Pumpkin oats are just like pumpkin pie – especially when you overload the pumpkin. The mixture gets a really smooth consistency. This bowl was filled with Coach’s Oats, milk and water, plus chia seeds, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla and about 1/2 a cup of pumpkin. Topped with coconut and melted Barney Butter (<—BB melts like no other nut butter on the market)
Consumed with some hot coffee and a side of baby pajamas!
This morning Matt, Maze and I met Karen + Andrew at the gym for a family workout. I did some ellipticaling, some stairmastering and some upper body weights, plus we walked there and back. A great hour and a half of movement that left us all rejuvenated.
Maze got his workout batting his toys!
Back at home, we made healthy salads for lunch with some produce from our garden – carrots and kale! I feel a little weird eating carrots from our garden because you really do watch them come out of dirt. And then you eat them. I have to remind myself that all carrots come from dirt!
They sure were pretty though…
Trader Joe’s trout love!! I will be forever sad if they ever discontinue this product. So everyone go buy some to keep it going!
Our salads were topped with the above plus some kalamata olive spread from Thanksgiving, smoked cheddar and some cubes of Cville Crunch bread. Honey and olive oil for dressing.
Check out Matt’s bowl – somebody likes bread!!
This afternoon we chilled out while we had a few visitors. Hannah Banana came to meet Mazen and brought a Llama for him!
Karen had fun teaching him what “soft” means : )
Our friends Francesca and Sam also came to visit. Always fun to catch up with them!
I had every intention of making today my “back to healthy eating” day until …Karen brought Thanksgiving dinner to our house!!
Gahhhh it all was SO good!!
I had a plate of this and that, and it tasted even better than the first time around.
Plus a small glass of vino. She left the cranberry sauce for me – yay for cranberries for breakfast tomorrow!
We had TONS of dessert left, but now most of it has been “taken care of.” Waste or waist, right? Before we tossed it, I had slivers of my favorites. I actually didn’t finish this whole plate – my stomach knew it wasn’t the real Thanksgiving and didn’t make enough room!
Uncle Brain is now on a flight back to New Orleans and won’t see Mazen again until this June! Sad! We will miss him.
I am so impressed by your consistency in going to the gymn and not even visitors are an excuse to not go. I must try that. I bought some BB on a recent visit to the US on your recommendation. I love it and wish I had bought more than one jar!
That’s one of the sad parts (and good?) about going to other’s home for Thanksgiving – no leftovers.
I’m curious to see what you do with the cranberries tomorrow morning. I’m thinking pancake topping.
Haha! My first comment! I’m a lurker but couldn’t resist commenting when I saw I would be the first (or close to it). Glad you had a family-filled holiday week! It’s good for the soul. 🙂
Love the llama!
Thanksgiving leftovers are the best! And I’ve thought about getting the Trader Joe’s Trout, but I don’t like that it’s in canola oil…
That’s the reason I don’t eat it too, the canola. I wish they’d pack it in olive oil.
Oh, I ended up getting that teapot and it IS the best!
Just so you know, canola oil actually has less saturated fat than olive oil (canola = 7%, olive = 15%). It also has an omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids in a ratio of 2:1 (similar to olive oil). It is considered pretty much as healthy as olive oil! Canola oil also has more of a neutral taste than olive oil so that is probably why TJ’s packs their trout in it.
A family work out is a great way to start the day! I was craving a salad yesterday – our bodies do let us know when we need to get back to healthy eating. Cranberry sauce layered with Greek yogurt and a little granola is a wonderful breakfast and a good way to use up the leftovers.
I LOVE the family gym time! What a great time!! 🙂
Matt sure does like bread! He better though! It’s kind of hard getting back to healthier eating with all the leftovers hanging around the house 🙂
I am desperately wishing I lived somewhere with a gym- oh small town living… I went running outside yesterday and my lungs felt like they were bleeding- ouch! Too cold and waaaay too windy! ….. I missed Thanksgiving with my family but I don’t think my waist missed it 🙂
I’m going to make that pumpkin oatmeal. looks fantastic! Thanks.
The BB melts because of the palm fruit oil in it- combined with the sugar (cane juice), it’s not the healthiest choice for almond butter. I prefer the 100% almond almond butter myself!
Also, tinned fish? Gag. No thanks! Also doesn’t seem like a healthy choice. BPA in the cans?
Just my own personal position, but TJ’s is not the best at providing “real food”. There is just so much processed food with tons of unnecessary additives!
I may be wrong but I thought trader Joe’s canned goods are BPA-free? Either way its a case of weighing up the benefits and risks. Personally oily fish is something I strive to include as much as possible in my diet, but the price of fresh fish makes it difficult, so I have tinned. I prefer my tinned fish in spring water rather than oil but it can be hard to get.
Some TJs are BPA-free, others are not. I appears that most of the fish do contain BPA unless policies have recently changed.
http://inspirationgreen.com/bpa-lined-cans.html (see comments, includes a letter from corporate)
Trader Joe’s is pretty open about the fact that much of their canned food contains BPA (as do their receipts). Whole Foods, too. I like TJ’s a lot but I agree with Annie that certainly much of their inventory is highly processed.
