beka stays healthy : almond joy oatmeal

Is there any better way to start the day than with Joy?

Especially if it’s Almond Joy?

Even more especially if it’s a breakfast that is delicious, good for you, and will keep you full for hours?

And all for 250 calories?

Sometimes life just seems too good to be true.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup of rolled oats
• 1/4 cup almond milk (I used unsweetened, but I bet vanilla would be good too!)
• 1 Tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 Tbsp walnuts (or almonds, I just prefer walnuts!)
• 1/2 Tbsp carob chips or chocolate chips
• 1/2 frozen banana

Recipe:

Cook the oats as per your preferred method – stovetop or microwave. Once cooked, stir in 2 tablespoons of almond milk and about 1 tablespoon of unsweetened shredded coconut, saving about a teaspoon for sprinkling on top. Place under the broiler for about 5 minutes, or until the top is just barely golden brown. Top with the nuts and put back under the broiler for another minute or so until the walnuts are toasted. Remove from broiler, top with carob or chocolate chips and remaining 2 tablespoons of almond milk. Let sit for a few minutes to cool and then top with chopped frozen bananas. You could definitely use fresh bananas; I just like the flavor/texture of the frozen ones in this oatmeal.

People. This one’s a winner. But don’t trust me – try it yourselves! There are so many variations you could try to make it even better too. I bet it would be great with coconut milk, a little vanilla, maybe some almond extract. Go crazy!

And if that weren’t enough, this is what I have to look forward to for lunch:

Leftovers from yesterday’s lunch, Moroccan Chickpea Lentil Stew and a Rosemary Roll from Wegmans.

Oh, life is good. True story.

beka stays healthy : pumpkin pie cups

As you flip through this blog, you may be under the impression that I have an affinity for pumpkin.

You would be correct. Apparently it’s a prerequisite in the blog world to wax poetic about pumpkin this time of year…and apparently I’m in with the in crowd. If something has the word “pumpkin” in the title, there’s a better than 99% chance that I’ll make it/order it/purchase it.

Except for one thing. There’s one pumpkin item I just can’t stomach.

Pumpkin pie.

I know. I shouldn’t be allowed to celebrate Thanksgiving. Exile me from New England. I don’t deserve to live here anymore.

But it’s not without just cause! I had a traumatic childhood pumpkin pie experience!

So when I was all of 6 or 7, I became obsessed with the idea of pumpkin pie. I mean, it looked so good in books and on TV! So I asked my mom if she could make one. And, because she’s amazing, she did. But in the process of making the pie, she sliced her hand open on the can of pumpkin. And was bleeding profusely. And had to be rushed to the hospital by my dad. Who was stopped by the cops on the way there. At which point I started howling in the back seat because I thought they were going to arrest me for involuntary hand slaughter.

Because, as previously mentioned, my mom is amazing, she ended up seeing the pumpkin pie through to completion even after her fight with the can. And when she proudly served the pie with a dollop of whipped cream and I took my much-anticipated first bite…I found out that I didn’t like pumpkin pie after all.

My poor mom.

This led to a good 15 years of pumpkin embargo. I was under the impression that I didn’t like pumpkin, when in reality, I think I was just scarred from the whole unfortunate pie experience (as was my mom…literally).

Slowly but surely, pumpkin started to make a comeback. At first just in seasonal coffees. And then in pumpkin rolls because they just looked so delicious and reminded me of Little Debbie Swiss Cake Rolls. And then in muffins. And then in roasted seeds. And then in soup. And then the rest is history.

But still, to this day, I can’t get on board with pumpkin pie. I blame it on the cops.

Last weekend though, I made some progress. I made Pumpkin Pie in cup form. Pumpkin Pie encased by white chocolate. Which isn’t really pumpkin pie at all, but it’s close enough for me.

I think that this recipe for White Chocolate Pumpkin Pie Cups from Lauren at Healthy Food for Living is about as close as I’ll get to actually eating pumpkin pie. But I’ll take it as a victory, and a delicious one at that! Be sure to check out the recipe!