home from work, I surprised myself once again by running outside for a nice 5 miles.  It's not that I surprised myself by running, I run every day of my life, but the reason why I'm shocked is because there are two elements that I hate running in….late afternoon hours and heat.  I've been doing both for a few weeks because the treadmill at our gym is broken so it's forcing me to test my limits.  Probably a good thing with my upcoming 1/2 marathon just a few weeks away. 

The run was so much better than the last one I tried after work last week.  My knee felt great and it was even a bit cooler than last time.  I'm feeling more comfortable about the race, so long as these knees don't give out on me. I've got this! 

I came home, cooled off and started on dinner. 

I've been waiting all year for this and it's finally back! 

Pumpkin Kasha!!! 

Newbies, let me explain. 

My MIL makes a signature Russian dish called Pumpkin Kasha.  Kasha is similar to a buckwheat groat and she uses fresh pumpkin to soak the oats in.  It turns into the most creamy, delicious, pumpkin mush that I can describe.  Kind of like Pumpkin Risotto but a little sweeter. 

It's one of my favorite things on this earth and she only makes it in the fall, when Pumpkin is in season. 

I roasted up a plethora of veggies, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, and Butternut Squash and piled them on top of the Kasha, Spinach and added a bit of Goat Cheese.


I also had another small slice of the Pumpkin Cornbread with dinner because I can't get enough of that either. 


Toly doesn't like Pumpkin Kasha, and truthfully, I'm very happy that he doesn't.  I'm good at finishing this all by myself so his help is not needed. 

But I did make him something he does like. 


Trader Joe's Mac and Cheese with Sausage and Bacon. 

We are trying to eat down our freezer so Toly may be getting more and more of these meals in the upcoming weeks. 

Well I've got some work to do to get ready for a very busy week. 

Goodnight guys! 


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12 comments:

  1. oh my goodness! You're so sweet! But I am not in the competition :) I just got a little run over with everything that is going on. But thank you for the shout out whoop! Oats in a loupe! I love it. Hang onto that summer fruit. I will be super sad when the loupes are gone. Love the pop of color, it is a nice change up. I rocked a bright bright neon green the other day. I am totally making that soup. And very glad to hear the run went well.

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  2. can i tell you just HOW BADLY i want some pumpkin something right now?!?!

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  3. i do love some purple ;)

    best of luck to you!!!
    have a great night!
    bec xo

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  4. SO sweet of you to make your hus a meal he loves! the Kasha sounds delish too!:)

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  5. Love the purple.
    Go Ravens!

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  6. I think pumpkin cornbread is genius! I just made batch of regular cornbread tonight, and I wish I would have thought to add some of my canned pumpkin! Thank you for sharing some great new blogs for me to explore...you will be getting a vote from me for sure!

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  7. That cantaloupe idea looks so good! I havent tried it before but its so pretty and I bet its very yummy! =)Pumpkin cornbread? I have never heard of that. I will have to try that out!

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  8. Holy moly pumpkin!! So many delicious things in this post...and I just bookmarked the pumpkin-bean soup, thanks for sharing!

    I hate afternoon/hot runs as well. If I don't get my run in before lunch, it's done for me!

    Hope you have a great day!!

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  9. That dish your mother-in-law makes sounds amazing! I have a huge jar full of buckwheat sitting in the pantry right now... I might have to try it out. Do you think she'd surrender the recipe?!

    Have a great day, dear!

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  10. ohhh would toly's mom do a guest post on that pumpkin kasha? it sounds DELIGHTFUL!

    and you are the queen of eating veggies and fruits in the most creative of ways - i am LOVING that chili, the cornbread and that morning bowl of oats (although i dislike cantaloupe :). keep rockin' those bright colors and cheering everyone up with your even brighter optimism my dear lauren!!!

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  11. I love Kasha!! And I love the way you added all those awesome veggies to it!! Definitely need to try that.........all topped with goat cheese of coursE!! SOME DAY!

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  12. thanks for the shout out, doll! i am actually not going to do the PFB, i don't have the time :(

    i LOVE purple on you!! xoxo

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