Hello, hello there!
Welcome to yet another Wednesday, more commonly referred to around these parts as What I Ate Wednesday – a day where it’s not safe to sit at your computer unless you’re properly fed. I don’t know about you guys, but browsing blogs and seeing everyone else’s delicious eats definitely kicks my appetite up a few notches, so here’s hoping that my eats were tasty enough to do the same to you 😉
A quick note before we get to the food, though… These eats don’t represent what I ate in a single day – they’re my favourite meals/snacks from the past week or so. I usually try to snap a full day of eats for Wednesdays, but yesterday was all sorts of manic (work, errands, furniture shopping 😯 ) and I barely even got a chance to look at my food, much less make it look good and take a picture. So I hope you guys don’t mind me playing favourites this week!
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Breakfast…
Seeing as I’m currently in a prolonged oatmeal-for-breakfast rut groove (more specifically, an AB/honey oatmeal groove), this one was kind of a no brainer…
Eggy oats layered with plain Greek yogurt and cinnamon, then topped with roasted almond butter and honey. BUT!… what made this breakfast stand out was this little gem right here…
Orange.fudge.honey from Beary Berry Honey, a local company that I had the pleasure of coming across on my last trip to the farmers market. Guys… holy.snap. I never thought that I could love honey more than I already did, but I stand corrected. This stuff is amazing, and it seriously takes all my willpower not to just eat it straight from the jar. I only got a sample jar to see if I would like it, and now I very much need a bigger jar.
Morning snack…
Guess who finally found an energy/protein bar that she can eat?! This girl!!
I can’t even tell you how happy I was to come across these Simply Whey bars when I ventured into a new-to-me store the other day – let’s just say there may have been squees and happy dances involved. I try not to depend on bars too much, but I can’t deny their convenience. The only annoying part is that basically any bar I pick up either has peanuts or traces of peanuts – not exactly what I like to see given my allergies. So yeah… the peanut-freeness of this bar definitely makes it a favourite. Oh, and it doesn’t taste half bad either 😉
Lunch…
Oh lunch, how you and I never seem to jive. BUT! I’ve found something that’s helped make my least favourite meal of the day [a little] more bearable…
Fun containers! Which are even better when they’re actually packed with food…
Best lunch from this past little while was an almond butter and blueberry jam sandwich with some veggies and a hardboiled egg. Nothing fancy, but I have to admit that having a sweet element to lunch definitely makes me look forward to it a bit more. This might have to become a regular thing. Oh, and farmers market produce totally trumps veggies from the grocery store. Just sayin’.
Afternoon snack…
Hands down, the title of best afternoon snack belongs to the blueberry scone that I snagged from Duchess Bake Shop this weekend. Holy.snap was it ever good. Prior to a few weeks ago, I never thought much of scones and saw myself as more of a cookie/muffin/quick bread kind of girl, but consider me converted. Subtly sweet and so doughy I could die, I’d be lying if I said that taking a trip to the bakery wasn’t my new favourite Sunday ritual… Yes, I’ve declared it a weekly thing.
Dinner…
The best dinner is the kind that you don’t have to cook yourself…
I’m a baker at heart. I love to eat savoury meals, but when it comes to making them? Eeehhh, not so much. Enter Mom. I go over to my parents’ for dinner pretty much every Sunday, and this past week my mom made a delicious chicken stir fry with veggies (broccoli, bell peppers, mushrooms, celery, carrot), mung bean noodles, and her secret sweet ‘n’ sour sauce. It’s these kind of meals that make me miss living at home…
Evening snack…
You know those times where you manage to hit a craving dead on, and what you eats ends up tasting like the most amazing thing in the world? Love those… and that’s exactly how I felt after last night’s snack…
It was just a bowl of plain Greek yogurt flavoured with vanilla extract, then topped with homemade applesauce, Weetabix, Rice Krispies, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch, but it tasted amazing. It may have had something to do with the fact that I was more-or-less starving after a long day, and soggy asparagus probably would have tasted good at that point, buuuuuuut that sounds kind of gross right now, so let’s just go with the idea that cereal is plain old delicious, because it really is…
Happy Wednesday, friends! 😀
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Do you eat protein bars? What’s your favourite kind?
Do you have any weekly foodie traditions that you always look forward to? Going out to eat? Picking up a special treat? Grocery shopping?!
