Getting creative with oatmeal

From my friend who had suggested to me to give oatmeal one last try.  She is also sending me a particular type of oatmeal from where she lives that I may enjoy:

"I make a different oatmeal every time, using dried fruits, nuts, and extracts/flavorings. Yesterday, I chopped up some dry apricots, put about half a teaspoon almond extract in the water along with a couple tablespoons dry milk and the oatmeal for an apricot cream oatmeal.

Other combinations are pecans with butter pecan extract and topped (after cooking) with a bit of butter and brown sugar; dried cranberries with a bit of orange extract; raisins with rum extract; maple extract and walnuts; dried apples and chopped walnuts with a little bit of raisins with apple pie seasoning and served with a touch of butter and brown sugar.

Basically just let your imagination go wild and breakfast oatmeal will never be boring.

Hmm I just wonder about figs... 

O..OH OMG Oatmeal! I ate oatmeal!

I did something today (I know there is a full moon), I've only done one other time since 1960...

I ate a bowl of oatmeal.

Yes! Me!

Now don't keel over from shock even though I almost did.  I do not like oatmeal, hated it as child along with grits.

Yes I know all the health benefits to oatmeal, reducing cholesterol, aid in reduction of high blood pressure, fiber, economical yada yada yada; I just have hated it; never got over the intense dislike.

But I promised a friend who suggested something I found a bit intriguing to see if I could (no pun intended) swallow it.

Well by golly, it worked!  What was the suggestion? Something I love and would drink all year long...

Eggnog!  Yup eggnog.

So what I did after preparing the oatmeal in which I had added cinnamon and finely chopped apples

  poured a 1/4 a cup of warm eggnog, took a deep breath & went for it.

It was really rather good.  I had to resist the mental process so I can be open to giving oatmeal the benefit of the doubt & actually liked it.

Ok, I did not have a coronary from ingesting.
Yet no one rolled out the brass band with a second line...

Shucks.

But I was pleased and now almost 5 hours later I am still full, satisfied.

So who knows maybe it will become part of my new regimen as I bring forth more micro-adventures.

So it was mission accomplished.!

So what will I do when eggnog is out of "season"?  Well here from www.sparkspeople.com
are  recipes:

Low Cal, Low Fat Eggnog

Nutritional Info

• Fat: 2.3g
• Carbohydrates: 7.7g
• Calories: 70.1
• Protein: 5.9g

Ingredients

4 Cups Milk
2 Eggs
2t Vanilla Extract
4T artificial Sweetener
1t Rum flavoring
Ground Nutmeg

Directions

Combine the egg yolks and milk in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the mixture coats a metal spoon. Cool. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add to the egg custard mixture with the vanilla, sweetener, and flavoring. Mix lightly. Cover and chill. Pour into serving cups and sprinkle with nutmeg.

Number of Servings: 5


And:

Eggnog- Hungry Girl No-Nonsense Nog!

Nutritional Info

• Fat: 1.1g
• Carbohydrates: 10.0g
• Calories: 81.2
• Protein: 7.1g

Ingredients

5 cups 8th Continent Light Vanilla Soymilk (or another light vanilla soymilk**)
1 small (4-serving) package Je ll-O Sugar Free Fat Free Instant Pudding mix, Vanilla
6 no-calorie sweetener packets (like Splenda)
1 tsp. rum extract or imitation rum extract
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Directions

In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend on high until mixed thoroughly. Refrigerate for a few hours to allow it to thicken. Makes five 1-cup servings!

HG Alternative! For some "over 21" eggnog, add 5 ounces of rum to the recipe. With 153 calories and a POINTS® value of 3* per serving, that's WAY better than an ordinary eggnog cocktail!

Number of Servings: 5

And:

Lean and Mean Eggnog

Nutritional Info

• Fat: 3.2g
• Carbohydrates: 14.2g
• Calories: 181.1
• Protein: 16.0g

Ingredients

Milk,non-fat 8oz.
Rum Extract 1/2 teaspoon
Cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon
Nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon
Egg subsitutute 1/4 cup
Cool Whip Free 2 tablespoons
Spenda 1teaspoon

Directions

Mix ingredients well adding the Cool Whip last.

Number of Servings: 1




But I forewarn anyone, I will not, unequivocally NOT consume grits.  It took me 50 years for oatmeal, I do not have the time or desire to manage grits!



Ya Ya!

Never saw it coming this Weigh..This Gift

We got a little respite from the cold all week through the weekend so I am taking advantage of it.  Right now I am clearing my house literally as I prepare for this move.


  I just got through re potting some of my plants that are going to a friend who enjoys gardening.  I had to re pot as I wanted to keep my beautiful ceramic pots for a future time.

  I also thinned out some of my veggies in my outside garden.  I now have 3 large container pots of Kohl Rabi.  My green onions are coming up famously as well as the basil, I have not seen the broccoli bloom or bear fruit yet.  I should be able to harvest one more batch of my collards & mustard greens before the whole organic garden is donated to the food bank that graciously assisted me for the last several months. My garden served a purpose for me now that purpose will continued.  I wish I could figure out what to do with my compost.  It is not fully converted yet otherwise I could sack and send it on its way with the containers.


