Goin' VEG!

I am so glad it is Saturday and I finally have a minute to sit down and blog! I have a lot to catch up on. This week was pretty much a mess of no planning. I didn't have any meals prepped nor any ideas about what I was going to eat. I don't recommend this strategy :).

First things first. I forgot to prep my overnight oats one day this week so I took the opportunity to whip up something new. I may just have yet another breakfast favorite (in case you can't tell, breakfast rocks my world). I made this again this morning because it was just that good.

Banana Almond Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal

What's inside:
1/4 cup Bob's Red Mill Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/2 banana, mashed

Bring all ingredients to boil over high heat. Reduce to low heat, cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

The mashed banana makes this recipe, I think. It adds an amazing creaminess and just enough sweetness to the mix. I am sure this would work wonderfully with oats, too.

What's on top:
1 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tbsp toasted, slivered almonds

Mmmm...yum!

A short note about my toppings:

Slivered almonds are a pantry staple for me. They are fantastic sprinkled on salads, cereals, yogurt and more. I buy the plain, raw, slivered almonds found in the baking aisle at the grocery store. I spread them out on a baking sheet and stick into a 350 degree oven. I know they are ready when they smell toasty delicious and are lightly browned. I then store them in a mason jar so they are ready when I need them.

100% pure maple syrup has recently become a favorite sweetener of mine (this is NOT the same as Aunt Jemima...this is the real stuff). First of all, I think it has the most flavor and sweetness per tablespoon (and per calorie). Second, it is not refined and stripped of nutrients like cane sugar. It contains traces of the minerals potassium, calcium, manganese and zinc. Yes, it is still sugar and should be used in moderation, but I like the idea that it provides some nutrition.

I also treated myself to a Starbuck's breakfast this week. I had a dentist appointment Thursday, and for some reason, I feel like any doctor's appointment deserves to be followed with a special treat.

Iced soy latte and Perfect Oatmeal....the perfect pair.

It comes with dried fruit, mixed nuts and brown sugar. I used about 1/2 of each package (used the rest in my own oats the next day).

Vegetarian Carolyn??

Moving on from my breakfast obsession, I have news! On a whim I picked up the book, Skinny Bitch, and skimmed it while browsing in Border's. In the past I pretty much told myself I wanted nothing to do with this book, and nothing to do with veganism. My curiosity got the best of me...

While I'm not sure I agree with everything said in this book, it did get me thinking. What if I gave it a shot? Would I notice a difference in my energy levels and my health? Why not try it out? After some thought, I decided to become lacto-ovo vegetarian for 30 days. "Lacto-ovo" meaning I will still eat eggs and dairy (no sense in trying to do too much too fast), but no meat, poultry or fish. Although I am not banning eggs and dairy, my goal is to try out as many vegan recipes and products as possible.

I technically started my meat-free diet on Monday of this week, but I have decided to officially start it today, with this blog post. For the next 30 days, I'm goin' veg! I will track how I am feeling as well as triumphs, trials and fails during the course of this experiment.

Also, check out my new Contact Me page. Feel free to email me any comments, suggestions, requests, etc. I welcome all feedback!