Oh gosh, the pictures of the scone are just killing me!
Yes, cereal and greek yogurt is much better than soggy asparagus. Much better. Good choice!
I really like Luna and Clif bars, but they’re not so high on the protein front. I can’t have other types of bars because of my allergies, but I’ll have to check that one out.
Wait, wait… you can have Luna and Clif bars? Don’t they have nuts?! Because if not, I’d be all over those!
There are some types that don’t have nuts listed as an ingredient, but of course have the “may contain nuts” note on the bottom. My favorites are the Lemon Zest and S’mores Luna Bars, and the chocolate chip Clif bars. Yum.
Does that label affect you? I know some people can’t eat foods that have that warning on them…if that’s not you, you should definitely check them out!
I try to avoid that label 😕 Sometimes I’ll risk it, but I’ve had a few minor reactions in a couple of instances, so it -really- has to be worth it 😆
Not only am I obsessed with the Simply Whey Bars but you chose my absolute favourite flavour!!! I consume at least 1 or 2 of these daily. They are sooooo good!
I love those containers! I eat Quest bars all the time. my fav is the cinnamon roll one.
My mouth is watering! All that food looks absolutely phenomenal!
That stir fry looked amazing!! 🙂 So did all the rest of your eats 🙂
Mm protein bars a special treat in my house haha. I like quest bars/larabars/luna bars a lot, but I can’t justify spending the money on them very often. Joe and I have been buying kashi granola bars the past few weeks and have been enjoying them with pb, applesauce, and/or yogurt. Good stuff and nice to change things up! Can’t wait for pop tarts this weekend though 😉
Do you eat protein bars? What’s your favourite kind?
Quest chocolate chip cookie dough, especially microwaved for 15 seconds!!! They’re SO expensive though, so it’s not a frequent treat by any means. I have larabars pretty often, but those aren’t really “protein” bars. I also like Nugos from the dark chocolate line.
Do you have any weekly foodie traditions that you always look forward to? Going out to eat? Picking up a special treat? Grocery shopping?!
I treat myself to breakfast out at a local bakery every Sunday. Vegan muffin or scone with an AMAZING cappuccino. And I often also grab myself a special treat on Saturday on my work break…like an order of sweet potato fries or a small salted caramel milkshake MMMM
Your weekend treats sound -amazing-. I love having those special little things that you look forward to all week… makes them extra good 😀
Quest bars are my ABSOLUTE favorite protein bars. There’s only a few varieties that have peanuts, so you’d be safe with the rest I think 🙂 Those Simply Whey bars look awesome!
I am glad you found a bar you can eat and like. Isn’ that the best feeling? I don’t eat protein bars really…I have had a larabar or two and a kind bar or two but I really don’t eat them. I have slight almond allergies as in, I never know when it will bother me, and most of these bars involve almonds so I kinda steer clear. I used to eat Atkins protein bars until I got annoyed at the long ingredients lists. Back in the day I remember eating a certain snack bar from weight watchers ( I was never on the points but they had some good snacks lol). It was so delicious, a chocolate covered cookie bar thing and then they went and stopped making it. Oh well. It was probably loaded with fake stuff anyways….
Ah, I really want to try those protein bars! Did you find them at a regular grocery store/Whole Foods, or did you order them online? I’m allergic to peanuts/peanut butter too so I have just a few bars that I can actually eat!
I haven’t been able to find them at my regular grocery store – they have the regular Simply Bars, but those have traces of peanuts 😕 I actually found these at Bulk Barn, but that might just be a Canadian store… I’m not sure if they have it in the States.
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that I end up with a bigger appetite on Wednesdays…I guess staring at food all day will do that! And now I think I need a scone, because that looks awesome…I actually make a pretty good chocolate chip scone, I may have to get on that! (along with the cinnamon buns…yup, I think I just really need to bake right now).
I’m guilty of relying waaay too much on protein bars – for a while there they were my afternoon snack almost daily. Trying to get away from that a little, because I’d rather go the ‘whole foods’ approach. I do like Questbars, Simply Bars and Pure Protein though. And I’m hoping that the Lara protein bars make their way around here eventually.
And I had the same feeling after my snack last night – cannot go wrong with a good yogurt and cereal bowl!
I may have to bug you for your chocolate chip scone recipe because I’m planning on making some soon, but I’ve never made them before and want the first experience to be a good one 😛
Your lunch containers are so cute! I need to get something similar.
