Hey, hey! Happy What I Ate Wednesday! 😀
I missed you guys yesterday, but sometimes you (read: I) just need a little break, know.what.I.mean? I’d love to say that I used my day off to do all manner of exciting things, but the reality is that I spent most of it catching up on work and sleep, and hiding from the nasty flurries outside. That’s right — it snowed. But we’re not going to lament the fact that spring may have forgotten about us Edmontonians, and focus on happier things instead — like food.
Even though I could never go back to sharing all of my eats on a daily basis like I used to back when I first started blogging, I still love highlighting the occasional day because it gives me a chance to share some of my brilliant ideas with you guys (humour me). The blog world is a great place to find some meal time inspiration, so hopefully I can give you some tasty ideas 🙂
Have you ever… tried adding yogurt [and salt] to your oatmeal?
Breakfast: eggy bananafied oats layered with plain Greek yogurt, banana, and cinnamon, then topped with soy nut butter.
I know that I’ve already mentioned both of these oatmeal add-ins on several occasions, but seeing as I almost never make my oats without them, they’re definitely worth repeating. Yogurt — stirring in a couple spoonfuls of Greek yogurt after your oats have finished cooking makes them unbelievably creamy while adding a nice boost of protein. If you’re a little skeptical, don’t be. I’ve had a good handful of people telling me they tried it, and everyone loves it.
Salt — adding a pinch of sea salt to the water you use to cook your oats in is a great way to enhance their flavour. Salt tends to get a really bad rap, and I know that a lot of people avoid adding it to anything they cook, but as long as your diet doesn’t consist solely of packaged and processed foods, then you probably don’t have to worry about your sodium intake. Our bodies need sodium to function properly, and we can run into a whole host of problems if our electrolyte balance is off. Personally, I notice myself feeling a lot more lethargic when I don’t eat much salt, but a nice salty meal will perk me right up.
Have you ever… added an apple to a smoothie ?
Morning snack: an apple pie protein smoothie
You’re giving me the raised eyebrow look — I know — I’ll admit that I was skeptical of this one as well. I mean, how can you get a wonderfully thick and creamy smoothie (which is what we’re all after, no?) without the addition of a banana? With oats! And Greek yogurt! And nut butter! Any combination of those three will result in a creamier smoothie, and the best part is that you can adjust the ingredients based on whether you want more proteins/carbs/fats or you’re making a meal vs. a snack. Bananas will probably always be my favourite smoothie ingredient, but it’s nice to switch things up every now and then too.
Have you ever… put together a snack plate for lunch?
Lunch: a snack plate made up of a Dr.Kracker crispbread, half an avocado, hummus, carrots, and dried pears.
Before I started making snack plates, lunches were basically the bane of my existence. I never really knew what I wanted, and I’d always end up feeling like I needed a little something extra, no matter what I made. Snack plates solved that problem for me. Not only do they let me satisfy any random cravings I might have by giving me a little taste of everything, but they’re also a breeze to whip up… Winning all around 😀 It’s actually gotten to the point where I don’t even know if I’ll ever be able to go back to traditional lunches again 😆
Have you ever… enjoyed a bowl of sweet rice?
Afternoon snack: white basmati rice topped with plain Greek yogurt, homemade applesauce, almond butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
You guys… I’m obsessed. I’ve already professed my love for this glorious grain so I’ll try not to go on and on about how much I adore it, but I will say that while oats will always be my #1, rice definitely comes in a close second. It’s my go-to for most savoury dishes, but lately I’ve really been loving using leftovers for sweeter bowls as well. I basically dress it up like a bowl of oats with yogurt, nut butter, and fruit, and the whole thing makes me a very happy camper.
Have you ever… noticed that simple can be the most satisfying ?
Dinner: a grilled cheese sandwich with a glass of almond milk and an orange.
