HAPPY NATIONAL OATMEAL DAY!
This, I am sure, is a legitimate holiday because it is currently a trending topic on Twitter. (Cough, follow me, cough.)
I had an epic bowl of oats esta mañana. But you’ll have to wait ‘til tomorrow to hear about those. Today, it’s all about my hump day happenings. (Side note: I secretly HATE the term “hump day.” I don’t know when I decided to initiate it into my official Wednesday vocabulary. I blame blogland.)
Hump-día (cue cringe slash giggle) kicked off with an affectionate cup of coffee.
Are you trying to tell me something, cinnamon?
Hazelnut creme coffee with almond milk, Truvia and una corazón de cinnamon.
I know I’ve only mentioned this briefly, but I’ve been trying really hard to nix my Splenda addiction usage. Microwave Madness Month has made this pretty easy because, with my kitchen’s contents currently residing in my living room, I’m not exactly sure where the Splenda is. I’ve been drinking my coffee without sweetener—though sometimes with a little equally-artificial Coffee Mate creamer—and I’m getting pretty used to it.
That said, I wanted to try Truvia in my cafe to see how it compared both to Splenda and plain sugar. ‘Twas splendid. I’ve missed sweet coffee; I think I was just convincing myself that I liked plain old milk & coffee because my Truvia-enhanced cup was the most enjoyable java I’ve had in weeks.
I’ve gotten several e-mails and comments asking me about Truvia’s taste, but I want to get a bit more acclimated in my Truvia testing before reporting back. From this cup—along with my Truvia-sweetened oats—I’ve found that it has a milder sweetness than both Splenda and cane sugar. One packet of Truvia won’t deliver the same sweetness strength as a packet of Splenda; but it also possesses no semblance of Splenda’s artificial taste. So far, me gusta.
After throwing a few back, I got around to eating.
Breakfast began with this.
I heeded the lid’s advice, and decided to spread the great taste of almonds.
No, not by filling the entire, nearly empty jar with a “baked” honeycrisp apple.
Though, that appears to be the case.
I assure you this almond love-spreading had a bit more substance.
Which came in the form of oat bran in a jar!
1/2 cup oat bran microwaved with 1 1/4 cup water, 1/2 frozen banana, and cinnamon. Topped with 1/2 honeycrisp apple “baked” in cinnamon and maple syrup. And topped again with más cinnamon and maple syrup.
Much like last time, I allowed the steamy oats to melt down the almond buttah walls by returning the lid while the apple “baked” in the microwave. I followed this up with some vigorous jar shaking.
I think this method worked…
Later, as I was snacking on my newest addiction—which I must remind myself is a vitamin, not a snack…
…I received this text from la hermana.
It’s not as random as it seems. Luntz is a political strategist for whom I used to work, and Melissa—who is studying international environmental policy—likes to keep me up to date on companies/people who are or aren’t environmentally friendly. The POM part of the text reminded me that I received some POM Iced Coffee to try a few weeks back.
I went for the chocolate flavor.
This tasted like straight up chocolate milk. Someone who likes chocolate milk would adore this drink; I, however, am not someone who likes chocolate milk. I sipped my way through about half before giving up on it. Ah, what could have been…
The chocolate milk/coffee whet my appetite before I was ready to prep lunch, so I had a container of plain greek yogurt with Fiber One and cinnamon.
This was my first Oikos ever! I want to try it sans cereal before comparing it to my beloved Fage. But from what I can tell from my cereal-mixed-in version, I loved it just as much as Fage. I don’t think its texture is quite as thick, but as a base for a yogurt mess, it was perfecto.
Thanks to Kristina, for sending me an Oikos goodie bag with some coupons.
Eventually I threw some lunch together.
Between toasted Arnold whole wheat bread: roasted red pepper Sabra, honey maple turkey, avocado, spinach, roasted red peppers and dijonaisse.
I warned you there’d be lots of honey maple turkey in the near future; I don’t understand why I’m suddenly obsessed with it.
My sandwich went for the whole leaning tower of Pisa look.
On the side, I had the other half of my A.M. honeycrisp.
Con cinnamon.
And a bag of Popchips.
