Hot (Pita) Pocket

This morning I woke up sore, like hit-by-a-mack-truck sore.  I am feeling muscles on the outsides of my hips that I had forgotten existed (Gluteus Medius for you physical therapy peeps out there!).  Probably due to the single-leg dead-lifts from yesterday's Leg Workout.  That exercise showed me just how bad my balance is - I was wobbling all over the place!  I am going to start to incorporate exercises that work specifically on my balance and core control in upright single-limb stance a couple of times a week in the gym, probably using the Bosu available there.

Breakfast this morning was a Trader Joe's Whole Wheat Pita that I split in half and toasted.  I was feeling a little indecisive about what I wanted on it so I topped half with Trader Joe's Unsalted Almond Butter + sliced banana and the other half Almond Butter + Strawberry Jam.  For a little texture I added a sprinkling of my Nature's Path Pumpkin Flax granola and for protein had two hardboiled eggs with S+P.  Coffee x2 and water (as usual).

I know you're supposed to put the stuff on the inside of the pita bread (that's what the pocket is there for) but I think you can taste it better when it's on top!  

I picked up these Pitas from Trader Joe's because of the short and easily-pronounced ingredient list.  Plus they have 4 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber for one pita and 0 grams of sugar - and just 100 calories. I'd say that's a pretty good nutritional bargain ;-)  They tasted great too!

I've mentioned before how I'm a huge fan of Trader Joe's Almond Butter.  It's 100% almonds, no salt, no sugar, no artificial ingredients or oils.  And I'm a fan of it's price tag compared to the same thing at Whole Foods!

I'm off to start my day, make sure to check back later this afternoon for a really delicious Quinoa-Oatmeal Cookie recipe!  It will not disappoint!

Hot (Pita) Pocket

This morning I woke up sore, like hit-by-a-mack-truck sore.  I am feeling muscles on the outsides of my hips that I had forgotten existed (Gluteus Medius for you physical therapy peeps out there!).  Probably due to the single-leg dead-lifts from yesterday's Leg Workout.  That exercise showed me just how bad my balance is - I was wobbling all over the place!  I am going to start to incorporate exercises that work specifically on my balance and core control in upright single-limb stance a couple of times a week in the gym, probably using the Bosu available there.

Breakfast this morning was a Trader Joe's Whole Wheat Pita that I split in half and toasted.  I was feeling a little indecisive about what I wanted on it so I topped half with Trader Joe's Unsalted Almond Butter + sliced banana and the other half Almond Butter + Strawberry Jam.  For a little texture I added a sprinkling of my Nature's Path Pumpkin Flax granola and for protein had two hardboiled eggs with S+P.  Coffee x2 and water (as usual).

I know you're supposed to put the stuff on the inside of the pita bread (that's what the pocket is there for) but I think you can taste it better when it's on top!  

I picked up these Pitas from Trader Joe's because of the short and easily-pronounced ingredient list.  Plus they have 4 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber for one pita and 0 grams of sugar - and just 100 calories. I'd say that's a pretty good nutritional bargain ;-)  They tasted great too!

I've mentioned before how I'm a huge fan of Trader Joe's Almond Butter.  It's 100% almonds, no salt, no sugar, no artificial ingredients or oils.  And I'm a fan of it's price tag compared to the same thing at Whole Foods!

I'm off to start my day, make sure to check back later this afternoon for a really delicious Quinoa-Oatmeal Cookie recipe!  It will not disappoint!

It was an Oat Bran kind of morning

What can I say, I just felt like eating Oat Bran today.

1/4 cup Hodgson Mill oat bran cooked on the stovetop with:

3/4 cup water
dash of salt
packet of stevia
sprinkle of cinnamon
drop of vanilla extract

Cook 2-3 minutes, until water is absorbed.  Top with Nature's Path Pumpkin Flax granola (AKA crack...I think I'm addicted), sliced almonds and a splash of 2% milk.

Oat bran has a different texture than oatmeal (similar to cream of wheat) but it's like oatmeal in that it's heated up on the stove and tastes warm and satisfying on a gray morning.  Personally, I happen to appreciate and enjoy both the texture of oatmeal and oat bran, oatmeal is a bit chewier whereas oat bran is kind of softer.  I have to add flavor to both oatmeal and oat bran in order to really enjoy the taste:  fruit, berries, vanilla and cinnamon, other spices...these are my typical go-to additions I use, regardless if I'm starting out with a bowl of oatmeal or oat bran.

