This morning I woke up jittery so I went out for a jog. I did about 1.75 miles (?). When I got back I picked up my breakfast from Metro Cafe – a 12 ounce oatmeal made with skim milk + cinnamon, banana, and blueberries.

I finished it, but it wasn’t very good. I’m not getting it again. What the what Metro Cafe? I’ll stick with your bagels. Tomorrow’s breakfast is going to be instant grits from a hotel we stayed at on the road trip. Hehehe.

After a long day at work I opted for the hot foods bar at a random deli on my way home (I walked; about 1.5 miles or so). I met up with Bobby in the middle. (He got pizza.) I dumped honey mustard dressing on this.

This meal was kind of oily but really good. I had grilled chicken, random prepared salads (something with broccoli, one with mushrooms, a sealeg salad, tomatoes, etc…), a sweet potato (I think), and some other things that I can’t remember right now.

Dessert was rice with honey mustard dressing (a little random) and these carob chips that my sister gave me. Um… more than pictured. I might still be eating them now.

I’m off to snuggle and get some rest before work tomorrow. I apologize for the lack of commenting as of late; I’m sorry to say it’s going to continue. I’m still reading of course.

What was your favorite job?

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• November 4, 2009 -- Oh my Mighty Tasty!
• November 11, 2009 -- Moving Day
• June 7, 2008 -- CSA Stir-fry
• September 28, 2010 -- Tea Time and Relaxation
• July 27, 2009 -- Green Eggs & Ham… or corn.

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I don’t know the recipe, but I know it had lots of peanut butter. It was delicious. Maybe I’ll ask her how she made it sometime soon. It had all of my favorite veggies – broccoli, mushrooms, carrots (which I actually avoided because I’m trying not to turn orange), and red peppers. She’s not scared to use enough oil to make it taste good either.

This morning (and yesterday I think) for breakfast I made a really good bowl of hot cereal. I mix together…

• ~1/2 cup of quick cooking oats
• a few tablespoons of farina
• cook it in water & almond milk
• cinnamon, almond or orange extract (or both!), dash of salt

I like to top it with milk (whole cow’s milk or more almond milk) and maple syrup or honey. My facial lady told me to avoid sugar and see what happens (I know what will happen – my face will be clear), so today I had it with no syrup (but extra milk).

Uh oh. I think I have a new addiction. It sounds like kabocha, but it’s more expensive – kombucha.

The one I tried was $3.39 (yikes) and it was "GT’s Organic Botanic No. 7 Kombucha". I specifically got the one with probiotics to help with my digestion. This one was raw.

Kombucha is a fermented Chinese tea. It takes about 30 days to make; during the process various nutrients are formed (enzymes, probiotics, amino acids, antioxidants, and polyphenols). It’s basically the healthiest thing you could possibly drink.

Some people say it tastes like vinegar; I thought it tasted a little bit like wine, only fizzy and better (I don’t really like wine). I’ll definitely be buying this again as soon as I can wrap my head around the price. It’s so darn pricey. I will absolutely try to make this in the future. Tips?

Speaking of yummy things, I did these 5 videos yesterday for exercise. They are each 10 minutes. Try them out! My sister loves Polly’s videos too.

• YOGA for yummy abs
• YOGA for upper thighs
• YOGA for your muffin top
• YOGA for yin
• YOGA for triathletes

Do you like kombucha? Have you tried it? Have you tried Polly’s videos yet? (It’s her birthday week by the way!)

P.S. Check out Clare’s Positivity Giveaway. She’s so sweet

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• December 12, 2011 -- What Is Enlightenment?
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• September 1, 2008 -- Goodeats for 8/31/2008
• June 10, 2009 -- Mom’s Matching Green Oat Bran
• December 9, 2008 -- Healthy Meatless Meatballs

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This was the best meal I’ve had in a while. It was fantastic. The flavors blended perfectly; the tomatoes were sweet and delicious; the bread crumbs were crispy; the eggplant was superb. The whole family loved it. She made one completely vegan…

And one with cheese…

My dad, brother, and sister have all raved about this lasagna to me. Now I know what they’re talking about. These disappeared in about 20 minutes.