I’d only tried (and LOVED) the salt and vinegar flavor before receiving my samples from Corinne, so I decided to try something new. I was obsessed with sour cream and onion chips when I was a kid, like wouldn’t-eat-any-other-flavor obsessed, so I went for these.
Loved. Salt and vinegar are still my #1 so far, but these had that same amazing chip-meets-rice cake texture and lots of sour cream and onion flavor.
(P.S.—If you’ve never heard of Popchips, read their snacker’s credo. I feel like I could have written it. And I adore #7: “you’re allowed to eat the whole bag.”)
Dinner began with una ensalada mexicana ENORME.
In the mix: 3 cups baby spinach, shrooms marinated in balsamic & honey, baby peppers, roasted red peppers, avocado, celery, red onion, habanero lime salsa and shredded white cheddar; dressed in celery salt, honey balsamic dressing and FSTG lime tortilla chips.
All the stars gravitated toward the center: big mound of habanero lime salsa and avocado, surrounded by honey balsamic marinated mushrooms, crushed FSTG lime tortilla chips and white cheddar.
The FSTG lime chips MADE this salad. They have such an intense flavor that, even though I only crumbled a handful’s worth of chips, you could taste the lime in every bite.
Cena Part Dos: Cheeeeeeetahs.
1 medium sweet potato—shaken in a Ziploc of EVOO, cinnamon and brown sugar—baked at 450° from 30 minutes, flipping half way.
This one goes out to a certain snacker who deserves all the success she’s recently encountered.
My dinner beverage was orange-hued, as well: v8 carrot juice.
LIES. I hate veggie juice. (I think.) That’s orange Fanta; but it could pass for carrot juice, no?
Ok, I’m off to get my shop on. I still don’t know what I’m being for Halloween! I can’t think of anything creative, and it’s really bothering me. Last year’s costume was pretty prodigious; perhaps I’ll share some (really embarrassing) pics tomorrow. Any ideas are welcome!
-Sarah
43 Comments
October 29, 2009 at 2:31 pm
I love your cinnamon heart.
I have never tried salt n’ vinegar popchips, but I adore ANYTHING salt ‘n vinegar!!! I need to try asap.
October 29, 2009 at 3:49 pm
Kristina and oikos are a bloggers bff
October 29, 2009 at 3:54 pm
Sarah, you never cease to amaze me with your microwaved eats.
I don’t like oikos NEAR as much as fage. But, it’ll do. I also really need to remember the “shake method” with the oats in a jar.
October 29, 2009 at 4:07 pm
I agree with the term “hump day”- I heard it for years before finding out what it actually meant (which, as it turns out, is nothing to do with what I imagined
)
I wasn’t sold on Oikos. For cereal messes, yes…but otherwise, die-hard Fage fan over here.
October 29, 2009 at 4:23 pm
I hate the whole Hump Day thang also. I cut it out of my blog after I noticed that I too had entered it into the vocab.
I am dying to the the S&V pop chips. Le sigh. Can’t find them.
Haha, I would have believed the Fanta was carrot juice for sure.
You have to show last year’s costume. It’s mandatory. I didn’t dress up last year, so I’m exempt
October 29, 2009 at 4:30 pm
Everything looks sooo good!
October 29, 2009 at 4:34 pm
The the towering sandwich
you know how much I love my sandwiches, and salads btw great looing salad 
October 29, 2009 at 4:37 pm
I’m trying to cut back on splenda also. I hardly use it anymore and have those truvia packets. I don’t like it in my tea though because it doesn’t dissolve as well as splenda (or maybe I’m doing something wrong?). I like truvia sprinkled on things like apple slices or oats, but not stirred in beverages. I just can’t stop using a packet of splenda in my daily hot tea!!
Your cinnamon wants to marry you!!
October 29, 2009 at 4:42 pm
Thx for the Truvia 411. I was one of those pesky question askers. Thanks for addressing & humoring me
I have a boat load of stevia on hand, I was never a splenda girl, and truvia is still full of chemicals in comparison to stevia which is natural. But then there’s sugar. Sometimes I just like sugar! I realize it has calories though. Maybe I should try truvia. I like how you said it was mild and no artificial chem taste.
And your micro creation is awesome looking!
Hump day well, I am guilty of using it. Sorry
October 29, 2009 at 4:55 pm
Oh my goodness this made me so hungry!