Oh, and oat bran cooks quicker - about 2 or 3 minutes on the stove vs. 5 minutes for the rolled oats and 30 minutes for steel cut oats!  Which, let's be honest, in the morning even an extra 2 or 3 minutes can make a difference.

Let's compare the nutrition of the two side by side, shall we?

(Note to self:  must learn how to insert tables into blog)

Per serving:  (Note:  1 serving of oat bran is 1/4 cup whereas 1 serving of oatmeal is 1/2 cup!)

                              Oat Bran               Oatmeal (Rolled oats)              
(Kilo)calories              120                               150
Fat                               3 g                               2.5 g
Saturated Fat              0.5 g                             0.5 g
Dietary Fiber               6 g                               4 g
Protein                         6 g                               5 g

That may not seem like a big difference at first, but as I mentioned above the recommended serving of oatmeal is TWICE that of the oat bran (1/2 cup vs 1/4 cup of oat bran) so you actually have to eat twice as much oatmeal in order to reap similar nutritional benefits.

Oat Bran is basically just the bran part, or the outer husk, of the grain.  It contains more protein, fiber and iron per serving than oatmeal does - so you feel fuller than you would if you ate the same amount of oatmeal.

I am totally not disparaging oatmeal.  I love oatmeal.  Oatmeal and I have a very special bond - it gets my day off to a happy, healthy start at least 4 or 5 days a week.  But sometimes I just need a change and so I reach for the oat bran instead.  So don't go feeling bad for oatmeal.  Because come tomorrow morning, I'll be reaching for it once again.


And because I may have just bored you with a nutrition lesson, here's a 27 second video of Hudson playing fetch.  Enjoy and Happy Friday!

It was an Oat Bran kind of morning

What can I say, I just felt like eating Oat Bran today.

1/4 cup Hodgson Mill oat bran cooked on the stovetop with:

3/4 cup water
dash of salt
packet of stevia
sprinkle of cinnamon
drop of vanilla extract

Cook 2-3 minutes, until water is absorbed.  Top with Nature's Path Pumpkin Flax granola (AKA crack...I think I'm addicted), sliced almonds and a splash of 2% milk.

Oat bran has a different texture than oatmeal (similar to cream of wheat) but it's like oatmeal in that it's heated up on the stove and tastes warm and satisfying on a gray morning.  Personally, I happen to appreciate and enjoy both the texture of oatmeal and oat bran, oatmeal is a bit chewier whereas oat bran is kind of softer.  I have to add flavor to both oatmeal and oat bran in order to really enjoy the taste:  fruit, berries, vanilla and cinnamon, other spices...these are my typical go-to additions I use, regardless if I'm starting out with a bowl of oatmeal or oat bran.

Oh, and oat bran cooks quicker - about 2 or 3 minutes on the stove vs. 5 minutes for the rolled oats and 30 minutes for steel cut oats!  Which, let's be honest, in the morning even an extra 2 or 3 minutes can make a difference.

Let's compare the nutrition of the two side by side, shall we?

(Note to self:  must learn how to insert tables into blog)

Per serving:  (Note:  1 serving of oat bran is 1/4 cup whereas 1 serving of oatmeal is 1/2 cup!)

                              Oat Bran               Oatmeal (Rolled oats)              
(Kilo)calories              120                               150
Fat                               3 g                               2.5 g
Saturated Fat              0.5 g                             0.5 g
Dietary Fiber               6 g                               4 g
Protein                         6 g                               5 g

That may not seem like a big difference at first, but as I mentioned above the recommended serving of oatmeal is TWICE that of the oat bran (1/2 cup vs 1/4 cup of oat bran) so you actually have to eat twice as much oatmeal in order to reap similar nutritional benefits.

Oat Bran is basically just the bran part, or the outer husk, of the grain.  It contains more protein, fiber and iron per serving than oatmeal does - so you feel fuller than you would if you ate the same amount of oatmeal.

I am totally not disparaging oatmeal.  I love oatmeal.  Oatmeal and I have a very special bond - it gets my day off to a happy, healthy start at least 4 or 5 days a week.  But sometimes I just need a change and so I reach for the oat bran instead.  So don't go feeling bad for oatmeal.  Because come tomorrow morning, I'll be reaching for it once again.


And because I may have just bored you with a nutrition lesson, here's a 27 second video of Hudson playing fetch.  Enjoy and Happy Friday!