Happy What I Ate Wednesday friendly faces! 😀
I tend to eat a lot of the same things on a daily basis, which probably has a lot to do with the fact that I don’t do any meal planning or spend much time thinking about what I’m going to eat… I think I’m still getting over the fact that I used to spend hours planning/prepping/cooking/eating in the midst of my ED — I’m just not ready to back to any semblance of that 😯
I don’t generally mind, especially since I don’t have to worry about cooking for a family, but sometimes a girl needs a little variety, ya know? Sometimes white rice and smoothies (not together) just don’t cut it anymore; and that’s when we bring in the reinforcements replacements…
Breakfast… Replacing egg whites with chia seeds.
Quick oats cooked with ~1 Tbsp. chia seeds, then layered with plain Greek yogurt and topped with blueberry jam and almond butter.
And the verdict is… I.am.in.LOVE. I know adding chia seeds to oats is nothing new, but why the heck did I wait so long to try it myself? Probably because I have a love/hate relationship with chia seeds, but still! I usually add an egg white to my oats because I love the texture it gives them, but I was craving something a little different, and when Meredith mentioned chias, I decided to give them a shot. So good. The little buggers made my oats so fluffy and voluminous that my bowl literally didn’t want to end (no complaints!). And the extra boost of healthy fats and fibre is a nice little perk too. Okay. Done doting on chias now…
Morning snack… replacing smoothies with snack bars.
An Americano from Bux and a blueberry crumble bar.
And the verdict is… SOMETHING. As much as I love my smoothies, having them as a morning snack has always been a little awkward since that’s when I like to have my coffee and the two don’t exactly make the most ideal combination. And as good as coffee is on its own, it’s just that much better when accompanied by a baked good, am.I.right? The bar is a recipe that I made for Savory Style (have you checked out my sweet potato nachos?!), and I’ll be sharing it soon.
Lunch… Replacing snack plates with meals 😯
Amy’s Italiano pizza with a small side salad.
And the verdict is… ehhhh. Just kidding; it was fabulous 😉 But then again, it’s pizza so that’s kind of a given. I still love my snack plates and won’t be going without them for too long, but I need to hit up the grocery store and replenish my supplies because I’m seriously lacking in snack plate ingredients.
Afternoon snack… Replacing dates with figs.
Dried figs with the dying remnants of Justin’s classic almond butter.
And the verdict is… crunchily delicious! And I can’t believe that crunchily is an actual word 😯 I was expecting a red squiggly line. But I digress. Dried fruit in general is delicious when paired with nut butter, but figs are especially lovely because their seeds add the nicest little crunch, instantly making them more fun to eat. Kind of like adding sprinkles to smoothies, except maybe a little less colourful.
Dinner… Replacing rice with buckwheat.
Chicken and veggies stir fried in toasted sesame oil alongside some buckwheat kasha.
And the verdict is… winner, winner, chicken dinner! I adore white rice (it’s probably my favourite grain after oats), but a girl can only take so much of it before she starts wanting to see other people eat other grains. My family is very European, and buckwheat kasha was a pretty big staple in my diet growing up. I really do need to start eating it more often, though — I’m in love with its fluffy nuttiness.
Evening snack… replacing ice cream bowls with sandwiches.
Chapman’s Vanilla Sandwich.
And the verdict is… yummmmmm. You didn’t think I meant actual sandwiches, did you? You know me better than that 😛 Chocolate bread… vanilla ice cream spread. To.die.for. Especially when it starts getting all soft and melty.
And that’s a wrap! I’ll see you guys tomorrow for Thinking Out Loud! 😀
Do you meal plan/prep?
Have you ever tried cooking your oats with chia seeds?
Smoothies or snack bars?
Snack plates or meals?
More places to find me!
E-mail — [email protected]
Twitter — runwithspoons
Facebook — runningwithspoons
Pinterest — runwithspoons
Instagram — runwithspoons
Bloglovin — runningwithspoons
I have recently fallen in love with chia seeds too!! YUM! I must get me some dried figs and try them!
Cooking my oatmeal with chia seeds was one of the first things I tried when I started reading blogs like 4.5 years ago. And I’ve been doing it ever since! I’ll never go back. But I actually cook mine with both chia seeds and egg whites at the same time now.
I looove dried figs too. I seriously just love all dried fruit!
Chia seeds really do add volume to oats. I LOVE IT. 😉
I have tried barely, and it really does taste good! If you get the chance, you should try it out sometime.
I always feel like I have so many things to say in response to your posts…
1. Yes. You always read my mind somehow. I’ve been changing up my meals A LOT over the past few days and I’m kind of loving it. It feels good to add a little variety.
2. Coffee + baked goods = heaven. Lately I’ve been pairing my Starbucks soy misto with a scone. Love.
3. Thank you for reminding me that I want to try buckwheat.
4. Ice-cream sandwiches…drool.
xoxo
Those figs!! I am drooling over those things, they just look so good… & I can imagine how sweet & slightly chewy they are. mmm….