Maybe it’s because I’m usually only cooking for myself, but there are a lot of nights where I just can’t be bothered to whip up something fancy for dinner… and by something fancy, I mean anything that takes more than 10-15 minutes to make 😆 Sometimes that means mooched leftovers; sometimes it means pancakes; and sometimes it means grilled cheese and a glass of milk. No matter what it happens to be, simple and satisfying is where it’s usually at.
Have you ever… tried soy nut butter?
Evening snack: a banana with Wowbutter.
I know [pesky] peanut butter is pretty much king when it comes to everyone’s favourite nut butter, and while almond, sunflower seed, and coconut butters have a pretty solid fan base as well, I don’t really ever see anyone (aside from this girl) talk about soy nut butter. That needs to change because this stuff is fantastic. Obviously I can’t tell you whether or not it actually tastes “just like peanut butter,” but it’s delicious in it’s own right. It has a really robust toasty flavour, along with a hint of sweet saltiness… and it’s so creamy I could die.
Alright friendly faces, that’s it for me today. I hope you guys have an amazing Wednesday, and I’ll see you tomorrow for Thinking Out Loud! 😀
What’s something you love that I need to try? I love getting ideas from you guys!
What would you put on your ideal snack plate?
What’s your favourite nut or seed butter?
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We talked about the fact I’ve never had grilled cheese before already so yes, it needs to happen and to me will be anything but simple. Even though I feel Liz (I heart Vegetables) will tell me I need to have tomato soup on the side and that sounds like a good idea.
Something I feel everybody should try just once – no matter how strange it sounds – is adding lightly mashed chickpeas to their yogurt bowls. Add a drizzle of almond butter, a sprinkle of sea salt – perfect. And adding pear chunks to oat bran is another great one. Again with almond butter on top – so yes, that’s my favourite [non-]nut butter. We can’t find soy nut butter over here or I’d try it right away. Lame, lame country I live in. Or at least when it comes to food.
We all need a day off from time to time! Glad you were able to catch up on some work and sleep. Mmmm, lots of delicious eats here! Grilled cheese is such a simple and delicious meal, isn’t it?! We’ve been doing those a lot around here thanks to things be so crazy. Pair it with some soup and it’s even better! I’ve never tried soy nut butter, but I sure am intrigued!
Awesome. I just finished my breakfast and now I want a grilled cheese sandwich. 😉 I might have to make one for lunch… with pesto and tomato. That sounds fantastic.
I’ve never put apples in a smoothie and I don’t think I ever will… I’m just not that big of a fan of apples. And there’s very few things that can rival the creaminess that a frozen banana adds to a smoothie, other ingredients be damned.
😆 I love your commitment 😉 And I’m definitely not going to argue with you on that one.
I’ve never actually added salt to my oats at all, but I hear that a pinch of it lifts the flavour. I love the creamy texture that adding yoghurt to oats creates.
One of my new favorites is cinnamon swirl laughing cow cheese on toast with warmed raspberries! It is so yummy 🙂
I love your snack plates! They look delicious! I would for sure have cottage cheese, turkey and rice cakes on mine, I always have this as a snack and love it! With some additions of course but those none the less !
I just say that soy butter in the store the other day and almost bought it, but for once I listened to the fact I have quite the collection going haha but next time I need nut butter I really want to try it out !
Dried pears sound SO good right now! I’ve actually spotted that soynut butter here in the UK and was a bit skeptical but you may have convinced me to give it a whirl! (Not that I need any more nut butter obsessions in my life…)
I SO need to start with snack plates for lunch!! I really don’t like lunch and I feel exactly the same – never really satisfied. So this must change.
I am not a peanut butter fan at all!! 🙂 I love my Almond Butter and Coconut Butter, even PB2 freaks me out a bit.
I know you tried this before, but coconut flour in oats is absolutely amazing!! I also tried almond meal and it’s pretty delicious too!