Any suggestions?


I would not have seen things going this way but at least I know it is the gift that will keep on giving!


And I burn some more calories today to boot!


I know I've released some more weight, I do not know how much yet as I do not have scales & I won't be back for my follow up visit with the doctors until the 1st week of January.  It is definite I did as my clothes are hanging off of me so that is a good sign.


Somehow I got off track from my walking which I so enjoyed although I've got movement in over the last month


If it is to be, it is up to me. Author Unknown

Spice up your world...(Or at least your palate).

Linguine with Spicy Shrimp Sauce (Chef Meg's makeover)

Nutritional Info

• Fat: 13.8g
• Carbohydrates: 48.3g
• Calories: 393.5
• Protein: 24.7g

Ingredients

3 T olive oil
4 garlic cloves
1/2 t red pepper flakes
2 T sun dried tomato paste* 
15 oz Italian-style canned tomatoes 
1 t salt
black pepper to taste
1/4 c parsley, chopped
1 oz white wine**
1 T butter (room temperature)
12 oz bite-size shrimp, peeled and deveined, heads and tails removed
8 oz whole-grain linguine

* Found in the international aisle. You can also substitute tomato paste.
** You can substitute low-sodium chicken broth.

Directions

Smash the garlic cloves with the back of a knife on a cutting board.

Heat a medium size saute pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and heat for 1 minute. Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Heat the mixture just until the garlic starts to sizzle.

Meanwhile cook pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions. 

Add sun dried tomato paste to garlic oil mixture. 

Stir to combine. Add chopped tomatoes. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add wine and cook for 1 minute.

Add shrimp; cook just until shrimp turns pink.

Remove pan from heat and add butter. Swirl or stir pan to melt butter in sauce.

Drain pasta and place in warmed serving dishes. Top with shrimp mixture.

Serves 4 (1/2 c cooked pasta, 3 oz shrimp and 1/2 c sauce). 



Number of Servings: 4

A Meal Worthy of Popeye

Spinach and Goat Cheese Strata BROWSE RELATED RECIPES BY TOPIC:  AMERICAN, ITALIAN, BRUNCH, CASSEROLE, MAIN DISH, CHEESE, EGG, RICE/ GRAIN, VEGETABLE,HIGH PROTEIN, SOY FREE, HIGH FIBER, HIGH OMEGA-3, NUT FREE, VEGETARIAN, LOW GI Although stratas generally call for whole eggs, this version has been slimmed down a bit through the use of some egg whites in place of a whole egg and 1% instead of whole milk. Ingredients Serves:  Prep: 10min|Cook: 37min |Total: 1hr 27min                8 slices whole-grain sandwich bread 5 teaspoons olive oil 3 tablespoons minced scallions 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry 1 teaspoon sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon pepper 3 large eggs 2 large egg whites 1/2 cup low-fat (1%) milk 4 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled Directions 1. Generously oil a 7 ✕ 11-inch baking dish. Lay half the bread slices in the dish and set aside. 2. In large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the scallions and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until the scallions have softened, about 2 minutes. 3. Stir in the spinach, sprinkle with the sugar, salt, nutmeg, and pepper, and continue cooking until the spinach has softened and is heated through, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat. Spoon half of the spinach mixture over the bread in the baking dish. 4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, egg whites, and milk. Pour half of this mixture over the spinach layer. Sprinkle with half the cheese. Top with the remaining bread, spinach, egg mixture, and cheese. Let sit for 30 minutes. 5. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the strata for 30 minutes, or until golden, puffed and set. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

A Dish worth trying...

	Shrimp And Orzo Salad
	Photo: Mitch Mandel www.prevention.com

Orzo is an inexpensive rice-shaped pasta that is easily found in supermarkets. If using less expensive bulk orzo, measure 3 cups (uncooked) for this recipe. If you can find fiber-rich whole wheat orzo, by all means buy it to use in this dish.

Ingredients

Serves:  Prep: 12min|Cook: 8min |Total: 20min
              

• 1 package (16 ounces) orzo pasta
• 8 ounces peeled and deveined medium shrimp
• 1 cup diced, no-salt-added canned tomatoes, drained
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup peeled, seeded, and sliced cucumbers
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fat-free plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1.

BRING a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the orzo and cook for 6 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes longer, or until the shrimp turn pink and the orzo is al dente. Drain well and allow to cool slightly.

2.

TRANSFER the orzo and shrimp to a large salad bowl and add the tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, scallions, lemon rind and juice, oil, yogurt, cheese, garlic, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine.

Nutritional Facts per serving

CALORIES

580.8 CAL

FAT

10 G

SATURATED FAT

1.8 G

CHOLESTEROL

87.5 MG

SODIUM

447.8 MG

CARBOHYDRATES

93.6 G

TOTAL SUGARS

9 G

DIETARY FIBER

5.5 G

PROTEIN

29 G