Great job on switching it up & I hear ya on the baked good & coffee… I like to enjoy some sort of food item if I have a coffee in the afternoon too, usually one of my healthy little frozen treats. 😉
Well, I love everything about this from the chia to the buckwheat to the dried figs to the nut butters… and of course all the yummy veggies! And I so feel ya on the ED taking over your mind/life with meal prepping/planning/cooking/eating and it is so FREEING to just let go of it. You go girl… no need to meal prep if you just aren’t feeling it!! I want those fluffy chia oats. Now.
I love dates right now, especially with maple almond butter, but maybe I should try figs next time!
I also need to make a good snack bar soon. I’m having granola for my snacks right now.
Ooo I never have actually added chia seeds to my oats – I know what I’m having for breakfast tomorrow! (with strawberry jam and sunflower seed butter because that’s what’s in the fridge and you’re looks so good!!)
I am really bad a meal planning too. I tend to just buy what looks good at the farmers’ market and figure it out as I go along. I’ve never thrown anything out so it can’t be that bad, right? 😉
I wish I could get with the fig party! They creep me out, even though I know they taste good. Weird, right?!? Chia seeds are my new best friend too! I’ve been buying anything that says chia seed on it 😉 Us, taken, but eat solo a lot of the time (not sure what we classify this as), have to spice it up once in awhile!!
I don’t blame you at all! Fresh figs freak me out — they look like little aliens 😆
I have a T of chia seeds every morning and LOVE them in my oats! So fluffy! I can’t do snack plates. Totally have to do meals…All about bars…I like smoothies as a meal and in a bowl! 🙂 Love the change up of buckwheat. I have yet to try that. I have a bag of wheat berries I still need to try out as well.
I’m typically a big meal planner because it makes it easier to grocery shop for the week, but lately, I’ve been winging it for almost every meal and I kinda like it! We’ll see how long it lasts… 😉
I’ve been ALL about smoothies lately. It’s been HOT here, so the cold smoothies are so refreshing. I love how much nutrition they can pack in too!
Yessss to chia in your oatmeal! I add chia to everything these days. Why not, right? 😉
Buckwheat is delicious! Make sure to try Kasha which is just toasted buckwheat! It is even nuttier and better 😉
Ice cream sandwiches are sooo good! I had one a few nights ago haha I just go with the flow when it comes to what my next meal will be. Typically I’m a snack bar type of girl, but lately a smoothie has been a nice variation for this hot weather. And I’ve only tried chia seeds in smoothies, but not yet oatmeal. I bet that gives it a nice crunchy texture!
To be honest, I didn’t actually notice a crunch… mostly just a lot of extra fluffiness.
That pizza looks so good! I love a nice cheesy pizza!
I have a calendar on my fridge and plan my meals for the week. It’s pretty helpful since I don’t like thinking of something to cook every night.
I go back and forth between adding egg whites and adding chia to my oatmeal – both make me happy! As for meal planning, I only really plan dinners, but even with those I’m flexible. It’s just easier to have some sort of plan in mind when you’re cooking for more than one, but I don’t mind switching things up if we’re not feeling whatever dinner i’ve planned. I’ll never be a breakfast or a lunch planner though, those are easy enough to make up on the fly.
Ahhhh ice cream sandwiches! Those were my dessert of choice for years. I actually OD on them a bit, so I had absolutely so interest for a while. But now I kind of want one again…
By saying you like chia seeds, I feel you’ve embraced a member of my family haha- you know I’m a big fan! Love the pudding texture they produce! I rarely meal plan but I do jot down meal ideas to try some point during the week- most of the time they get rolled over! As great as the idea of eating a bunch oof different foods for a meal , snack plates don’t cut it for lunch for me- I just don’t seem satisfied and keep picking my way through till dinner!
Delicious Eats! I have wanted to try buckwheat for a while but I get intimidated by trying to cook new grains so I stick with my usuals and just live vicariously though others. I need to change that!
It’s actually pretty easy to cook! Just like rice 🙂
I always just LOVE your posts! Great changes! You have inspired ME to do the same with some of my regular meals!!
Pizza is ALWAYS fabulous! If I could eat it for breakfast, lunch, AND dinner, I would! 😉
Great collection of eats! I def. want in on that bowl of chia seed oats! I’ve been off chia seeds since I got my wisdom teeth out, and am sooooo excited to get to eat them again starting tomorrow! Fluffy oatmeal galore! Congrats on trying new things!
Geez, all of your food looks incredible! Yummm! Great idea about the buckwheat. I really need to start checking out figs… and dates for that matter. Happy WIAW 🙂
I’m intrigued how do you cook your oats with the chia? Recipe maybe? : )
It’s actually super simple! I just toss in about 1 Tbsp. at the same time that I toss in the dry oats and make sure to give everything a good stir. I also increase the water to about 1 1/4 cups.