My mom requested that I make my massaged kale salad (kale, olive oil, sea salt, lemon juice) and I topped it with some thinly sliced onions. Everyone loved this too! I was really happy. They were kind of doubtful about the kale but now I’ve converted them to be kale lovers.

I had a very yummy homey breakfast today. It was huge!

• 1/4 cup (a little more) quick cooking oats (to use them up)
• 1/4 cup farina (suggested serving size is 3 tablespoons)
• <1 cup water
• <1 cup almond milk (sweetened)
• cinnamon
• orange extract
• dash of salt
• toppings: whole milk, honey, agave nectar

I’ve been really into simple big bowls of oats with minimal toppings. I love my breakfast grains. I got into the habit of simple bowls while driving across the country. Almost every morning I had this at Denny’s (minus the fruit; that was Bobby’s):

A big bowl of oats topped with brown sugar, milk, and sometimes a little bit of butter.

Today and yesterday for exercise Bobby, Julia, and I walked to Kunkel Park and played on the swings.

It’s about 3 miles roundtrip. Swinging is also a great ab workout. No wonder (many) kids stay fit so easily.

What did you do for fun when you were little? I loved climbing things and I was always scaring my parents. I (almost) never got hurt though.

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• November 7, 2010 -- I Ate Fried Chicken!!! And ditched the scale. And quit the gym.
• February 22, 2008 -- More stir-fry ideas
• September 6, 2008 -- Goodeats for 9/5/2008
• November 25, 2009 -- Thanks!
• December 19, 2008 -- Carby carbs

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• Driving in a car with 2 cats is not always fun. But I still love our little monsters.
• Arizona is too cool for daylight saving time.
• McDonald’s is gross.
• Dairy Queen is pretty cool.
• Things always take longer than you planned.

Breakfast – a few warren pears from Frog Hollow Farms (samples from this weekend). They’re almost too ripe at this point, so I wanted to use them up.

Snacks throughout the day – more pears.

Lunch – Southwest chicken salad from McDonald’s. Not very good! I am not a McDonald’s fan. There are many other better fast food salads out there. I also snagged some of Bobby’s fries. They were gross.

1st Dinner (7pm) – a side salad and a grilled chicken ranch wrap from Dairy Queen. This wrap was fantastic – yummy cheddar, creamy ranch, and a nice piece of grilled chicken on a tortilla.

2nd Dinner (11pm) – a shared grand slam with Bobby from Denny’s. We got hash browns, eggs sunny side up, hearty whole wheat pancakes, a biscuit, and turkey bacon. Both the bacon and the pancakes were “healthier” options on the menu. Bobby had all of the hash browns. I had most of the pancakes, some of the biscuit, some eggs, and 1 of the bacons. I heart Denny’s.

We are staying at a Motel 6 in Kingman, AZ. Anyone ever been there? I think we might get Denny’s for breakfast tomorrow, too… I plan on keeping it a little lighter (probably just a huge bowl of oats).

Off to get some rest and get ready for more driving tomorrow… I’m gonna try to get a massage out of Bobby. Happy Tuesday!

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• July 26, 2010 -- HEAB: Love, Marriage, and Hamburgers
• November 11, 2008 -- Feels like a Thursday
• January 24, 2009 -- Happy Yoga Day!
• February 28, 2009 -- Fun & Free Day
• October 3, 2008 -- 03 October 2008

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The nutritional info (in 1/4 cup serving): 150 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 31 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 4 grams protein. The cereal is wheat-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free. Ingredients: whole grain brown rice, corn, white sorghum, buckwheat.

Neither of us have food allergies, but we love trying specialty foods. We’re both a little lactose intolerant, but we kind of ignore it. I love trying all kinds of foods though, and gluten free products are usually mighty tasty. This cereal is made of brown rice, corn, sorghum (?), and buckwheat.

