A whole lot of goodness.

Hot dang, I feel like it has been forever since I last posted. I'm not quite sure what exactly it is that I've been doing that hasn't allowed me for time to blog, but obviously there has been something. Makes me sad too, because I think it's been almost four days since I've posted. This is going to be a simple post. I'm literally going to post photographs + the recipes that go with it. I'm not writing a blurb about each once because I am not feeling to creative tonight. It was family day today, and I spent the majority of my time in the kitchen prepping my lunches for the week. We then headed out to the Mandarin for dinner and I feel disgusting. I haven't been out to a restaurant in months, other than sushi, and eating all that food, I feel sick. I mean, my meal itself was just feasting on sushi, the baked salmon which I hate to admit this since it was the Mandarin, but it was to die for, and I had some broccoli. My dessert though, I had two bowls of ice cream, and... well, some cake, I will not declare how much, but it was definitely enough dessert for the next week. I don't feel guilty though, I've been diligent with my work outs (yes working out at five in the morning before work), eating healthy, and not eating the take out food they've been ordering from work. I barely ever go out to eat and I decided to treat myself, yes I was the one to even initiate the whole "eating out" for dinner today, I suggested Chinese, mom wanted Mandarin, which was win win since I got my sushi... might not of been the best but it's better than none!

So again, with that being said photographs + recipes. I wouldn't be posting them if they weren't good. Each one offers something different, but they all end up with the same result, satiety, satisfaction, supreme deliciousness, it's just up to you to decide whether or not you want to try it, although I highly suggest you do!

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Oatmeal

Recipe taken from here

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 1/2 cup water
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 medium banana, sliced into thin pieces
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• Pinch cinnamon
• 1 tbsp flax seed meal
• 1/2 cup strawberries

Directions:

In a small bowl, mash up fresh strawberries and 1/8 tsp stevia. Set aside.

In a medium size pan, heat the oats, water, and salt over medium heat. Once the mixture begins to simmer, approximately 5-6 minutes, stir in the sliced banana. Continue to stir until the banana breaks down and the mixture thickens. Add the vanilla, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and flax seed meal and stir until incorporated.

Pour oats into a serving bowl and top with smashed strawberries.

Honey Nut Oatmeal

Recipe adapted from here

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup water
  
• Pinch of salt
• 1 medium banana, sliced into thin pieces
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp flaxseed meal
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/2 tbsp homemade peanut butter
• Dry roasted peanuts - to taste
• Granola - to taste
• Milk to pour on top :)
  

Directions:

In a medium size pan, heat the oats, milk, water, and salt over medium heat. Once the mixture begins to simmer, approximately 5-6 minutes, stir in the sliced banana. Continue to stir, almost whipping, until the banana breaks down and the mixture thickens and becomes creamy, about another 3-4 minutes. Add the vanilla, honey and flaxseed meal, and stir until incorporated.

Pour into a serving bowl and top with peanut butter, peanuts, granola and milk.

Strawberries Thyme and Yoghurt Steel Cut Oats

Recipe taken from here

I know I said I wouldn't write anything about these recipes, but I just wanted to add a quick something to this one here. I had only had steel cut oats one before as overnight oats, and then I made cookies (which I will be posting)... this is one incredibly oatmeal. It's like eating a hard rice, that sounds really weird, but it was simply divine. I loved it. Then the toppings were absolutely wonderful, they were so classy and I just loved it. The only thing is, the water DEFINITELY sprays out of the rice cooker so DO NOT keep your computer next to the rice cooker like I did, it took a shower before I realize it, oops.

Ingredients

• 1 part steel cut oats
• 3 parts water
• Pinch of salt for each cup of oats
• Strawberries
• Thyme
• Plain yoghurt
  

Directions

Put oats, water and salt in rice cooker. Cook up to half the maximum capacity of the rice cooker, since oats seem to bubble up a lot more than rice.

Press “on.”

Strawberry Kiwi Oatmeal Brulee

Recipe adapted from here

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup oatmeal
• 1 cup milk
• Dash of salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp coconut sap
• 1 kiwi
• 3 strawberries - chopped

Directions:

In a large sauce pot, combine the milk, oats and salt and heat over medium heat until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the cinnamon and continue to cook over medium heat for 3 minutes until the milk is mostly absorbed and the oats are tender. If the mixture is too dry for you, you can add more milk to your preference. Add your oatmeal to your ramekin and top with kiwi, strawberries and coconut sap. Using your oven's broil setting, caramelize the sugar until it creates a crispy shell.