IT’S FRIDAY!!!!!!!! Can you tell I’m excited?!? Because I am RIDICULOUSLY EXCITED! Why? It’s a big weekend, for so many reasons:
1. I get to spend my weekend with my favorite friend in the whole wide world:
2. I don’t have to wake up at 4:45am on Saturday morning! (I will probably wake up earlier on Sunday… but that’s beside the point).
3. I get to eat GLUTEN FREE PASTA at Mia Francesca with my cousin and her friend for some pre-race fuel on Saturday night!
4. I get to run the Chicago Rock N Roll Half Marathon! (okay, actually kinda getting freaked out about this one)
5. I get lots of FREE STUFF at the expo and the race! I’ve never done a big race with an expo before! I’m excited!
6. I might get to go to a super cheap produce place that I heard about in the Chicago area! (Need to drive there, not the best looking area). Cherries, here I come!
So a couple weeks ago I talked with some friends and realized one of the reasons I binge eat in the evenings is because I’m just not getting enough calories during the day, especially with all the training I’m doing. One thing I’ve done is add a mid-morning snack (which is fantastic!) and another was to increase the calories a bit in my breakfasts. Normally they are around 200-275 calories, the three I looked up and tried out are 350-400 (some need added nut butter to get there).
I also wanted to mix things up! I’ve gotten a little stuck on either a sweet potato with an over easy egg and salsa, or my Apple Pie Oats. I’ve had these recipes bookmarked for ages, so I’m glad I finally decided to try them!
Oatmeal Minus the “Oats” from Carrots N Cake
I looooooved the texture of these “oats”! They tasted great, the cinnamon really helped so definitely don’t omit that!
Fluffy Oatmeal from Carrots N Cake
These were pretty good, but not out of this world. I think I mostly enjoyed them because 1) they were OIAJ (oats in a jar) and 2) I hadn’t made oats with banana in ages, and I missed it!
Chia Pudding from Eating Bird Food
This definitely had a different texture, but I enjoyed trying something new! And the blueberries and banana added in made it even more delicious! I also had to add a lot of extra milk to get it to a consistency I liked, those chia seeds really absorbed a lot of the liquid overnight!
I hope you all have a great weekend too!
What’s a new breakfast recipe that you’ve tried out?
Are you excited about anything in particular this weekend? (other than all the Molly pictures coming your way…)
Your weekend sounds great! Good luck on your race! I’m scared about my first bike race on Saturday, but all I can do is rely on all the training I’ve done and think of it as a fun experience.
What got me out of my breakfast rut was doing a week-long challenge of having something different everyday. I really discovered some great oat, pancake and smoothie recipes that have stuck.
Emilie
live.eat.smile.
Haha that’s what I did for my breakfasts! And good luck on your bike race – that’s my same mentality with the half this weekend! Have fun!
Your weekend sounds awesome! I can’t wait to hear about it!
Thanks, Alyssa! Have a great weekend!
I tried quinoa for breakfast this morning – cooked in vanilla almond milk with vanilla greek yogurt, more almond milk, chia seeds, and fresh strawberries. It was good but I still like my overnight oats better! Good luck in your race!
Haha I’ve tried quinoa for breakfast too, but it’s never as good as when I get it from a place here in chicago!
I’m hitting up a salsa festival (the food, not the dance) then trying a free yoga class!
Both of those sound pretty good to me!
Hi Katie, I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy reading your blog:) Your pictures and recipes always look fantastic, and your writing style is humorous, honest, and engaging. I recently started my own blog; I was inspired to start one by the many food/cooking blogs I read (including yours!!). I hope you have a fantastic weekend; it certainly sounds exciting:)
Awww thank you Kendra!!! That means so much to me to hear, I really appreciate it! I’ll be sure to check out your blog, have a great weekend!
Good luck with your half! Your going to rock it! Now that I’m back on eggs I might have to try the oatmeal minus the eggs!
Thanks, Laura!
I haven’t tried the oatmeal minus the oats yet!
you’ve got to, so good!
I’m so nervous for the RnR half too!! At least the Expo should be good…it’s going to be my first Expo ever!