I think that’s just the niche TJ’s fills, though. They specialize in interesting, affordably priced packaged/processed foods. Some items are healthier than others, and they’ve done a pretty good job expanding their produce section over the years, but in many ways, the processed stuff is what they specialize in. In moderation, I think that’s fine for most of us to include in our diets, although of course lots of food cooked from scratch with fresh ingredients is even better.
I do like that they’re open and honest in their labelling (e.g., cans that contain BPA, which frankly is still the status quo most places). I also like that their dairy products don’t contain growth hormones and stuff.
But yes, I totally agree, Trader Joe’s is basically all about processed food.
I agree about trader joes too. I wanted one SO badly in my area and now that it’s here I don’t care. It’s all highly processed. Maybe with more natural ingredients..but still quite processed.
Also it’s a shame that the fish is packed in canola oil. That would be a deal breaker for me. I won’t buy anything with soy, corn or canola oil. And most everything at T Joes has these oils.
Are you all shopping at the same TJs as I am? Or is it that you are only interested in the stuff that is in the aisles? TJs offers families affordable fresh in season produce! It may not have the selection of a WF, but it also doesn’t have the price tag. No, it is not a seafood shop, but you can get really good buys on frozen seafood there (unseasoned), and IMHO there is nothing wrong with occasional canned fish. People have to eat the best they can, don’t make someone feel bad for it.
Hmm, all of the TJs around here have a huge selection of organic produce (better than Whole Foods in most cases), nuts, seeds, nutter butters, minimally processed grains (quinoa, oatmeal, ww pasta, frozen brown rice), several great cuts of grass-fed meats, grass-fed butter, kefir, a huge frozen seafood selection, organic eggs, organic olive oil, tons of choices for frozen fruits and veggies that are quite creative, etc. and often the best prices around. You just have to read labels! TJs doesn’t market itself as a health-food store, more as an eclectic mix of healthy, fun, and unique foods.
But where are the animals that produce the grass fed meats and butter raised? I can purchase (and I realize I’m lucky) the products directly from the farmer who raised the cattle or chicken. Where I live in NC there are lots of producers of beef and chicken for interested people to purchase.
There is such a difference in taste and quality when it is not frozen first, then shipped across the country and thawed out to sell in a TJ’S.
Also my Harris Teeter grocery store sells all the bulk items and produce from my local farmers. Love that!
I know TJ’s has its loyal fans. I’ve just not been very impressed the few times I visited one in my area. Just my opinion!
I would love it if Kath weighed in on this discussion! Kath, do you perceive a conflict between your blog mission of “real food” and your love of the new Trader Joe’s in town? There’s definitely a lot of ways to look at this topic and it would be interesting to hear your perspective.
I don’t see a conflict at all. I will continue to buy my produce at the farmer’s market and Whole Foods (because it is better quality), my meat at the market and the Organic Butcher (and WF), eat bulk foods made from scratch, grow my own food in our garden, etc.
But I’m very very happy to have an additional selection of options to choose from, like my favorites: sunflower butter, smoked trout and sardines, trail mixes, dried fruits, sauces, interesting cheeses, select chips and a handful of other items I do consider to be real food. I’ve never been a big patron of the Trader Joe’s snack aisles (with the exception of those dark chocolate stars that made it home with me!) TJs doesn’t replace anything for me – it’s simply an addition to my culinary adventures.
Kath’s comment echos my thoughts on Trader Joes perfectly! I love so many of their “non real food” items for special occasions, and their prices allow things like whole wheat pasta, organic veggies and hormone free dairy to be a part of my daily diet. Plus, um, the WINE aisle! 🙂
Hey, at least you got a great looking salad in for “back to healthy eating”. I laughed at carrots coming from dirt, I never think about that when I eat them lol.
I need to remember that waste or waist concept. I kind of wish I did before I ate the rest of our pumpkin pie!
“Back to healthy eating”…ah, I so need to do this too. Maybe tomorrow? 🙂
Your salad looks so good. Do you just add the fish, straight from the can, or add anything to it?
I normally just flake it on, but Matt mixed with some carrots and mayo yesterday
Lovely carrots!
Your food and healthy lifestyle inspire me. I’ve been reading for a few months now and want to thank you for your example. I’ve adopted your Whipped Banana Oatmeal, and I’m having fun with various toppings – whenever I make it for people, they love it! That’s about as far as I dare go with a flexible recipe, though. Could you recommend some favorite cookbooks or magazines that emphasize whole foods and clean eating?
My go to magazines are Whole Living and Cooking Light – almost all of their recipes are going to be on the healthy side. I don’t use cookbooks very much – I tend to go to blogs and websites to research a recipe. Clean Food and Peas and Thank You come to mind for recipes.
Love the smoked trout! Had some earlier this week.
I’m hoping to get a DSLR for Christmas this year, and I was wondering what kind of camera you have? And what kinds of lenses do you use most often?