It was great mighty tasty. I made 2 bowls of it this morning. I soaked each serving in water before cooking. I didn’t drain them; I just added the soaking cereal to boiling water. Bobby’s bowl was savory:

• 1/4 cup cereal soaked in 1/2 cup water + another boiling 1/2 cup water
• dash of salt
• 1/2 shredded string cheese
• 11 sauteed shrimp (olive oil, garlic powder, chili powder, sesame seeds)

My bowl was sweet:

• 1/4 cup cereal soaked in 1/2 cup water + another boiling 1 cup water
• dash of salt
• 1/2 of a wallaby organic raspberry yogurt
• a few handfuls of nature’s path smart bran
• sesame seeds
• maple syrup (unpictured; added later)

You boil water and add the cereal. Then turn the heat to low and cook it (covered) for 5-10 minutes or until it’s the right consistency for you. You have to stir it occasionally. The more water you use, the bigger the cereal will be. Bobby doesn’t like volume foods for breakfast so I didn’t use as much water for his. I used lots of water for mine.

Mm, mm… mighty tasty. I feel like there might be this whole new world out there of amazing hot cereals that I didn’t even know existed. My staples have always been oat bran, oatmeal, and grits. What should I try next?

Like this post? Check out...

• September 10, 2009 -- Bay Area Resources for Organic Produce, Local Produce, and CSA (Community Sponsored Agriculture)
• July 28, 2010 -- Melissa: Make Your Own Sushi (on the cheap!)
• March 30, 2008 -- Menu Plan Monday
• February 21, 2009 -- Macrobiotic Wrap-up
• February 11, 2010 -- Vegetarians Beware. Yummy Thai Food.

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I say this about a lot of things, but you *must* make these. You will not be disappointed!

Goji Nut Biscotti

Ingredients (makes ~12 small biscotti)

• 1 cup oat bran
• 1/3 cup quick cooking oats (instant) (can sub with flour or oat bran)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 dashes of salt
• 1 teaspoon spice (cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice)
• 1 egg + 1 egg white
• 1/3 cup sweetener (I used Trader Joe’s stevia)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup goji berries
• 1/4 chopped nuts of choice (see notes below)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Soak the goji berries in hot water.
3. Mix together the oat bran, oats, baking soda, salt, and spices.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Beat this pretty well.
5. Slowly add the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Drain the berries and add them, and then add the nuts. The dough should be dry enough so that you can work with it. If it’s not, add a bit more oat bran (or don’t add all of the egg mixture).
6. Spray a cooking pan with non-stick spray and shape the dough into a long log shape, about 1/2 – 3/4 of an inch high. You can top with extra nuts or oats. Bake this for 20 minutes.
7. Remove the log from the oven and reduce heat to 300F. Cut the log into pieces and bake them on one side for 15 minutes. Take them out, turn them over, and bake them for another 15 minutes. If they are still not hard, turn them again and cook for 10 more minutes.
8. Enjoy dipped in coffee, tea, peanut butter, or plain.

For the nuts I used these things I found in the Asian grocery store called “olive kernels” (seen above). I recognize the flavor, but I have no idea what they really are, or if maybe they have another name. The nut is definitely used in a Christmas cookie that I have every year, but I cannot remember which cookie and I have been unable to find out anything online.

Help! Do you know what these nuts might be?

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• June 30, 2009 -- Fun foods!
• August 1, 2010 -- Wordless Sunday (!)
• September 28, 2008 -- Night of 9/27/2008
• December 20, 2007 -- Fresh Persimmons and Apples with Dip
• December 14, 2009 -- Review: The Long Room & Christmas In New York

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So I forced them open! Bobby calls this “constipated Maggie”.

He’s no better. He can’t get his head out of the rice!

Ahh, there he is.

So my favorite carbs are clearly squash (pumpkin in particular, and kabocha more specifically) and rice cooker oatmeal. Bobby’s favorite carb is rice.

What’s your favorite carb?

Like this post? Check out...