I also found that if I don’t eat enough through the day, come evening/dinner time I basically inhale everything in my fridge. It’s like that saying goes: ”eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper” – eat enough during the day so you won’t be hungry and calorie-deprived come dinner time.
It’s my first expo too! And I LOVE that phrase!!! So true!
Have fun if you make it to Stanleys. I went last Saturday and seriously bought. the. entire. store. The fruit (cherries) weren’t amazing looking but they tasted really good and were soo cheap ($0.99 for a TJ size box!!).
Good luck at the RnR half, I’m sure you’ll do great 🙂
Haha your post is why we’re going! I LOVE cherries so I’ll take ’em even if they weren’t amazing!
i like that oatmeal minus the oats too! i tried it a couple months ago and have kind of forgotten about it since then. i still like my regular oats better i think, but it’s a good change up every so often! i have yet to try chia pudding too!
oh yea, I like my regular oats the best!
good luck with the half! i’m excited to hear how it goes. and enjoy sleeping in on saturday 🙂
Haha I’ll try, although I’m pretty sure Molly won’t be too keen on it!
What a fun weekend! You are going to rock that half! Can’t wait to hear all about it girl 🙂
–I too have been uping my breakfast/lunch because of the high intensity workouts I do.. and to help with my hungerrr @ night. It’s like were twins!
haha we are! and higher cal breakfasts really do help!
Good luck in your race! Tell us all about it ASAP!
The chia seed pudding is interesting – I never would have thought the chia seeds would absorb all that liquid. Looks like it ended up with kind of a tapioca texture?
Um haha I’ve never actually had tapioca so I can’t describe it that way. Chia seeds absorb a ton of moisture!
I definitely get into ruts with breakfasts.. I honestly haven’t tried anything new lately other than a new to me gluten free pancake mix, which was quite delicious.
Haha I get into serious breakfast ruts, that’s why I forced myself to do this and I’m glad I did!
YAY for your half!! I am SO excited for YOU 🙂
This weekend is going to rock–hanging out with in laws, teaching BodyPUMP, church, extra time in the sun-cant wait!
Those b-fasts look good!
have a great weekend, Annette!
Good luck at the race! I’m doing a half the on Sat in Hoffman Estates.
You can take the North Ave bus to Stanley’s.
Good luck on your race too! I was debating between that one and the Rock N Roll!
You’ll do great at your race! Have fun! Stanley’s is a great place but a word of advice, make sure to only buy what you can eat in a few days. The fruit often doesn’t have a very long shelf life before it starts to mold so you may find yourself eating nothing but fruit if your get too excited and buy a ton!
Thanks for the advice!!
Recently I’ve been making big batches of steel cut oats in my Crockpot for the whole week. I’ll put cinnamon, bananas, and chia seeds in it. Whenever I eat it I drizzle some agave syrup or brown sugar on it. So good! 🙂
yum!
Jealous of your weekend! I hope you enjoy every second of it.
Thanks, Alex! I hope you have a good weekend too!
Enjoy the weekend with your friend 🙂
I need to get around to making Chia Seed Pudding – I have a huge bag just sitting in my pantry.
definitely try it!
I have been craving blueberry, peach oatmeal with greek yogurt every morning! it’s my favorite! i was told the same thing yesterday about why I binge too! I just bought kind bars for a snack. I’m hoping this works. I’m excited to see if it helps. good luck at the half marathon!! i’m running the philly rock n roll half in september. HAVE FUN!! 🙂
Thanks! and I’ve never been to Philly but always wanted to go! It’s on my list!
I am looking up the chia seed pudding. I finally was able to find them, but I haven’t made anything with them yet. I’m really curious. The food looks delicious! Best wishes on your run!
They have an odd texture, but definitely worth trying!
Yum I’ve tried making paleo oatmeal/cereal too, my version is just a bunch of chopped nuts and berries. http://barefootbaker.blog.com/2012/05/20/of-pinterest-and-paleo/ Delicious! In general though I prefer real oats for breakfast 🙂
I’ll have to check that out!