I totally agree about artificial sweetner! I gave it up too, but now i need to have some sugar in my coffee once in a while because it is so delicous
I just discovered your blog and love it so far!
October 29, 2009 at 5:08 pm
Hahaha Fanta and V8 same difference
October 29, 2009 at 5:20 pm
I love everything about this post: the cinnamon heart, the Oikos, the Popchips… I just bought my own chocolate calcium supplement, but I bought Adora discs.
Also, I thought I was the only person who tried to pass off her orange soda as something healthy. Apparently orange soda is the worst of the sodas (depending on how you feel about diet drinks, bleh) but I can’t give it up. Small doses, small small doses.
October 29, 2009 at 5:33 pm
happy oatmeal day girlie! love the almond buttah oat bran in a jar…looks yummy! and yesss post embarrassing halloween pics
October 29, 2009 at 5:35 pm
I’m liking stevia more and more…I just can’t switch to sugar/agave for my oats or coffee, I think it’s a mental thing. I can’t tell a difference between the stevia and Splenda, except stevia is a little harder to stir in, so I have a few REAL sweet sips at the end of my coffee. No big deal
I just saw someone dressed up as “balloon boy” and that was a big hit…
October 29, 2009 at 5:56 pm
Awww thanks for the congrats and sweet words, babyboo!
Even though I don’t eat real meat, I understand the obsession with honey maple turkey. That sounds delicious.
Ohh I used a Splenda packet today and thought of you! Haha, it was the first time I’d used a bit in a while.
So, I can’t decide what to go as, but here are my ideas: either Rachel Zoe (and say “I die” and “buh-nanas” all night) or Mrs. Officer. Tough call…
Good luck mustering up a costume! You’ll be fab whatever it is! xoxoxoxoxo
October 29, 2009 at 6:04 pm
NEED TO TRY BAKED APPLE IN ALMOND BUTTER. It has to happen.
I like the calcium chews, but I find they have a funny aftertaste, so I always need to chase them with something. Like it’s good at first, but I get a little funky feeling in my mouth after a few minutes, maybe that’s just me.
I am totally a sour cream and onion chick. Loves it!
October 29, 2009 at 6:34 pm
your salad is gorgeous! i would scarf that down in .2 seconds…
i also love your cinnamon heart… muy linda
October 29, 2009 at 6:57 pm
Good luck with finding a halloween costume. Can’t wait to see what you dress up as! And *applause* for another post featuring lots of apples and cheetahs.
Have a good one, Sarah!
October 29, 2009 at 7:33 pm
I was going to comment on your first food photos…but then every photo after that got successively better!! Love the salad! I’ve always wanted to try Oikos but there aren’t any here in my part of Canada (or maybe only a U.S thing?). I didn’t know it was Oatmeal day…had I known breakfast may have been different…oh well there’s always a late-night snack
Also curious about the poppa-chips – are they like popcorn or soy chips? rice cake like? thanks
October 29, 2009 at 7:43 pm
Ya know today was like the first day in forever that i DIDNT have oatmeal.. crap. lol
Your sweet taters looks delish!!
October 29, 2009 at 8:28 pm
Your food looks really awesome for only having a microwave!
October 29, 2009 at 8:48 pm
You have WAY too many amazing eats in this post! It just kept going and going and going!! Obvi, I’m a sucker for all things yogurt, but then the sweet potato moons?? Oi vey!
October 29, 2009 at 9:45 pm
I really like the way you show what you eat in your day
And the words in Spanish you add in your text 
I’ve always wanted to learn Spanish. I’ve taken a few lessons all by myself. I know a few words but that’s all.
It’s been a while since I ate oatmeal. I think I’m going to eat it next week. I really like to add peanut butter and Splenda brown sugar.
October 29, 2009 at 9:57 pm
That is a nice looking sandwich – everyone makes such lovely sandwiches, but I just can’t seem to throw a decent one together. I am always lost for ideas of what to put on them.
October 29, 2009 at 10:24 pm
what a beautiful cinnamon heart!
and i think i need to hurry up and finish my jar of pb so i can have oats in a jar…i’m so behind on the times!