• September 14, 2008 -- Goodeats for 9/14/2008
• October 13, 2009 -- Recipe: Goji Nut Biscotti
• October 11, 2008 -- Polenta Stuffed Mexican Acorn Squash – Blogger Secret Ingredient
• August 29, 2008 -- Fried Green Tomatoes
• May 22, 2011 -- Weekend Link Love – 5.22.2011

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I finally figured out their recipe for the Spicy Burdock Root Salad. Their salad has lotus root, but I was all out. I subbed in water chestnuts instead. Theirs also has mizuna (a salad green), but I didn’t have that either so I just left it out. The ingredient list looks long, I know – but it’s really very simple. Texture is really important here, so make sure the onion and celery are both sliced very thinly. My mandoline helped me achieve the awesome textures, but a grater would work just as well; so would a lot of patience with a knife.

I kid you not – this will be the best salad you ever make.

FYI: Konnyaku is a Japanese yam… it’s the base of shirataki noodles. A block of konnyaku has 0 calories (just like true shirataki noodles – not the tofu kind). It’s great for digestion and overall health. I get mine at my local Asian markets. It’s next to the miso. I would also check near the tofu, or near the refrigerated noodles. If you can’t find it, I guess you could substitute a different veggie or maybe some seitan.

Maggie’s Spicy Burdock Salad

Ingredients (serves 4-5 normal people… or 1-2 crazy salad eaters)

• 2 cups of burdock, sliced up (I used a mandoline)
• 1 block of konnyaku, cut in small slices (or a different veggie or seitan)
• 1 small can of water chestnuts (6 ounces)
• 1 tablespoon oil (sesame)
• 1 inch of ginger, grated
• chili powder and/or chili flakes, to taste (optional)
• 1 medium onion, finely sliced (mandoline)
• 4 stalks of celery, finely sliced (mandoline)
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tablespoon stevia (or other sweetener, to taste)
• 1 carrot, shredded
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons Bragg’s liquid aminos (or soy sauce)
• salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Boil the konnyaku slices in water for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse.
2. Heat the oil in a pan (wok) over high heat. Add the ginger and saute for 1 minute. Add the burdock, drained konnyaku slices, water chestnuts, and chili powder/flakes. Saute for about 5 minutes. You can reduce the heat to medium-high if you’re nervous about burning. When the burdock is tender enough to chew, remove it from the heat and let it cool.
3. Mix together the water, vinegar, and stevia. Soak the sliced onion and celery in the mix for 5 minutes, then drain.
4. Combine the burdock mix, the onion/celery mix, the carrot, sesame seeds, Bragg’s, and salt and pepper. Top with more sesame seeds, if desired. More sesame seeds are always desired by me.

Om nom nom. Bobby and I devoured this. He actually said it was *better* than Delica’s salad. You MUST make this. If you are scared of any of the ingredients (burdock! konnyaku!) – don’t be. Burdock is amazing for you. Burdock health benefits: it’s good for the reproductive system, the skin, the digestive system, and it’s even anti-cancerous. Other burdock or konnyaku recipes:

• Carrot Burdock Kinpira
• Lemon Garlic Okra & Sweet and sour Konnyaku
• Hijiki salad
• Vegetable sukiyaki

I adore Asian/Eastern food. I love eating with chopsticks (way cooler than forks). If it were up to me, I would probably eat Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Thai food for every single meal. Oh wait… I pretty much do The only difference is that I eat oatmeal or oat bran instead of rice, and I eat squash every single day. (Sounds kind of like a cool vegan lady I know.)

What are your weird food quirks? What is your favorite food (cuisine or dish)?

Stay tuned for a silly picture and updates from this weekend’s apple picking adventures!

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• August 4, 2010 -- Mara: Food Blogging and Marriage
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• June 6, 2010 -- Flexitarian Foodie Fun
• April 13, 2009 -- Sushi night, milk ice bars, salad update!

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I got almost the same thing as I did last time (3 salad combo), except I doubled up on the Spicy Burdock Root Salad (A spicy mix of braised burdock and konnyaku (mountain potato) tossed with thin slices of white onion, celery, julienne carrots, and wild mizuna), and got a single a serving of Hijiki and Soybean Salad (Hijiki (seaweed rich in calcium, iron, and fiber) mixed with dried soybeans, edamame, konnyaku (mountain potato), daikon, wild mizuna, fried tofu, and kuko (wolfberry)).