I completely forgot about coconut flour oats! I need those in my life again, stat. And I love you for not loving PB. Have I mentioned that we need to hang out sometime? 🙂
Drooling over your grilled cheese. I could eat that every day! I’m the same way when it comes to dinners by myself. If it’s just me it’s usually a sandwich or just picking at random things until I’m full.
Why yes, I have had a snack plate for lunch 😉 woot avocado!
And THANK YOU for the point on salt. It legit bugs me when people refuse to put salt on anything – 1. our bodies need some sodium, and 2. it makes things more flavourful! Like you said, if you generally avoid processed food, we don’t need to worry about adding a pinch with cooking.
I haven’t tried your sweet rice thing though…and I actually have a batch of plain rice cooked in the fridge right now. So…maybe I’ll have to get on that?
And a grilled cheese is definitely happening this week, ohmygoodness, all that melty cheese…
And you know I love my peanut butter….but I’ve got Justin’s Chocolate Hazelnut open right now, and that jar is not going to last long…
Now I’m reeeeally interested in trying sweet rice! Never thought of doing this, and at home me and my husband have been wasting more rice then we would want to… I’ll give it a try!! Do you sweeten the rice or just mix it with those sweet things you said? From the picture it looks really good!
I love PB and AB just as much. Never tried coconut butter though! And I’m a coconut lover! I have a lot of shredded coconut at home, Would it work out if I just blend it like we do with nuts??
Have a happy day Amanda!
I’ll usually add a little bit of brown sugar or honey to sweeten the rice, in addition to all the toppings. And for coconut butter, I’m pretty sure I’ve seen some tutorials online that use shredded coconut, but I think you might have to add some melted coconut oil to get everything going.
I’ve been taking a lot of breaks lately. My mom goes on and on about how she used to eat sweet rice for breakfast almost every day in the wintertime. She made it for me once when I was little and I…. was very disrespectful and said… what the heck is this? I was probably 6 or 7 but I still remember it. And I feel bad about it too now that I think about how rude my little bum was.
Awwwr. I was kind of a nightmare when I was little too — I think it’s just a thing most kids go through. You could always whip up a batch of sweet rice and tell her how much you like it, just to make it up to her 😉
spring forgot about us grande prairians also.. i could sure warm up with that grill cheese sammich you got there…
Mmm, I love making snacky plates for “meals”…your grilled cheese looks sooo tasty!
I’m gonna buy that soy nut butter and do a taste test. I think I would be a good authority on that?! My mom always used to add salt to my oatmeal when I was little (jeez I kind of miss her making my oats :() but anyway I’m gonna start doing that! I think an oatmeal kick is slowly but surely building for me … I’m about to go NUTS. Also I saw your grilled cheese on Insty and ummmm ya I need to make some asap. I’m thinking cheddar, apple and onion grilled cheese.
Today is my day off from blogging : )
I love all nut butters, I do not discriminate. Loving some now by the spoonful!
I’m a big fan of sweet rice too. I usually use leftover brown rice or a brown and wild combo then add a spoonful of pumpkin, raisins, tahini, and cinnamon. Sounds odd, I know but it’s mighty tasty. Also, I highly recommended adding chunks of frozen cantaloupe to your smoothies. Half a banana and a few chunks of frozen melon (plus milk, protein powder, nut butter, yogurt, vanilla, cinnamon, or whatever else you fancy) makes for a creamy, thick drink.
Even when I don’t eat an actual snack plate my meals almost always involve severe; random items. I like to satisfy all my taste buds! 🙂
I have tried soy nut butter and I do like it but my heart belongs to almond butter, specifically Trader Joe’s raw unsalted creamy variety. I have yet to meet a nut butter I don’t like but ab is king around here.
