One of those Days...

Today was kinda  one of those days that just remind you we're all human :)

You know...everything's going great for a couple weeks, and then you get a day where it seems like nearly everything that can go wrong, does? Ehhhh, well. 

It started out fair enough:

It was kinda like a trip to the tropics, actually!

Mixed in with the oatmeal was banana, sliced pineapple, and goji berries.

And on the top?  Flax, toasted coconut, toasted macadamia nuts, sliced banana, raisins, chia-seed yogurt "icing," pomegranate-strawberry jam, and Naturally Nutty Choco Coconut P.B.

Yum!

It was quite colorful underneath, too - I took a photo but it was blurry. Should have taken that as a hint...

Afterwards, packed up a lunch consisting of a sweet potato & tomato pita panini, an orange, sugar snap peas, carrot sticks, and homemade trailmix.

The rest of my morning banana and a half a slice of bakery spelt bread with A.B. and pomegranate-strawberry jam for the car ride in, too. Why half? For some strange reason, the other half got stuck in the toaster and started smoking. Uh, whaaa? I guess I sliced it a bit uneven. Oh well. I wasn't hungry, I just wanted it. lol. An added boost to my day, if you will.

Work started out okay...I shot an artist reproduction all by myself (involved a lot of light fidgeting and I've only done it twice before) so I was pretty proud, even though someone came in looking to have their passport taken while I was right in the middle of shooting, so of course I had to hurriedly disassemble the repro-lighting set-up to get the lighting right for a portrait/passport to shoot that. Shoot the passport, re-assemble the lighting, shoot the painting, and again disassemble the repro lighting to re-assemble the passport/portrait lighting. Oi. It's good practice.

I guess. haha.

So that wasn't too bad. But then it happened.

It? you ask?

Well. I seem to have a knack for being the one using technology when it decides to finally...uh...kaput.

I was happily retouching and printing photos from the Mac, when I turn around to grab a print off the printer to put on the dry-rack. Next thing you know, I turn around and there is a message saying "You need to restart your computer now." In about five different languages, and unlike any message I have ever seen before.

My "project" boss had just left for the day because his sister-in-law was having a baby. (the one who kinda oversees digital/tech-y jobs and gives me the stuff to work on)

I was going it alone. (well, with my other boss - runs the business, but not as UTD with the digital projects & such)

After much googling, I discover it is a kernel panic, which has to do with incompatible RAM or software, or a severely corrupt hard-drive. Cool, right? Well, let me tell you, I was in a kernel panic for the better part of the day. When I left it was still a very unhappy Mac, so I guess we'll find out Wednesday what the word is.

To make matters worse: An order came through that needed to be printed off of that Mac that the customer needed tonight. Unfortunately, that wouldn't be happening. I had a feeling that would happen.

But hey - dinner would make everything better, right? Salmon tonight. I love salmon! And I'd do a Maple-Ginger glaze. Mmmm! I love maple! and Ginger!

Uhh, okay...I love ginger in moderation. Unfortunately, I had a minor accident with the ginger shaker and added way too much. Like, a nearly unbearable amount. Pretty sure I only kept eating in efforts to convince myself that it wasn't that bad. But...it really wasn't that great. The good part of this meal? The orange slices. And the salmon was okay when I scraped the glaze off. heh...

However, I think my "hey you're human" day is turning around after all. I just found another bag of butterscotch chips in the cupboard. And I made a piece of Spelt toast without burning it. You'd best believe I'm enjoying a bowl of warmed-up applesauce with P.B. and butterscotch chips, and some spelt toast with PB & J :) Pretty sure I'll be nomming my way through the night, though - I tend to do that when I'm unhappy with my dinner because I feel like i was ripped off, food-wise. lol.

Pretty excited to be watching the downhill skiing now - these guys are crazy! Did anyone else catch the men's moguls last night? My knees hurt just watching. Pretty insane, pretty awesome.

AND! We're finally supposed to get a minor snow storm tomorrow! It's been far too long since Vermont's seen snow...you guys in the South are hogging it all this year!

On a relatively unrelated note:What's your favorite jam, jelly, or preserve?

Brand or flavor :)

I love finding interesting new jams and preserves...kind of like a nut-butter obsession but different...though I'm pretty sure I'm beginning a nut-butter obsession, too!

A Little Love

Brr. I. Am. So. Chilled!

I just got back from running errands, and while I may have been inside most of the time, that wind chills you right to the bone the second you step into it! That, and, one errand involved Price Chopper...and it is always freezing in there. Makes sense, I guess.

You would think, however, that with my heart-warming [pun intended] breakfast, I would have stayed warm and fuzzy regardless!

Yeah, I made myself a Valentine's Day breakfast a week early. What of it?

There's something amazing about waking up early on the weekends. I don't think I'm a real college student. How many college kids say that?