Bobby got the 2 salads + 1 main item combo (like last time). He opted for the Spicy Burdock Root Salad (this is our favorite), the Wasabi Garlic Potato Salad (Garlic potato salad with wasabi mayonnaise, edamame, snap peas, and romaine hearts), and for his main item he got Sweet & Spicy Chicken (Marinated chicken, lightly fried, served with sweet & spicy sauce).

We split that iced tea.

I made my rice cooker oats again for breakfast one day this week…

This time I topped them with chopped dates and a whole bunch of sesame seeds. I love adding sesame seeds to oats – they give a nice chew and crunch. I couldn’t decide which picture I liked better.

Have you tried rice cooker oats yet?

You guys had some really good input about my post regarding rest days. I continued my pattern of unintentional and/or fun workouts the last few days – I had my accidental 5 mile walk on Thursday, yesterday I did 20 minutes of Tom Morley yoga and about a mile of walking (I consider yesterday a very lazy day; I just walked to the grocery store but got too much stuff and Bobby had to pick me up), and so far today I did a 35 minute video – Self: Slim and Sleek, Fast! Bobby has class all day so I’m on my own. We were going to go to a pumpkin festival but that will probably happen tomorrow instead.

Oddly enough, Meghann and Kath both posted about non-rest rest days yesterday! Their opinions were similar to mine. Remember to check out my workout page if you ever want to see what I’ve been doing. And don’t forget about my yoga page – it has lots of great (free) yoga resources. I should probably update it because I’ve found some more (free) sites.

Another post I enjoyed reading was Tina’s post this morning – she ate a pretty amazing looking muffin for breakfast. Muffins are actually one of my favorite foods, but I don’t really eat them that often. She reminded me that I should definitely treat myself occasionally! Back at Cornell, Bobby and I used to go to a cafe called Mate Factor and they had the most amazing muffins. This is their raspberry one (old picture). I’ve posted about Mate Factor HERE and HERE and HERE.

I’m off to shower and enjoy this lovely fall Saturday. What are your plans? What’s your favorite muffin?

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• January 23, 2012 -- Weekly Workouts + Inspiration
• May 11, 2008 -- Menu Plan Monday
• June 11, 2010 -- Balance & a Blogger Sweetheart: Clare
• January 20, 2009 -- Peanut butter scandal got you down?
• August 23, 2010 -- Goal Setting

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Anyway, this is my method for rice cooker oats. They come out so creamy and delicious. They were actually better than the oats I had on Sunday.

Rice Cooker Oatmeal

Ingredients (serves 1-2)

• 1 cup oats
• 2 and 1/3 cups water
• 2 dashes of salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
• 1 teaspoon stevia (optional)
• toppings: chopped dates, granola, crushed raw cashews

Directions

1. Dump the water, salt, cinnamon, vanilla, and stevia in the rice cooker. Press “cook”.
2. Come back about 10 minutes before it’s done (according to the timer – this will probably be about 10 or 15 minutes after you started it) and open up the cooker. Stir around the oatmeal (it will probably be more liquidy on top) and mix it up well. Let it cook for another 5-10 minutes.
3. Scoop out your serving and top with your favorites. Mine are dried fruit (dates), granola, and nuts (cashews this time, but almonds, peanuts, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds are also great).

I had half for breakfast (so a 1/2 cup serving) but then I ended up eating the other half plain as a snack a few hours later. It was so good plain. I love adding cinnamon and vanilla to my oats. The stevia added a little bit of sweetness too – perfectly delicious.

If you’re short on time, this is a great method for cooking oats. You can toss them in the cooker and hop in the shower. While you’re getting ready, the rice cooker does all the work. And it’s way better at making creamy oatmeal than I am. If you don’t have a rice cooker, you should definitely consider getting one… it’s not just for rice!

Like this post? Check out...

• December 12, 2008 -- Back to the grind!
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• November 4, 2008 -- An historic Tuesday

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