I’ll have to try the frozen melon trick! All I have right now is honeydew, so maybe I’ll pop 1/4 of it in the freezer to see if that works. And it makes my heart happy to hear that AB is king for you 🙂
This post speaks to my taste buds on so many levels. While I have not tried yogurt in my (warm) oats, only overnight oats, I am for sure giving this a shot! You sold me on the creaminess thing. That just sounds….yum 🙂
And snack plates for lunch…well, you know where Im at with that one! Although this week I have been bouncing around a bit for lunch with Sissy being here, but I kid you not, I totally got her hooked on snack plates as well 🙂
True story, TOTALLY had a grilled cheese last night.
I really need to get back on the snack plate train. I’ve only had them a couple of times but they are the ONLY thing that don’t leave me snacking the entire afternoon away. Carrots and chocolate are “snacks” so maybe that’s it, hah!
Annnd spring…I don’t think it forgot us. I think us Edmontonians are just mind-blowingly amazing and invented a time machine that took us back to Christmas. 😉
I definitely like the way you think 😉 Still… I wouldn’t mind spending a little bit of time in the summer. You know… just so Christmas time doesn’t get boring…
Your lunch snack plates have me wanting lunch-snacks. It looks so yummy and versatile!
Also. Sweet rice = wonderful!
Happy Wednesday!
Yay, grilled cheese! For the past week or so, I’ve been having such a craving for grilled cheese and soup, so that’s what my dinner has looked like for the past few days. Last night I put a slice of tomato in the sandwich. So good!
I love lunch snack plates. I like adding veggies, hummus, crackers, cheese and some type of smoked meat.
Ahhh…your oat bowls always have me wishing I had a second breakfast of oats! Salt makes it into my almond milk cooked oats, but I haven’t added yogurt – and rice with applesauce, almond butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon – why that’s just BRILLIANT!!! I grew up eating Sri Lankan “Kiribath” which is basically overcooked, sometimes sweet, rice, but I have never topped my rice with a nutbutter or cinnamon! I am horrible with lunch too…I mostly kinda spread my snacks around between lunch and dinner…your snack plates always look incredible! If I had a snack plate, think it would take me all day to eat each thing on there…and there would have to be some chocolate covered pretzels or dark chocolate chips or something chocolate for sure! These days I am liking Justin’s maple AB a whole bunch – have not tried soy nubutter yet and since someone once had green cookies after baking with it, I have been a little reticent in digging a spoon into it!
I have learned so much from your WIAW posts – hummus pizzas, those no bake almond fudge bars/balls…oats in smoothies…would love to see what you do with Freekeh when you get your hands on some, someday. Hope you have a wonderful day, lovely lady!
The only time I don’t add salt when making my oats (or oatbran) is when I forget! Snack plates make incredible lunches, but I only ever get then in weekends. Rice is probably my least favorite grain haha! 🙂
Aww sad face… but I promise not to hold it against you 😉
Love adding Greek yogurt to oats, but I always forget about adding it in. Salt can do wonders for meals that need a little something extra. Since I rarely eat processed foods, I don’t worry about using it at all.
I miss grilled cheese. I developed lactose intolerance in college and never really grew back out of it. I’m hoping it disappears eventually though… i miss cheese…
Simple is most often most satisfying. (Bonus points, simple is also easiest to prepare. Score!)
A big fat yesssssss to everything besides the soy butter! I’ve never seen soy butter here but I would greedily grab it if I ever get my fingers on one glass! MY PRECIOUS!!!!!!
I ate a grilled cheese for dinner last night too. It hit the spot. Simple really is the best in my book 🙂
Oh my goodness, YESSSS to the salt! Thank you! I actually add salt to most of the things I eat. I have orthostatic hypotension, which means I get lightheaded upon standing too quickly sometimes, and adding salt actually helps me. If you eat a healthy diet, there’s really no way that you’re getting too much sodium. I’ve never tried soy nut butter, but I may have to now!
I have low blood pressure issues as well, and my doctor actually suggested that I add more salt to my diet. Sometimes I find that it gives me more energy than a cup of coffee 😆
Your meals & snacks look so delicious! Esp. the grilled cheese… I think I’ll make one for lunch!
