Halfway through the week! Gotta love Wednesdays, it’s a downhill ride from here! Haha. Well Wednesday also means that it’s time for another What I Ate Wednesday! If you are new to WIAW, head over to Peas and Crayons and check it out! It’s a great blogger link up where you can find new ideas for meals and new blogs to read!
My breakfast, from Monday, came from another blog: Peanut Butter Fingers! I made up a big batch of quinoa on Sunday night, so I decided to use it for my breakfast the next morning. I have to bring my breakfast to school on Mondays because I workout before class and don’t have time to eat before I have to catch the bus.
The other day Julie combined quinoa, a sliced banana and chobani yogurt and it looked so good and simple that I had to try it!
I used 1/2 cup of quinoa, 1 sliced banana and 1 container of 2% Pineapple Chobani yogurt. It was absolutely delicious! I had never tried the pineapple flavor and I loved it! I highly recommend this if you need a quick breakfast.
For my snacks I brought an apple and a pure bar. I had the apple before lunchtime and the pure bar during my last class, around 4:30pm.
For lunch I ended up eating out… Okay, I’ll be honest. I was feeling lazy Sunday night and the idea of packing breakfast and lunch was just not appealing!
I got a salad from Chipotle and completely forgot to take a picture… So here’s one I found online that looks pretty similar to what I ordered.
(source)
I got black beans, fajita vegetables, tomato salsa and guacamole. I didn’t use the dressing because I think the guac and the salsa are plenty! Haha I think it would have been almost soup with anything more! I’d been craving Mexican all weekend so this definitely hit the spot. I was also pleased to see that the Chipotle I went to was offering both white and brown rice! Good job Chipotle!
Okay. So this picture is awful, I’m sorry! I guess I was in quite a hurry to eat when I got home! But, this dinner was absolutely delicious!!!!
Italian Veggie Quinoa
Ingredients
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 cup chopped zucchini
1 cup chopped eggplant
1/4 cup marinara sauce (I used Whole Foods Brand sundried tomato and basil – amazing!)
2 T shredded cheese (mine was GF reduced fat that I found at Whole Foods)
Directions
Sautee the vegetables in a pan with a bit of olive oil. Microwave quinoa for 45 seconds to a minute. When the veggies are finished, add on top of the quinoa. Top with marinara and cheese and microwave for 45 seconds. So easy!
Afterwards I wasn’t really full though, so I counted the calories and it turns out this was only about 200 calories… So if you want something more filling I recommend doing 1.5 or 2 times the recipe.
About an hour later I was still hungry, so I made up some egg white oats, but made them less filling by not adding any pumpkin.
A lot of you have asked how I make these oats and it’s quite a process! I’ll be doing a tutorial post on my fluffy egg white oats sometime in the near future, so keep an eye out! And no, that’s not wine in the picture, it’s my apple cider vinegar drink! (2 T ACV, juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 packet stevia, and water).
Also, I made my first order from iherb.com this weekend and they gave me a discount code, so I thought I would share it with you all!
Herb coupon code – PIQ223 – created just for you! Share it with others, and when they enter it in the shopping cart (before checkout), they will receive an instant $10 discount on their first iHerb order of $40 and up—or a $5 discount on their first iHerb order less than $40.
Just FYI, I ordered more Sunwarrior Protein, more PB2 (duh…), and I ordered some PB&Co Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Peanut Butter! I’ve never tried their PB so I added it onto my order since it was cheaper than at other stores I’ve seen! I can’t wait to try it!!!
Have you ever had quinoa for breakfast?
What’s your favorite take-out lunch place?
Oh, I love Chipotle for lunch…or dinner! It’s one of the few places I actually eat out at these days! I love PB2 also (I had that in my WIAW post this week). I will try ordering it with your code. I actually just ordered more along with the chocolate PB2 from Amazon, but I’ll check out the prices there too.
And quinoa for breakfast is divine. I haven’t had it by itself, but I will sometime add it to my oatmeal and it is wonderful…adds a different texture and nutty taste.
Oooo that’s a good idea, add quinoa to oatmeal! I bet that would be good!
The Italian Veggie Quinoa looks absolutely delicious. I make a baked pasta recipe with similar ingredients. So, I know its gotta be good!
How do you like the pure bar? I have some in my cupboard I scored from a Natural Products Expo but have yet to try it.
I bet this recipe would be good baked too! And I love pure bars, I’ve tried several kinds and haven’t been disappointed once! They have some that are crunchier with full nut pieces, and others (like this one) that are more like larabars.
Haha those oats look epic! I love leftover grains for breakfast they are a nice change to oats sometimes 🙂
Definitely! I’m always looking for something to change it up from the oats every once and a while
Girl, you eat SO healthy!
I love eating out too much… so I’ll pass on that question. Too many options.
PS— I ordered Maze Runner from Amazon yesterday. Thanks for the recommendation!
I hope you like Maze Runner! Haha and don’t worry, there’s plenty of fro yo and unhealthy in my life too! That was a pretty good day.
Holy cow those oats are huge!! Teach me your ways 🙂 I have heard about breakfast quinoa a few different places but never tried it, I need to!