October 30, 2009 at 12:39 am
love cinnamon in coffee! no-stir almond butter is my fav too – i hate the liquidy stuff in the raw kind. i still havent bought a costume yet!! going with my roomies tomorrow…good luck, girl
October 30, 2009 at 1:04 am
I love Oikos too, hate the word- hump, and think honey maple turkey would turn me back into a carnivore….speaking of which, that’d be a hilar costume idea..be a carnivore
xoxo
Lo
October 30, 2009 at 1:06 am
OK, first of all, lo siento for being MIA! I just read about a bazillion of your posts and WTF?! You must have bought a new zoomy zoom camera! Unless your amigo/a is a magician and did some crazy ass magic on your camera. AWESOME PICS! Love that cinnamon heart! But if I were your cinnamon, I too, would be loving hanging out with you. You are too much! And who is Flakeface?! Cracked me up! I feel as if wherever you are, there’s a party! You never seem to have a dull moment in your life
That’s why we can’t get enuf of ya!
October 30, 2009 at 1:08 am
I find pirates and saloon girls to be dependable choices.
Yummy eats! I REALLY want to make sweet potato fries now!
October 30, 2009 at 1:23 am
i always think last-minute halloween costumes are the greatest!
October 30, 2009 at 5:38 am
fanta…veggie juice…I mean its practically the same thing righttt??
I have had oikos once, its good don’t get me wrong but it is nothing like fage!! It is so thick and creamy I think the thickest out there!
did you find the perfect halloween costume!!
October 30, 2009 at 6:37 am
Congrats on winning Heather’s giveway! And I say it all the time but your food always all looks amazing! That baked sweet potato looks impossibly good though
Jem
October 30, 2009 at 9:17 am
I felt the same way about that POM coffee. Too chocolate milky for my taste! I like a good strong cup of coffee. Although it might be just the thing for a non-coffee lover who needs a boost :O)
- Beth @ http://www.DiningAndDishing.com
October 30, 2009 at 9:32 am
Those oats in a jar look so good!! I love the baked apple in it. And I’ve never had Oikos but really want to try it. Although 2% Fage will always have my heart.
Have an amazing Halloween girl!!
October 30, 2009 at 10:52 am
I LOVE popchips. i need to get my hands on the BBQ flavor! have you tried those yet? if not you will be in love!
http://saladdiva.wordpress.com
October 30, 2009 at 10:53 am
a couple thangs:
(1) what kind of camera do you have?
(2) i am going to have to implement the shake method on my next batch of oats in a jar.
(3) you should be pregnant white trash for halloween. i did that a couple years ago and it was by far my fave halloween ever.
(4) te amo!!!!!!
October 30, 2009 at 11:00 am
honey maple turkey is heaven on earth! and so is orange soda! remind me why we don’t live together yet? ha
October 30, 2009 at 11:45 am
I agree, Wednesdays are the worst! Which is why I try to make mine fun with What is it Wednesday
I think I really need to try some of thost Pop Chips! Mmmmm… chips….
October 30, 2009 at 12:14 pm
If you post pictures of last year’s Halloween, I will boycott your blog.
Not actually.
October 30, 2009 at 1:01 pm
I need to try that oats in a jar thing… I feel like I don’t go through my nutterbutters quick enough! I’m almost facing an empty almond butter jar, though, so the time may come soon. I’ve never though to add warm apples either, but that’s a fab idea!
ps. to answer your comment on my blog, YES, I sure am in NYC. I’m finishing grad school over in the city.
( http://www.joelygolightly.wordpress.com )
October 30, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Whoops think I might have congratulated the wrong person
Sorry!
Jem
October 30, 2009 at 7:20 pm
Sarah, how on earthh do you have such a well-st0cked casita girl!? SO jealous. I can’t say it enough!
Although i’m a veg, “honey maple” turkey sounds incred right now! Can tofurkey make a flavor of that, please??
We are such foodie twinzz. I would devour a salad like that as an appetizer for cheetahs any day! Remind me to buy the lime FSTG chips when i’m home next!! Mmkay?! Love you!
PS- you should try the vanilla extra stevia packets (from whole food’s) if you ever get the chance! stevia is my oatmeal and coffee sweetener of choice
November 13, 2009 at 6:16 pm
Didn’t Pom do a whole heap of animal testing? I don’t think that is good for the environment. I will never buy Pom.
On a happier note I love your blog, it is good to see someone who eats a healthy amount!