Happy FRIDAY to ya! I must begin with some good news: I can happily report that last night’s bug bite did not turn out to be as bad as anticipated! Barely noticeable. It must have been the “X’s.” ;)
(Yes, this is post-workout, naked-faced Courtney – I will not subject you to many more of these pictures, promise!) ;)
Speaking of that workout — boy, I’ll tell ya, my hips are just not happy with me this week. They are sore, tight, and pretty uncomfortable. I’m wondering if maybe it was a combination of my longer run on Monday & the new workout Tuesday? Ahh, I don’t know; either way, I knew once I started moving today, that running probably wasn’t going to be the smartest choice. I need to give the joints a little more time to rest. So rather than running, I did my Incline Interval Workout, which felt GREAT! I love getting all the different resistances with the various inclines –it’s workin’ lots ‘o muscles. :)
Breakfast
Oddly enough, I was craving oatmeal this morning. Hot, creamy, steamy off the stove oatmeal. Originally, I was going to cook up some of these steel cut oats that I picked up the other day, but I got scared. :( I’ve never tried them and I really didn’t want this morning’s oats to be a flop. Does anyone else out there have any tips/advice on the steel cut oats? Are they like regular oats? Maybe next time!
Instead, I stuck with my favorite, simple whipped bananer oats:
1/3 cup oats
1/3 cup vanilla almond milk
1/3 cup water
1/2 smashed banana
1/2 tsp vanilla
cinnamon
golden raisins
Then it was time to get fun with some TOPPINGS! :-D
First I started out with 1/2 of a Clif Z Bar…
Then a little sprinkle of granola…
And of course, a scoop of my truly beloved: Blizzard Butter…
And ended up with this absolutely fantastic bowl!
Yes, they were hot, steamy & creamy, and yes, I was sweating through pretty much my entire breakfast. But hey, I didn’t care. They were that good today. And if I had more in front of me, I’d sweat through them again. :)
I have some more errands ahead of me today, some of which include picking up some items for my friend Joelle’s bridal shower tomorrow! I’m so excited. :mrgreen:
Question for the Morning:
What foods will you still enjoy despite extreme weather circumstances?
Obviously, I will still endure the heat of a hot bowl of oatmeal in 90+ degree weather. But I’ll also savor every last bite of ice cream in the dead of winter. Yup, I’m addicted, I ain’t gonna lie! ;)
Rhea (Greek Feaster) says
I will drink tea year ’round like it’s nobody’s business. 90 degree weather? Doesn’t matter, down the hatch :D
I saved that interval workout to try next week. Inclines are a real challenge for me, so we’ll see how it goes!
Also, those Z-Bars are incredible. I just tried the honey graham this weekend. My favorite is brownie, because it tastes a little figgy. Om nom nom.
christina says
the weather doesn’t affect my eating habits at all. i’ll still eat hot soup and oatmeal in the summer and ice cream allllllll year long. if someone told me they didn’t eat ice cream in the winter i would think they were nuts!
Jen says
steel cut oats are SO good! They are creamier and a little bit of crunchier than regular oats. sometimes I’m just too lazy to cook them up though, since they take longer to make.
Heather (Where's the Beach) says
I love steel cut oats. I prefer them over the rolled oats any day. I like the texture that they have – just a wee bit firmer. They do take longer to cook and you have to cook them at a lower temp rather than trying to speed them along.
I still eat hot oatmeal all summer.
Amy @ Second City Randomness says
I’m a work in progress when it comes to steel cut. My little “cheat tip” is to soak them the night before (like you would overnight oats) and then I pop them in the microwave for about 4 minutes at reduced power and voila!
Shanna, like Banana says
First of all, you look phenomenal sans makeup so work it girl! show people that being dolled up isn’t necessary ;)
Sometimes in the hot heat of summer, I CRAVE an X-hot grande nonfat carmel macciatto from S-bux :)
Kate says
You could make a big batch of oats up on Sunday when you may have more time to eat it through out the week. Cinnamon + nuts are a fun add in but maybe more savory for winter. Berries work great but I’d wait to add those individually if making the oats ahead of time.
Maura @ theMOHdiaries says
I looove hot soup all year round (okay, I loove all soup hot or cold all year round)! My coworkers think I’m crazy sometimes when I have soup for lunch when its 95 degrees outside but hey, that’s what AC is for people! lol
Judy says
Courtney, you look beautiful even pre workout so dont sweat it girl! :) lol pun not intended
and im the same way with the hot cold thing :)
Holly at Greek Yogurt and Apple Slices says
I have to ask about the ‘x’ thing..? I’ve never heard of it- does it reduce the swelling?
& you know what? The only reason I got one of those Clif Z bars for my give-away was only because I always see them on your page, so I thought they must be good – haha!! :)
I can ALWAYS drink coffee, no matter what temperature it is.
Courtney says
Hahaha, I LOVE it, Holly! They really are amazing – you NEED to try one!
And yes, the “x” thing is kind of like a mind game I play with myself – I say that it helps the swelling and itching, but it probably doesn’t. ;)
Courtney @ Three Months says
Oh goodness, lately I have been obsessed with the Honey Graham ZBar….they are so yummy!
Michelle says
The biggest difference with steel cut oats is that they need to cook for about 30 minutes.
Here’s the recipe I use when I cook steel-cut oats:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/steel-cut-oatmeal-recipe/index.html
I make extras and reheat them throughout the week. They are chewier than regular oats.
Hope that helps!
erica says
i have to have my coffee, even if it’s hot…and i have to have ice cream, even when it’s freezing cold. hahaha.
Courtney says
Ditto to both of those! ;)
Nancy says
Pshhh. You don’t need that Laura Mercier foundation – your skin looks better without makeup on, than mine does WITH. haha!!
Courtney says
Oh puhleeeeze! You’re too sweet! :)
amy says
I’m a steel cut oats girl everyday even living here in Florida. I think the steel cut ones are soooo much better than regular oats their chewier I guess. I make a big batch on Sundays and portion them out for all week long. They have more protein and fiber than regular oats.
Melissa @ Tryingtoheal says
i’ll eat greek yogurt in the dead of winter. it’s actually when i crave it the most!
Hillary [Nutrition Nut on the Run] says
Great washing tips. I think I need a couple more bras in my life =]
I loveee steel cut oats; yet, I’ve only had the quick cooking ones — I can’t wait 30 minutes!