First Snowfall

Even though it's already a good week into December, I was still shocked when I woke up to snow this morning! It was a pretty gross first snowfall too...in fact, I would hardly classify it as "snow," it was definately more of a slate! To top off this gross day, I had my first final exam...and let's just say I spent a little more time worrying about posting blogs than I have spent worrying about my exam.

So what better way to start the day than a nice hearty bowl of oatmeal. No one appreciates a grumbling stomach when they're trying to focus on finishing their exam! However, today I switched it up a little...instead of stewing chopped apple into the blend, I used banana! And boy, let me tell you, was it ever a switch up. The taste was incredible...the sliced banana literally melted into the warm oats --- but not entirely; just enough to really saturate each bite with a burst of banana!

For my toppings today, I sprinkled on the usual flax and walnut combo. But to that, I added a nice scoop of plain yogurt, raspberries, black berries, and raisins! Oh and of course, a spoon of almond butter...a bowl of oats is just not the same without it. Along side, I had a steaming hot cup of coffee...mmmm

Even Stella couldn't resist breakfast today...but, I can't take too much credit because Stella really won't pass up anything regarding food.

With a full stomach, I felt as prepared as I was ever going to be for my final... so off I went.

The time slot immediately before an exam is always the most nerve wracking... everyone with their noses pressed up against the pages of their textbooks hoping to cram in that last tid-bit of information.

Well, while everyone else was doing this...I was thinking about what sort of spectacular meal I was going to make for lunch.

(But on a side note...I seriously recommend putting countless hours into food blogging rather than studying. It pays off! I killllllled that exam.)

By the time I got home today, I still wasn't absolutely sure about what I was going to whip up. But after perusing my cupboards, I decided on a nice bowl of quinoa [a tasty rice-like staple that is also a complete protein] with an array of roasted vegetables [sweet potato, broccoli, orange pepper, and onion] and steamed spinach!

Making quinoa is super simple...like rice, it's a 2 to 1 water ratio. I like to cook about a 1/4 cup of it! In a sauce pan on high heat, add the water to the quinoa and let that come to a boil. I usually add some salt and pepper at this point too. Give it a good stir, reduce the heat to low, and cover for about 12 minutes. When it's done, just fluff the baby up with a fork and Wa-La!

I chopped up the sweet potato into bite size chunks, and placed them on a baking pan lined with tin foil. To that I added my broccoli, onion, and pepper. For a seasoning, I put ground pepper, salt, oregano, and some dried chilis for a kick! I baked this in the oven at 425 degrees for about 25 minutes, until the sweet potato was soft to the touch with a fork.

To serve, I just topped the quinoa up with my perfectly roasted vegetables and steamed spinach. And for a dressing, I whisked up a combination of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, oregano, garlic, and dijon mustard [a dressing I usually accompany my salads with..delicious!] Oh, and then I drizzled it with a little sriacha [my #1 FAV when it comes to hot sauces]

Mmmm... it was super yummy!!! I ended up adding some tamari sauce too...because well, I like salt. Enjoy!