I have the Mark II, which is a bit pricey, but if it’s your first DSLR and you just want to shoot great photos, I’d recommend the T3 and get the Canon 35mm f/2.0 lens!.
I’ve never tried that trout. I will definitely get some next time I’m at TJ’s. I’m ready to get back to healthy eating too!
Waste or waist – I’ve never heard that…but so true 🙂
Your pumpkin oats look great and the fact that Barney Butter melts so nicely, good tip. I love melted nut butter and usually sunflower seeds butter or homemade peanut butter are my melty’s of choice.
I need to get my hands on some Barney Butter! They won’t deliver to Ireland!!! 🙁 Did you buy the Barney Bare yet? Leftovers looks amazing! ….for some reason they always end up tasting better, think its because you the prep is well forgotten!
You updated your picture at the side! You look great 🙂
🙂
I was going to say the same.
Why do you call Andrew Uncle “Punkle” or “Brain”? Is he a smarty-pants? 🙂
Uncle Punkle was just the joke of the weekend. And Brain has been Matt + Andrew’s name for each other since they were little : )
I heart leftovers! Roasted meat and veggies always taste soooo good the next day. Even cold… Especially cold!
I love the THanksgiving leftovers! They really are even better than the original meal. 😀
I eat pumpkin oats every morning for breakfast. Love them!! It’s almost like eating dessert first thing in the morning! 🙂
I noticed your healthy choices lately. I am in nursing school and this semester I have gained 10 pounds! I have done weight watchers before and lost a decent amount of weight but feel so hungry on the program and plateau. Do you feel weight watchers is a good option to lose weight, or old fashion counting calories? I have read your weight loss section, was it all just portion control or do you have any tips for not feeling starved? I try to be balanced but it seems if I eat even healthy fat, like nut butter, I gain! So all in all, and tips as a r.d., and do what do you think about weight watchers vs. Counting calories?
I think counting calories is easier than Weight Watchers, which requires a lot of math. But some really like the support groups for WW. You can be successful with either if you commit! Small changes go a long way – adding exercise and subtracting a few extras should tip you in the right direction.
WW doesn’t require a lot of math – are you at all familiar with the current program? The whole point is that their algorithm does the work for you. It’s incredibly easy, especially if you take advantage of their mobile apps and online interface. Because the program takes into account the balance of carbs, fat, fiber, and protein in each food (rather than just calories), it’s very effective.
A friend recently told me she found it to be easier to eat packaged foods because they don’t require figuring out the points. She doesn’t have a smart phone, so an app would be very helpful on the go. I think it’s a great, effective program.
It’s great that you all made time to go the gym together!
The smoked trout is so delicious! I sort of hate how it is packed in so much oil, but know that if it was packed in water it would not be nearly as flavorful.
I recently started making pumpkin pie smoothies in the mornings – they taste so much like the real thing it’s hard to believe they’re healthy!
I asked this on Twitter last night but I thought I’d ask it here, too — with all of the amazing seasonal foods on the shelves this time of year, have you ever thought of doing a 1-week “no oats / no _____ butter challenge” for variety and a change of pace? Almost all of your breakfasts now consist of some form of oats, nutbutter, chia seeds, pumpkin (or cranberry), and / or cottage cheese as if spun from a deal-a-meal wheel. It would be great to see you changing things up in the mornings for the holidays and branch away from your comfort zone. As a reader, if we don’t like oats / oatmeal, there’s really nothing else we can get from this blog as far as breakfast ideas go — save the occasional french toast (which would be much too rich for me on cinnamon swirl bread). It’s food for thought…literally. 😉 I think it would be fun to see you try some “culinary adventures”!
By the way, Mazen has the cutest baby face ever – and I can say that professionally – I’m a photographer! 🙂
It’s a nice suggestion, but I’m not really one for doing formal challenges. I eat this way because the combination of fiber, complex carbohydrates, protein and fat makes me feel satisfied and full for 4-5 hours. On days when I’ve had scrambled eggs without nut butter [like this one!] I’ve been hungry much sooner than normal. I actually think my breakfasts have gotten much more varied in the past year – from french toast to smoothies to even occasional eggs [I’m on a huge egg kick this year], I pretty much eat most things but savory/vegetable/scramble types. [FYI, most of my french toast is on 100% whole wheat bread – not sweet at all!]. If you’re looking for savory ideas, both Gina + Caitlin are big savory breakfast eaters these days.
I don’t understand why someone would even want to sacrifice their eating habits in the interest of “entertaining” blog readers. I appreciate that Kath eats real food and the food that her body craves instead of catering to what might be considered “entertaining.” The take away message is simple, in case you missed it: Give your body what it wants and needs. Eat intuitively. Eat real food. Save your criticism and your judgment. And thank you Kath for showing us how to do that!
Hey kath! I’ve been reading your blog for a whole, and thanks to you now add nut butters to my oatmeal for filling healthy fats. I’ve been looking everywhere, but can’t seem to find it. About how much nut butter(1/2 tbsp, 1 tbsp, etc.) do you use to top your oats? Thanks a bunch and keep up the yummy work 🙂
It’s usually about a heaping tablespoon