That scone seriously looks like the best thing ever.
I only eat protein bars when I go hiking or do something active outdoors for a long time. I’ve never tried that brand but they sound delicious! I’ll have to pick one up next time I’m at the store.
Cereal is always delicious 🙂
PB&J for lunch and Asian bowl for dinner? Thats a perfect food day in my opinion!
Your food photography makes me drool over foods that I might not even like to eat. But you make them look SO delicious! That scone would definitely hit the spot, although I don’t think I would consider myself a scone person either. I’m one of those people that loves grocery shopping. Like today, I can’t wait to do one massive shopping trip to stock my condo. Necessary.
Oh man, that scone! Since finding out about my food allergies 3 years ago, I really haven’t found a protein bar that I like. I use to love thinkTHIN but it doesn’t taste too good to me anymore. Hopefully one day, I can find something!
Where’s the bananas! Your oatmeal is calling for some. 🙂
Those scones look like the perfect Sunday treat! Too sad we don’t have a Duchess Bakery here, but I just made fresh Cinnamon Roll Scones and cannot wait to dive in face first 🙂
I love the favorite eats, everything looks wonderful! My favorite meal is breakfast and your oatmeal combinations always make me hungry. That honey sounds fantastic. I love local honey but hate the strange runny cheap honey you find in most grocery stores.
Couldn’t agree more! I bought one of those bear bottles for some baking, and it seriously gave me the sads.
I love picking up fun new food at Farmers’ Markets and grocery stores. Food just makes me so dang excited. So happy you found a peanut-less protein bar for yourself; I don’t really eat tons of protein bars, but I am a fan of things like KIND bars. They make the perfect dessert!
“a day where it’s not safe to sit at your computer unless you’re properly fed” hahaha so true. That Orange Fudge Honey sounds FABULOUS…maybe I’ll have to track down the United States version. 😛 The only time I tend to eat bars nowadays (specifically Clif Bars…) is before my long runs, because it’s the most convenient option, especially when practicing fueling for races because I’ll be traveling for some races and they provide quick-digesting carbs and also have almost a perfect carb to protein ratio of 4:1. That was the longest run-on sentence ever…about Clif Bars, no less.
Does waking up for breakfast count as a foodie tradition? If so consider that my favorite :)! You have MAJORLY spurred a nut butter & jam sandwich craving- that looks SO good! Dinner is an hour away but I just went and made a snack combo crackers with PB & J to tie me over! How awesome is vanilla extract in Greek yogurt- I can’t go without it anymore…even better when a bit of honey is thrown in the mix! Those moong bean noodles look great- how are they in taste?
They’re actually pretty tasteless on their own, but they really soak up whatever you cook them with, so they’re great in stir fry dishes where awesome sauces are used. And the texture is pretty fantastic too – they have the whole al dente feel to them.
Oh yum! Your oats always look incredible! Just the way I like them super sticky and thick! Drool! I haven’t had honey for so long!! I may have to buy a jar when I go food shopping this week…I love going food shopping; its literally the highlight of my week..especially if there’s new products in store!
I do look forward to going grocery shopping each week. I love trying out new products. Plus then I’m in control of what foods I get to eat next week. If I plan ahead and prep healthy meals & snacks, then I follow through with eating less junk.
That’s definitely a good practice! One of the positive things about having serious allergies is having to do a lot of my own cooking and always having to be aware of what’s in my food. It makes making healthy choices a little bit easier.
I love grocery shopping. I usually go on the weekends even though it is so crowded. But I still find it therapeutic and relaxing to just browse through the isles!
Three cheers for pb&j!!! How did I not know about your peanut allergies??? Ugh, what a bummer.
I usually do dinner out once or twice a week, so that’s always a treat. And though sometimes I don’t like it, I generally enjoy grocery shopping. (Food nerd)
Oh… duh… I meant ab&j (old habits die hard)
I don’t specifically eat protein bars, but I like granola bars. I’ve been loving Kind Blueberry Vanilla bars. They’re the perfect texture and are delicious. I also believe they’re nut free. I’ve always enjoyed scones a;though if they’re not made well they can be a little dry.
So glad you found Simply bars! I love them. Lemon coconut is delicious. Um that dessert is genius… borrowing/stealing it!