I really hate sleeping in. During the week, I don't bound out of bed at 6:00 to go to work, but it's not a problem, either. On the weekends, however, I'll gladly wake up at 6 or 7, and just leisurely go about starting my day. And I love doing something  a little different for breakfast on the weekends!

So maybe this Almond Butter & Banana Stuffed French Toast isn't that unique to most, I've never had stuffed French Toast before. And mind you, yesterday was my first grilled almond butter and banana experience.

And oh, this was delicious. I realize now that my food presentation needs work but hey - I do what I can. It's sort of sad to think about myself making such a love-themed breakfast for myself, but again. Oh well. haha. At least my mom came back from her haircut in time to give me a funny look. She's not a "breakfast person," so unfortunately I can never treat her to breakfast...

But! Just because I am a relatively sad excuse for a college student, doesn't mean you are - and maybe you want to treat your honey to a heart-healthy shmalentine's day brekkie?

Because I think you should.

Of course you all know how to make French Toast. I won't go into those details. But here's just some added fun-stuff I did!

For the Stuffed French Toast

 2 slices of this amazing Organic Spelt bread by the Vermont Bread Company [okay, okay. you can use any bread. But this is GOOD Spelt bread!]

1 T. All-Natural Almond Butter

1 Banana

2 Eggs [if you are an egg-beaters user...PLEASE use at least one real egg white! I like egg beaters and all - but when it comes to French Toast, it's just not the same!]

3 T. Almond Milk

1/8 t. Cinnamon

1/8 t. Nutmeg

Dash ground cloves

1 t. Vanilla

1/2 t. Wheat Germ

1/2 t. Chia Seeds

Spread 1 teaspoon almond butter on one side of each piece of bread (if you're going to make a pretty heart shape, do that first of course) and arrange your banana slices on one side - I used half on the sandwich, half to garnish. Sandwich together and poke outsides a couple times with a fork.

Whisk together eggs, milk, spices, vanilla, and wheat germ. Place sandwich in mixture and begin preheating a non-stick, sprayed pan. Allow sandwich to soak a minute before flipping, poking both sides again with your fork.

Sprinkle Chia seeds over outside of bread and cook until golden on both sides.

For the Pumpkin "Sauce"

1/4 c. Plain Greek Yogurt

1/8 c. Pure Pumpkin Puree

1/8 t. cinnamon

1/8 t. nutmeg

 2 t. Maple Syrup

1 t. Chia Seeds

Stir together and plate with French Toast, along with remaining banana and almond butter, and cute little apple heart! [p.s. apple = amazing dipped in this.]

So, after playing with my food - I got to work meal planning!

This week, I'm going to try something new - planning my meals in advance, and in some cases preparing in advance! I've been pretty good this week about cooking up new things, but when I don't have a game plan, it's so much easier to just come home and make a veggie and bulgur stir fry or panini or something. Which, I obviously love, but I enjoy cooking new things, more.

So, I put together 5 meal ideas, and figure I can interchange them a little bit if I'm not feeling up to something one night, but at least I have ideas now! I think I just have so many recipes stockpiled that I can never make up my mind on what I want! Organizing them is a project for this weekend, as is setting up a recipe page on here.

After browsing online for coupons (I was so savvy at the grocery store today!) I finally went into town to clean the office, run to Rite Aid, and then the grocery store.

Holy SuperBowl Sunday Shopping. Everyone and their brothers had to stock up on beer! It was also full of people leaving their carts in the middle of the aisles. Don't you hate grocery shoppers that do that?! I'm sorry if you are one of them. But please. Don't do it. Love you.

However, I jumped past my exciting Rite Aid find!

I know wht you're thinking. 

And no - I didn't find that delicious salmon with blueberry glaze at Rite Aid.

Nope! Not the mashed sweet tater, either.

Clean Eating's new issue!

I love this magazine. So much information on new foods, and awesome recipes too. You know what I hate about it, though?

It only comes out once every two months!

I was jonesin' for the new issue.

What's your favorite magazine?

So, naturally, my lunch was consumed while browsing that :) Dericious and nutritious!

And a Sobe LifeWater. Has anyone else tried these?

Normally I'm not a flavored water fan at all, especially the "naturally sweetened" ones, because they're almost too sweet! But these are actually pretty good! I'm a huge water drinker, but lately have been finding it kind of boring (though I think it has more to do with not wanting to drink something cold when the weather is so cold!) so this was a nice change for my lunch time today :)

I do, however, hate that they advertise the 0 calorie count. I hate buying things that state in huge bold letters how many calories they contain. It makes me feel...I dunno. Superficial? I'm weird.

Anyways. That is all for now. I'm off to get some homework done, hopefully start on a recipes page, organize my recipes I've saved over months and months, and then start dinner. Can't wait for tonight's menu!

What are your plans for this cooollddd Saturday afternoon?

