I have something that I feel I need to share. The current status of my peanut butter stash:Yep. 7 Jars! My favorite is the Natural Crunchy. The roasted flavor of the peanuts is amazing. It is hardly sweet, which I think brings out the best peanut taste. Of my 4 Peanut Butter & CO jars my favorite is….oh such a hard choice, however; I have really been loving Mighty Maple. (I know, I thought it would have been Dark Chocolate Dreams too…but the stuff is SO good!)The entire nut-butter collection–10 Jars. Don’t judge! My jars of Dark Chocolate Almond, Coconut Butter and Sunflower Seed Butter are on their last legs.

Nutty,

Nora

Are you a creamy or crunchy nut-butter (any variety) person?

I couldn’t wait for my raspberry-coconut lemon bars to completely finish cooling last night. I had one while it was semi-warm and melty so the true texture didn’t shine through. The verdict is still out. I can tell you, however; it was super sweet and excellent with vanilla ice cream.I proceeded to melt on my floor for the rest of the night. Why was the temperature 80 degrees yesterday and 50 degrees today? Crazy weather! I couldn’t imagine wanting anything but overnight oats for breakfast. I also wanted to have a glass of cold soy milk before bed, so I thought I’d multitask and prepare my breakfast for the morning.1/3 cup rolled oats, 1/3 cup vanilla soy milk, 1/3 cup Greek Yogurt, 1/2 banana, 1/2 TBS chia seeds, cinnamon, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, topped with Nature’s Path Vanilla Almond Flax Granola, frozen raspberries, crunchy almond butter, sunflower seed butter and honey.

This almost felt too filling this morning. For some reason it seemed thicker than usual. It was delicious and refreshing all of the same . Now that the Fall is here, I cant stop think about cloves and nutmeg. I felt that it was necessary to add these spices to my oat combination last night. They are such beautiful, warm flavors.

Monet asked how Miss Truffle was doing, so I tried to capture some new photos. She is growing so fast! For some reason she was being camera shy. She was also getting into lots of trouble. Question: What goes bump in the night? Answer: Truffle the Kitten. I swear I wake up to her playing with my necklaces, trying to jump on the window trimmings and chasing her tail around my apartment. She is cute but mischievous. I have lots to do today! Have a happy, safe and RELAXING weekend! You deserve it

Truffle Maker,

Nora

I had a weird moment while packing lunch. I didn’t want leftovers again (I had leftover Zucchini and Fried Pepper Casserole yesterday) and I was running out of sandwich fixings. I decided I’d have a pb&J with banana sandwich. I pulled out all of the fixings and then completely changed my mind. The second I smelled my bread in the toaster I knew I wanted an old favorite: Hummus and Cheese.2 slices whole wheat toast, original hummus, arugula, mozzarella, grape tomatoes. Apple.

I had a divine piece of Rum Cake at work this afternoon. YAY for celebrations! This has to be one of my new favorite desserts. It had 3-layers (chocolate pudding like, custard and yellow cake soaked in rum) and a whipped cream frosting with peanuts. Dangerously good and so right. Dare I say I loved it more than Tiramisu! I was feeling rather veggielicious (should be a real word) and snacked on a couple gigantic carrots while I prepared dinner. I lightly coated a chicken breast with searing  flour, salt and pepper and cooked it in olive oil. I let it rest and placed it on a bed of spinach and arugula that I dressed in a mixture of olive oil balsamic, honey and grainy Dijon. I had broccoli on the side because I realized that it will go bad in a few days if I didn’t eat it.

Currently debating hot chocolate and reading recipes for the weekend! I decided that I need to make a couple of “special” dishes on the weekend since I don’t have time during the week.

It’s almost the weekend ,

Nora

What are your cooking plans this weekend?

Yesterday was a “lost cause” food day. I went to the Cheesecake Factory for my friends birthday as planned, however; ended up taking my food to go on an unexpected work trip. I had a few pieces of their delicious, sweet dark brown bread with oats and ordered a big chicken cobb salad sans bacon. In my flustered state, there was no time to select and order a piece of cheesecake. Oh well .

I went on said unexpected work trip and snacked on twizzlers and skittles in the afternoon. I was hungry and that was the only food around. Pretty delicious if you ask me. I had to run errands when we returned and didn’t get home until about 7pm! Dinner was a throw together and Truffle was begging for attention. Poor thing, she was left alone for so long! I made up for my lack of cheesecake with a cup of tea and frozen blondie for dessert. I loved the hot/cold contrast between my blondie and tea.

I woke up this morning craving something cold. I threw together a quick bowl of overnight oats and let is sit in the freezer for 20-minutes to settle.  I jazzed my bowl up a bit with nut butter ribbons and blackberry jam. Hit the spot. Unfortunately today will probably be another “lost cause” food day. Both lunch and dinner will be at the golf course. Yep, I’m golfing today. Do I know how to golf? We shall see.