I feel like I don’t know who you are anymore. I used to meal plan & prep, but now that I’m on my own, I just wing it. Life’s more entertaining that way, anyways. 🙂
I prefer smoothies – they tend to hold me over longer than a snack bar. Although, when it comes to bars, Quest seems to have the most staying power.
Not a meal planner here and while I definitely go overboard on certain things sometimes, I think keeping variety for the blog definitely forces me to change things up. Plus I get sick of things quickly so variety really is the taste of life!
I love adding chia seeds to my oats—sometimes I add both chia seeds and egg whites! After a few days of smoothie for breakfast, I decided to make oats but using coconut milk instead of water. I should do THAT more often—so good!
Also, those figs look gorgeous! I didn’t try them until a few years ago, and now they’re one of my favorite foods.
It has been a while since I tried an ice cream sandwich. Chia in oats, on the other hand, was enjoyed early this morning. Ch ch ch chia!
I starting adding chia seeds to my oats recently and I will never go back! They are awesome aren’t they!
I tried figs and nut butter recently too – was a bit disappointed. Love nut butter, love figs but together, just meh! dates and nut butter is where it’s at!
I am the worst meal prep, i always say i wanna try.. i do eat alot of the same thingregualrly but i also change it up! i love snack plates mid afternoon! and i would love to make more smoothies, but i usually just grab a bar and go.
ahhhh those blueberry crumble bars are crack, I use to eat them like every morning in grade 12 – oopsies!
Sounds like me and Nutrigrain bars. Now I can’t even look at them 😆
Your picture of dried figs with AB is mouth-watering. I don’t think I’ve ever even had a fig! How did that happen?
While I don’t try to think about meal planning too much, I will plan out my meals for the next few days, only because it helps me plan out grocery shopping and such. I end up eating the same few set of meals over and over again so it doesn’t take much planning.. Overall it takes about 5% of the time I used to spend meal planning when I was in my ED, and that’s how I like it!
Ohhh I love chia seeds! And figs + nut butter is definitely one of my favorite dangerously good combinations… Actually, you should try figs + nut butter + chia oats!
Oh and um…how about some almond butter on that ice cream sandwich then refrozen before diving in? Oh yes. Heaven on a plate. Ha.
Maybe I have a nut butter addiction… 🙂
We must be on the same wavelength:) I posted about food boredom today!:) Great tips and ideas for new ways to change up the pace!
chia seeds in your oatmeal say whattt??!!! I guess it makes sense as a lot of people add them to their overnight oats, huh?
Do you meal plan/prep? Used too when we lived in the States. Now not so much as I have plenty of time to make the food. However, I do try to get an idea of our weeks worth of meals
Have you ever tried cooking your oats with chia seeds? Never
Smoothies or snack bars? I too used to be all for smoothies, however these days i’m perfectly content with either a snack bar of plate of almonds & dried apricots
Snack plates or meals? Meals Meals Meals… or a big bowl of pretzels Haha
Yum everything looks so delicious! I have been adding chia seeds to my oats for the last month, and I love it! That Amy’s pizza looks amazing! I need to try that!
If I cook my oats on the stove I do 1/2 cup oats, 1 tbsp chia seeds & 2 cups water… makes so much oatmeal!! I also make them in the crockpot with chia seeds… I can’t imagine oatmeal without them now!
I need to stop being so lazy with my microwave oats and start making them via stovetop again. If only they didn’t take FOREVER and I didn’t burn them 99.9% of the time. Sheesh! I do have a pile of chia seeds in my pantry, though, so this could help diminish it. When did you add the chia seeds and how much? Spoonful, Miss Spoons?
I add the chias right in the beginning, as soon as I toss my oats into the boiling water. And I think I add around 1 Tbsp. of them? And increase the water by 1/4 – 1/2 cup too.
I’m spotting chia even in my lands..its gotten so darn popular. I’ve eyed it repeatedly; but I’m yet to cave in and slurge on honestly a ridiculous sum for a little packet of crunchy bugs. Granted with a very good nutritional profile :tongue out: .
Crumble anything is quick to grab my eye..I’d choose a snack bar over a smoothie (most of the time).
Ohhh I need to find dried figs..they look utterly tempting in that photo!
P
Meal plan!? Gahhh nooo – I’ve done too much of that in the short time I was alive already. But I do believe it comes in handy many atimes.
I tend to always add chia seeds for the health benefits. If you really want an overflowing bowl, check out Chocolate Covered Katie’s recipe for voluminous oats! It really gets you “all the oats you could dream of” 🙂
I have never tried egg whites with oatmeal. Do they get scrambled sort of or so they just get creamy? I have been putting chia seeds in my oatmeal for a long time and in smoothies too. I love them!
They get creamy as long as you stir them in well enough.
Love adding chia seeds to oats! I meal plan some since I think it makes getting enough variety of produce for one easier. Dried figs have been another favorite of mine too, I love that I can get then at Costco and have on hand for quick snacks.