Is that Snow on your Oats?

Brrrr!

We're back to the winter cold here - and I am so glad I'm back into the oatmeal addiction!

Thanks to Bobby Flay, I made German Chocolate Cake inspired "oatmeal" this morning! Or maybe I should just say multi-grain cereal? Wait until I find that this whole breakfast combination I go through on a daily basis is already patented...I ought to look into that, and see what those multi-grain hot cereals consist of, eh?

In the mix this morning? "The Usual" combination of grains & liquids, with 1/2 t. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, 1 packet Sun Crystals, 1/2 banana, and vanilla.

Topped with raisins, walnuts, coconut, Barney Butter, Raspberry Preserves, and "Icing" made up of 1 tsp. chia seeds, greek yogurt, almond milk, and maple syrup.

Sooo perfect :) I'm not typically a chocolate kinda gal, but I am a coconut kinda gal!

The realistic view...

Does anyone else leave the best for last?!

I love letting the almond butter kinda melt in, and then mix it up with the last quarter or so, so the flavor doesn't get lost :)

This geared me up for a chilly, busy day! 

Well, I guess not too busy. Morning classes went by pretty quickly, and then I had two hours before photo class. I decided to go to my mom's office on the other side of campus and re-heat my lunch in peace and get some homework done! I hate going to the library...I can never concentrate. Isn't that what libraries are for?! oh well...

Photo was...interesting. I'm becoming more and more skeptical of how this class is going to go over. This teacher keeps trying to prove me wrong! I really don't think I'm coming across as arogant by any means - in fact, I'm pretty quiet because I'm afraid if I answer all the time, or talk too much, I will come across as a know-it-all. And I'm there to learn, not be "macho." So it's frustrating when I do do something right and it's just challenged or demeaned. It's tough to go into detail because it would involve lots of explanations of camera technical facts, lol.

But, coming home and cooking dinner certainly cheered me up! Luckily, we're given the last hour and a half to do whatever, including leave early. I left early, which means I get some extra free time to watch Ellen AND make a good dinner!

When I first saw the Guilty Kitchen's recipe for Baked Salmon with Blueberry Sauce, I was skeptical. Blueberries? Count me in! Salmon? Count me in! Oh...together? Um, no thanks. But then I gave it some more thought...and why wouldn't a blueberry sauce work? I mean, I've done apricot, applesauce, honey, maple, orange...why stop there? So I decided tonight was the night to do my own take on the idea!

I did end up making quite a bit of subs...in fact, I think the only thing I left the same is the blueberries and the thyme! Regardless, I'm super happy with how this came out. My mom loved it, too. She was quite skeptical at first, too. Sometimes I feel like my family members think I'm crazy; some other breed of human, or something; for always making crazy "health" food. 

Too bad leftover broccoli is so NOT aesthetically pleasing...

Flaked Salmon Pita with Blueberry-Raspberry Dijon Glaze

(why do I always give my recipes such long titles?)

Serves: 1-3

For the Salmon:

2  4 oz. salmon fillets

1.5 t. minced garlic

salt

pepper

thyme

chili powder (opt.)

olive oil

splash balsamic vinegar

Season both sides of the fillets with salt, pepper, chili powder and thyme - to taste. 

Sautee in garlic in pan lightly coated with olive oil, or non-stick cooking spray. Splash with balsamic vinegar. Cook until done and flakes easily. Flake into medium sized chunks and leave over low heat.

For the Glaze:

Note: Measurements are approx - adjust to your tastes!

3/4 c. frozen or fresh blueberries

1/4c. water

1 t. cornstarch

scant 1/4 c. original almond milk

1 t. balsamic vinegar

1 T. Raspberry Dijon Mustard

1/4 t. black pepper

1/4 t. thyme

dash paprika, chili powder, crushed red pepper and salt

Combine all ingredients in saucepan and heat over low until desired consistency. Additional cornstarch can be added if thicker is desired, or water omitted. I found it to be just right - not too thick, not too thin.

To assemble:

1 Joseph's Flax Pita

1/2 cheese wedge

1 t. Raspberry Dijon Mustard

chopped scallions

romaine lettuce (spinach would be better - I didn't have any!)

chopped walnuts

Spread 1/2 cheese wedge in middle of flat pita (unopened) followed by mustard and then lettuce. Top with as much of the salmon as desired, tri-fold the pita over, and press on a panini press/grill.

Top with blueberry glaze, scallions, and chopped walnuts. 

I forgot about the walnuts and they only made it into the top photo ;)

Enjoy! I'm also enjoying a really delicious pumpkin pie oatmeal dessert right now, but I think that's enough talking and recipe - giving :P

I hope everyone's having a great night - and here's a warning that tomorrow may be leftover night. But that's okay, because this salmon makes up for it, right?

Do you plan your meals in advance, or decide hours before you're ready to eat?