Haha I’m doing a tutorial post on those oats soon! And definitely try the breakfast quinoa!
I once had a bowl of quinoa that I mixed with some raisins that I put in the skillet with cinnamon and oj then added maple syrup and a dash of vanilla. Sliced almonds to top!
that sounds delicious! I love putting raisins in oatmeal because of how plump they get, I just always forget to buy some!
I always make quinoa and do dishes similar to your dinner, but I never thought about it in my oatmeal. I may have to try! Thanks for the idea.
It’s just like any other grain – you can make it sweet or savory!
I’ve had quinoa for breakfast but I’ve never tried it with yogurt. When I’ve had it plain or with fruit it hasn’t filled me up quite like oatmeal does, but the yogurt might help with that.
Also your dinner looks amazing, I love zucchini!
Definitely try it with some chobani, it was so filling!
I am obsessed with PB&Co. peanut butter. I have every flavor in my cabinet. Cinnamon Raisin is so good on toast with banana slices 🙂
Thanks for the coupon code! 🙂
I can’t wait to try it!
the italian veggie quinoa looks AMAZING! i bought a bag of rainbow quinoa awhile back and made a big batch, but i still have about half of the bag to use up – definitely bookmarking this recipe!
my favorite take-out lunch place would have to be panera… their black bean soup wins me over every time!!
I used to get panera all the time with my family, their bread was so good!
I <3 iHerb. I need to place another order with them soon. Also – can't wait for your eggwhite oats recipe. It always looks so yummy on your blog.
well you can go to Julie Go Lean’s website to get the general idea, but I’ve changed it up a bit from hers!
i’ve never even tried quinoa, let alone for breakfast. i’m definitely intrigued by it… i just need to remember to buy some. 🙂 i’m looking forward to your fluffy oats tutorial! they always look so voluminous and amazing! have a great day girl!
You should give it a try!!! Just be sure when you cook it to make sure it’s fully cooked and fluffy! I just boil mine in water with a 2:1 ratio of water and quinoa (sometimes adding more water so it can cook longer.
Black Bean salad= yummy! I keep forgetting to soak my black beans at night!!
I just buy them canned… Haha I’m not quite that organized in my life yet.
Your italian veggie quinoa looks fabulous! Chipotle might be one of my favorite take out lunches, especially because you can order online in advance! 🙂
I didn’t know you can order online in advance! Good to know because the one I went to was BUSY!
I just made quinoa for breakfast for the first time last week! It was super yummy. Better than oatmeal, even.
I think my favorite take-out lunch place is Hannah’s Bretzel. Yum, yum, yum.
AH! Better than oatmeal!?!? No no no. Haha. Oh and I LOVE Hannah’s Bretzel! I haven’t been there since this past summer!
I LOVE quinoa!!! It is sooo tasty with some almond milk and berries too. YUMM.
And yes, sometimes it is just FUN to get lunch out! Hehe 🙂
There’s a place here in chicago that serves it with berries, nuts, agave and milk! That’s how I first tried quinoa!
I hardly ever have quinoa, which is odd because I love it! I just get in an oatmeal habit.
If I’m grabbing a quick lunch I’ll usually get a fruit and yogurt parfait or two from McD’s, along with a protein bar–Mmmm. 🙂
I’m the same way with quinoa, I think it’s because it’s easier to make in a big batch for the week, rather than individually each day.
OMG your meals look delicious and I LOVE that pure bar. It’s amazing and virtually no sodium (I love that I bloat easy). I never tried that quinoa idea but it looks good! 🙂
Haha I bloat easily too, from just about anything! So fun…
Funny, I did see the breakfast quinoa post on PBF’s site, but somehow it didn’t register the “MAKE THIS NOW!” reaction in me like yours did. haha I happen to have a jug of quinoa that I’ve had zero ideas to do with, but now I have TWO!
And thanks for the coupon code; it might just what I need to finally get me some of that PB2.
🙂
Haha I’m glad I could give you some ideas, and definitely try PB2! You can also see where they sell it in stores on bell plantation’s website!
What a great breakfast idea!
I have made a quinoa oatmeal type bowl before but this looks even better! Definitely going to try this out.
a quinoa oatmeal bowl sounds good too!
I love quinoa anytime of day. I even eat leftover quinoa I made for lunch with veggies and spices at breakfast time. But I have cooked a pretty simple b-fast with quinoa, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla; it was great!
Of course, yours looks better, I think I cooked mine too long. Great foods, now I’m hungry!
those sound like good quinoa recipes!
I love quinoa for breakfast! I think I’ll have to go that route tomorrow. 🙂
do it!
I have never tried quinoa for breakfast but really should! I always enjoy it savory-style but I know I would like it with more sweet items 🙂
I had quinoa for lunch today as a matter of fact! That mixed with kale, squash and onions sauteed in some olive oil.. delish
I think it’s just like how people can’t imagine savory oatmeal, you just have to give it a shot the other way!
I love quinoa! I actually still have some leftover cooked quinoa in the fridge that still needs to be eaten. After seeing your breakfast, I know what I want tomorrow morning! 🙂
There you go! Use those leftovers!