My ideal snack plate would have havarti dill cheese, triscuits, apple slices, grapes and a glass of white wine on the side 😉
Oooh I’ve never tried soy nut butter! But you know me… ALL about the nut butters 🙂 I love ’em all!
Simple is almost ALWAYS the way to go for me. I eat super simply, raw, and easy. So that’s my game-plan every time I cook and pick out recipes.
Lately I have been all about vegetables. I try and eat them for every meal of the day! I have been making mashed cauliflower “rice” probably 3 times a week. And homemade guacamole too – with peppers, tomatoes, garlic…mmm!
Happy Humpity Day!
Simple meals and snacks are the best! One of my favs is half an avocado, slightly mashed (still in the peel), seasoned with salt & pepper, and then I scoop chunks of avo out with Marys crackers or blue corn tortilla chips. HOW can something so simple bring me so much joy?!
Idea snack plate is (and always is) hummus, olives, cucumbers, crackers and cheese and wine. Yum!!!
I just recently started putting Greek yogurt into my oats every morning. OH. MY. GOSH. So good! Thanks for the great suggestion!
YES to salt! And not a pinch of salt either! When I was younger, I raced in Scotland in an international competition, and that morning (I remember it so clearly), I went to the buffet breakfast, scooped myself a nice big bowl of oatmeal (or porridge as we call it at home), and took a giant spoonful. I almost spat it all over my dad! It was SALTY!!!! In Scotland their oatmeal is always salty, bleugh! Never again! A pinch of salt, YES! Salty oatmeal, hell no!
Eek! That sounds a little too extreme for my tastes as well. But Scotland… ohhhh I would love to visit it some day.
Salt in oatmeal is an essential (: Hmm I must try this sweet rice, sounds really good!
Sweet rice <3 you know that we definitely share this love for using up rice leftovers. It is no coincidence that one of the first things I've bought here in France was a rice cooker for my microwave. And lady, your WIAWs remind me every week to try a snack plate for lunch, but since I eat most of them at university, I usually just end up throwing random veg and grains in a lunch box and make one random salad. It's still on my to-do-list though and as soon as I've found similar crackers (these look especially tempting) I will make it happen.
Your apple smoothie sounds awesome!!
Hey, hey..guess what I made today!?
An apple pie smoothie! I could write a hold paragraph on how much I enjoyed it, but I’ll save it for tomorrows TOL post 😉
I’ve never come across soy nut butter, but it looks just like my beloved Peanut butter…sounds like it too – robusty toasty, salty sweetness.
Oooh your snack plates always look so appealing. I need to get on that when I’m standing in the kitchen at noon, without the faintest idea of what my tastebuds are hankering.
What cheese do you use in your grilled cheese?
Oh if you havne’t already, do try an almond butter, chunky applesauce toasted sandwich! And make sure to add in lots of cinnamon…it reminds me of a warm, melty cinnamon roll. Far fetched maybe – but that’s what it reminds me off. (I am kinda crazy though 😉 )
I’m glad you liked it, girl! And o.mi.gosh that apple AB sandwich sounds AMAZING. I’ve gone the banana AB route before, but never apple. Thanks so much for the idea! Definitely going to try it 😀
Everyone needs those days to catch up on life (uhm, sleep!) but I did miss you! I woke up to snow.. ugh over it! I would put an apple, some cheese and crackers, some chips, and carrots on my snack plate 😉 I actually love snack plates! haha
I am all about snack plates and simple meals. As a matter of fact, almost all of our eats around here fit into one of those 2 categories 🙂 We all need a mini break sometimes! Especially when it is snowy in almost April. Snow=Nap if you ask me!
I totally understand needing a day off! Everyone deserves breaks, especially breaks as tasty as your day was yesterday. And my favorite type of nut butter? The ol’ PB for sure 😉
Like I said… I won’t hold it against ya 😉