I have a couple of things I need to make/bake towards the end of the week. They are items that I have been dreaming about so I hope to make up for this lack of fun foods on my blog soon!

Dad and me after the half-marathon. SO PROUD!!

My mom sent me some race photos yesterday. I’m so proud of my dad!!

Golfing?

Nora

Is there a sport or game you wish you knew how to play?

**During this time of year I always wish I knew more about football. It is such a foodie sport. I love bringing the chili, snacks and beer to the get- but barely know how the game is played.**

I am proud to say that my parents were my very first dinner guests. They came up today to help finish my apartment. I feel so lucky and am beyond grateful. I made them dinner as they worked hard to hang blinds and photos.Fettuccine and Scallops with Zucchini, Summer Squash, Cherry Tomatoes in a White Wine Sauce topped with Parmesan and Cracked Black Pepper. On the side we had a glass of Pouilly Fuisse (100% French Chardonnay–my favorite!).
For an appetizer we had Olive Fougasse Bread with Olive Oil and Herbs for dipping.And for dessert…you bet we are having some of these guys:Walnut Blondies with Dark Chocolate Roots.

I woke up this morning and the weather was mild. I thought it was supposed to be cold and was fully prepared to make hot oatmeal or pancakes for breakfast. No such luck. My apartment was warm and I wanted overnight oats. I didn’t prepare them the night before so I let them chill in the freezer while I cleaned the house for 15 minutes.1/3 cup rolled oats, 1/3 cup 2% Greek yogurt, 1/3 cup vanilla soy milk, 1/2 TBS chia seeds, cinnamon, 1 banana, blackberries, sunflower seed butter, almond butter and honey.

And then out of nowhere, the Fall weather struck. It was windy and cold. I continued cleaning with a cup of hot coffee in hand, wearing long pants and a sweater! Is it weird that I am REALLY REALLY REALLY (REALLY) excited for cool temperatures. This means baking, crock pot dinners, roasted things…..yummy goodness! And I finally have a semi-functioning kitchen to do it all in!

For lunch I made a quick sandwich with whole wheat toast, 1/4 of an avocado, arugula, tomato and cucumber with way more honeydew than featured in this photo. It wouldn’t all fit on the plate haha. It was a late lunch and my parents and I were about to head out to Home Depot for essential supplies.

I’m hoping the rain holds off so I can get my long run in tomorrow. My dad and I are running a half-marathon next Sunday!!

Cooking is for Lovers,

Nora

What is your favorite pasta dish?

Starting with breakfast in a fun bowl. I decided to give my over-sized tea cups a break this morning and put my overnight oats in a fancy dish.

Banana-Chia Overnight Oats (1/3 cup rolled oats, 1/3 cup vanilla soy milk, 1/3 cup 2% Greek Yogurt, 2 tsp Chia Seeds, Cinnamon, 1 banana) Topped with Blackberries, Crunchy Almond Butter, Sunflower Seed Butter and Honey

Hi my name is Nora and I have a grocery shopping problem.

I am cooking for one, and in the last week have managed to buy several perishable items such as a 4-pound chicken, a family sized container of spinach,  a loaf of bread, a package of tortillas and an entire large honeydew melon all for me. I also really don’t like having the same thing twice, so this creates leftover problems.

I opened the refrigerator this morning and realized that I have a lot of food  that MUST be consumed within the next few days. Lunch and dinner will be boring today but I have special plans for dessert . I have been dreaming about making a certain butter-laden, double-chocolate and nut-filled dessert for a week. It will happen tonight!Goat Cheese, Spinach, Tomato and Roasted Eggplant Sandwich on Whole Wheat Toast. HONEYDEW CHUNKS . Hello  stacked veggies . I like.

I have been craving honeydew like it’s nobody’s business and needed to do something about it. The little containers at my grocery store are the same price as the entire melon. Being the frugal foodie that I am, I bought the whole melon. Now my goal is to eat it before it goes bad. I ate a few extra pieces while packing. I’m pretty sure I will be sick of honeydew after the weekend.

Cook-o-holic,

Nora

What have you been craving recently?

]]> http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2010/09/03/excessive-grocery-shopping/feed/ 3 http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2010/08/28/the-purr-fect-name/ http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2010/08/28/the-purr-fect-name/#comments Sat, 28 Aug 2010 15:06:37 +0000 Nora http://www.livelifeeatright.com/?p=3448 Truffle is inquisitive about the kitchen. I think it’s safe to say I appropriately named her after food.Overnight Oats: 1/3 cup rolled oats, 1/3 cup 2% Greek Yogurt, 1/3 cup vanilla soy milk, 2 tsp chia seeds, cinnamon, 1/2 a banana, blueberries, blackberries, almond butter, sunflower seed butter and honey.