Your blueberry scone is making me die a little inside since I can’t have one! Not sure about the next time I’ll go to a bakery that sells scones, but I will definitely be picking up one of those “forgotten pastries.” 😉
I packed simple peanut butter and peach jam sandwiches for our long hike last week, and it made me SO happy. And your AB & J makes me want it again!
That honey, too, looks delicious.
Have a great Wednesday!
I’m actually planning to try my hand at making scones for the first time in the next couple of days, so maybe that’ll inspire you to try it as well. As long as it’s not a complete flop, anyways 😉
Oh awesome! I would totally try your recipe!
I usually eat some sort of protein bar with my lunch whether it be homemade or store bought– I like Alt Larabars and Quest bars the best! I am not a big lunch person either and hate thinking about what to make or bring from home!
It’s not always easy to figure out a lunch that you enjoy. I always feel better when I take mine rather than having to buy it.
Gosh your breakfast looks soooo good!
I definitely LOVE Thinkthin bars, kind bars, and larabars.
Also, pure protein are pretty good (they taste like a candy bar – not the healthiest, but quite tasty!)
Have a great day 🙂
You could share a photo of just your homemade applesauce and I’d be completely pleased! I’ve made it your way before but sadly… it never looks as good! Perhaps I just don’t have that “Amanda touch” that must be needed 🙁 🙁 One day I will make it to you, and we can add that to our list of things we’ll be eating together Ha Ha!
As long as it tastes good, that’s all that matters 😉
My tradition is Trader Joes Thursdays [or Tuesday if the grocery situation is dire, haha] because I’m a dork and am all about alliteration 😉 Your snacks look awesome, and I agree, lunch and I just don’t get along. Especially now that I work full-time and have to actually plan what to bring for lunch. So many fails but slowly figuring it out.
Love your new container collection! I have so many that it may look a little obsessive to others. Theu make lide so much easy for storing and transporting lunch around.
Hahahaaa! Did you get soaked in at IKEA?? What else did you get than tealights?? 🙂
Oh and I am with you on the eggy oats. Totally my rut at the moment.
Can your Mom cook for me too please? And this wooden fork – I want it!! So cute!
I don’t rely on protein bars either, but it’s just so easy to grab and go. I love think thin bars or questbars – as long as they taste like toffee and have some chocolate in it.
I always look forward to dinner and breakfast – and dessert. Lunch can be cut out, no need 🙂
I actually haven’t made it out to IKEA yet! But I blame that on driving distance and the fact that I have plenty of scented candles and don’t need to invest in any tealights yet 😉
I look forward to Saturday afternoons, where I typically treat myself to a Diet Lemonade from Chick-Fil-A, and also Sundays, where I treat myself to an iced coffee from my favorite local coffee shop!
I fully am down for a list of favorite eats. Busy days don’t always go for the best with picture taking. Pretty much impossible. Also your posts never fail to make me hungry.
I’m not a huge protein bar fan from the stores but I love making homemade ones! They’re the best.
Favorite banana flavored!
Got to agree with your best Lunch being a classic almond butter and jelly sandwich:) Silly peanut butter doesn’t do it for me.
I have this tendency to look at your posts before I eat breakfast, and your pics always make me super hungry because everything always look awesome! I’ve been eating a lot of oatmeal lately…for breakfast, lunch or dinner! It’s just so good! As you know, I’m a huge smoothie fan, but I’ve been cutting back a bit because they were bothering my stomach, so oatmeal is definitely my back-up.
My favorite protein bars are Quest or Luna bars. They’re pretty tasty!
My weekly food tradition that I always look forward to is going out to eat on Friday nights. I don’t cook that night, so my husband and I either go out or get takeout. It’s great!
You know, I really need to start maybe trying to pack oatmeal for lunch… that would probably get me to appreciate my most hated meal a little bit more 😉 And eating out on Fridays sounds like the perfect end to a week.
This is perfectly stated: “day where it’s not safe to sit at your computer unless you’re properly fed. ” because i’m seldom properly fed at this hour- i always read some blogs, do some work with my coffee, and THEN eat- and i think im starting to notice a pattern that my wednesday breakfasts are my biggest of the week. like, hands down. ohhh well 🙂 and that orange-fudge-honey looks like it will complete my life. I’m almost afraid to order it because i have a feeling i’ll eat it all the day it arrives… i think its worth the risk though 🙂