Truffle wanted some too. Don’t worry, I snatched her away before she actually ate any. This is NOT kitty food! She was doing this all last night with dinner and dessert and was VERY mad that I wouldn’t share. However, she did enjoy licking my fingers clean and purred like a maniac as she enjoyed the flavors.Not only does she have a taste for good food, she also likes doing the dishes.

And refrigerator adventures.

We are hoping to make something good for dinner tonight . A real meal perhaps?

Keeping Truffle out of Trouble,

Nora

Overnight Oats: 1/3 cup Rolled Oatmeal, 1/3 Cup 2% Greek Yogurt, 1/3 cup Vanilla Soy Milk, 1/2 TBS Chia Seeds, Cinnamon, 1/2 Banana, Blueberries, Blackberries, Dark Chocolate Dreams, Crunchy Almond Butter, Sunflower Seed Butter, Honey.

One nut butter in my oats is satisfying.

Two nut butters in my oats is dynamic.

Three nut butters in my oats is a flavor party.

Breakfast today was a celebration of my nut butter love. I decided not to mix all of them together and ate my bowl section by section (I know…I’m weird haha). It was as if I was having three of my favorite overnight oats combination at once. I can be indecisive at times and this flavor party was beyond my wildest dreams.

Now time for a packing party. I have a half-day at work and meeting my parents for lunch. I’m really hoping that we can get a lot done today so this weekend won’t be awful!

Best,

Nora

What is your favorite nut butter? Can you even just pick one?!

1/3 cup Rolled Oats, 1 Banana, 1 Siggi’s Yogurt, Cinnamon, Vanilla, 2 TBS Vanilla Granola, 1.5 TBS Walnuts, Blueberries, Honey.

Have you ever had one of those kitchen moments, where you go to make something and are missing one little ingredient? There isn’t time to make a grocery store trip and you have your heart set on making that dish. So what do you do? IMPROVISE.

Last night I had overnight oats on my mind for breakfast, however; I was lacking vanilla soy milk.  Recently I have been mixing raw oats into yogurt for a “yogurt mess” in the morning. These are fine, but when the weather is hot I want my cold and creamy overnight oats. I decided to soften my oats overnight with water, 1 whole banana, cinnamon and vanilla extract. (I find when I mix the yogurt in at night it can  get too thick.) In the morning I mixed 1 container of Siggi‘s Plain Yogurt and added my toppings. I liked it! The oats were soft and extra creamy because I used more Greek yogurt than I usually do. Adding the banana overnight was key for flavor.Salad: Spinach, Cucumber, Cherry Tomato, Beets, Red Bell Pepper, Mushrooms, Olive Oil/Balsamic

Sides: Peach, 8-Grain 3-Seed with Sunflower Seed Butter.

Same  old lunch. But you better believe I have already thought about topping my sunflower seed butter toast with that peach bruschetta style.

Home tonight for real food!

Nora

What are tricks that you use when you need to improvise?

“Hot Feet run in the morning, then cold brews in the afternoon.”

YES PLEASE! I was having a crazy day so his  message was really appreciated. I spent much of yesterday driving to appointments, running around at work and making phone calls. Did I mention that it all started with an 8am fender bender? It was nothing serious. I was rear-ended at a traffic light and my bumper has a few scratches. I’ve never had to deal with something like this before and spent a good amount of time on the phone with a lady from my insurance company. Despite the craziness, all was not lost. I think I found an apartment with a real kitchen . Is it weird that I already have a list of goodies I want to make? At the end of August my blog will become a LOT more interesting. I can’t wait!

I went for a run this morning to prepare for my Sunday. I am planning to run about 10-miles so preparations are necessary. I fueled with a Super-Charge-Me Cookie and ran a light 3-miles. I have been playing around with a few “pre-run” foods and think I am going to wake up early and have peanut butter and banana toast before my long run. The best fuel for me seems to be some combination of banana and peanut butter.

When I got back I made a Green Monster Smoothie in a Bowl. I love cooling down with a refreshing breakfast. And this one had Dark Chocolate Dreams!

Blender: 1 frozen banana, 1 cup vanilla soy milk, 1 scoop Dark Chocolate Dreams PB, 1 Scoop Vanilla Whey Protein Powder, 2 handfuls of spinach, cinnamon, ice.

Toppings: Vanilla Granola, Coconut Butter, Handful of Blueberries (at the bottom of my bowl haha).

Lunch today is another “whatever-isn’t-spoiled-in-my-fridge” production.

Salad: Spinach, Cucumber, Tomato, Radish, Olive Oil/Balsamic

Sandwich: Thick slice of 8-grain 3- seed bread, sunflower seed butter, Crofter’s Europe Superfruit Spread.

I actually was really satisfied with lunch yesterday. I had a small snack later in the afternoon but it held me over quite nicely. The 8-grain 3-seed bread is really dense and hearty. A thick slice with nut-butter filled me right up! Amazing and delicious.

Planning a little treat for dinner tonight, can’t wait!!

Weekend Plotting,

Nora

Do you make weekend plans during the week?

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