Coconut Peanut Butter Oatmeal

Good Mooooooooooooooorning World!

Have you noticed how awesome the morning starts when you begin with a bowl of oats?!? Holy effingham, it's amazing.

It also helped alot that the first email I read on my blackberry was my editor for my newest (and awesomest) writing gig telling me how fantastic my first article was. Yay! Then, my husband went on and on this morning about what a "cute little wifey" he has. :) Oatmeal and compliments start a day off right, yes?

My oats had the following:

-1/2 cup water

-1/2 cup 1%

-1/2 cup whole oats

-1/2 tbsp creamy peanut butta

-1 tbsp sweetened coconut

-a whole lotta yum

I'm about to go do something exercise-y. After that, I'm going to have a productive, nag-free writing day. Wish me luck! :D

**Silly Survey**

How do you take your oats?

Do you eat instant oats or whole oats?

What's your favorite brand of oatmeal?

Do you put fruit in your oats? What kind?

Tootles,

P.S. If you missed my nephew, click here and tell me how amazing and perfect he is! Go now! He's amazing!!! :p

Did you notice that everything is "amazing" today? lol.

Hubby in the Kitchen: Sausage & Pepper Supreme

Guess who's back?!?

Yes, tonight, Ryan resurrected Hubby in the Kitchen. He made his signature dish, Sausage & Pepper Supreme. You see, this is the dish he has made to impress most girls in his life. Unfortunately for him, I'm not most girls.

When he said he was going to cook for me the first time way back when (this was February 2007), I thought it was soooooo sweet. Then, I spotted these sausages, and I nearly went into convulsions. I texted my best friend, "OMG WEINER SAUSAGES!!!"

 

At the time, I was mostly a vegetarian. Not on purpose, but just because I don't really love meat. I swear to you I broke out in a sweat when I realized he was going to be cooking these for dinner. But I liked him SO MUCH that I ate them. They were... okay.   

However, now he knows how I am, so he also made me a side of tofu. :D

So, basically this meal consists of sausage, peppers, tomatoes, and onions (I pick out the onions)...

He made his own sauce using fresh tomatoes, tomato paste and water. It was fantastic!

Served over (brown) rice or pasta. He used rice tonight.

Today was a full-time work day. I worked AT LEAST 8 hours, plus I went to the grocery store. When I say I went to the grocery store that actually means I went to three grocery stores. One for produce, one for cheap yogurt and other assorted finds, and another for everything I can't get at those two places. It takes atleast 2 hours and that's hurrying.

So, I knew it would be a busy day, which is exactly why I started my day with Reeses Cup Oatmeal.

Actually, it's just oats made with water, 1/2 cup chocolate soy, and a dollop of creamy peanut butter. Not quite a Reeses Cup, but close.

For lunch, Ry Bread (as my mom calls him) and I split an organic veggie/cheese pizza and had (unpictured) salads.

Here's the pizza:

Oh, and while running errands, I hit up CVS to pick up a brace for my wrist. I think I'm developing carpal tunnel or arthritis. One of the two. It's become excrutiating to type. I'm 27 years old. I'm going to pretend like that doesn't make me want to throw myself on a chaise lounge in despair, because honestly I don't have the words for it right now. :(

How was your weekend?

Nothing Tastes Good

Sorry, I haven't been around lately. I've been super duper sick! This oatmeal and diet 7up was actually my lunch, not breakfast. Nothing tastes good. And, in fact, most things seems to taste REALLY bad, so I've been eating mostly bland or sweet things. Savory ends up tasting bitter or sour like it's spoiled. 

I've spent the last three days parked here:

 

I haven't been sick like this since I lived in Indiana, I think. It's been atleast 3 years or more. All I've really been doing is napping, drinking diet 7up, and watching House Hunters episodes on Hulu. I'm going to attempt to cook tonight, because I really need to get back to reguarly schedule living. Hopefully I'll have something interesting for you guys tomorrow.

Later! 

Purpose and Meaning in My Oatmeal

Wait! That's not purpose and meaning! Those are blueberries!!!!

Good morning, bloggy friends!

I started off this morning with (a bowl of oatmeal and...) a text from an upset friend and opened my email to find a message from another friend whose searching for purpose and meaning. I thought this would be a good topic for a blog. So, let me get right to the meat of the matter.

I do not believe there is purpose or meaning to be found.

I believe that we make the purpose and meaning in our lives. So many people waste so much time searching for this or that.

What am I supposed to do with my life? Who am I supposed to be? Somebody tell me!

These are fillers, time wasters. Life is not a multiple choice test you can fail. It's not. The problem is that we're so used to everything being pre-figured out for us, pre-digested, made easy. Television producers dumb everything down for us. Movies reveal themselves in increments until the grand finale opens the door completely. So, we can all go "Ahhhhh, that was nice. I understand everything now." We cannot stand loose ends. Yet, that is what life is. One loose end after another, one puzzle to figure out before you move on to the next one.

And, you know what else?

Life is hard. Doing what you love is HARD. But, figuring out what you love seems to be even harder. It's made even harder when people walk around looking for signs in everything. Your father, mother, brother, boyfriend, or wife aren't going to give you the answers. There are no messages in your oatmeal. If you are religious, you can certainly turn to your faith. But, it isn't likely that God is going to slip you the answer to your burning questions in the form of a message in a fortune cookie. Instead, He (or whomever/whatever you believe in) is probably going to plant the seed inside of YOU. That's where all the answers are anyway. It's up to you to grow that seed into something. No one else can do it for you.

What would you dare to do if you had no limitations? You have the answer. It might take some soul searching to figure it out, but once you do, that's your answer. Stop questioning it. That's it. If you want it to happen, make it. If you're afraid to do it, don't. Do something else, but, either way, don't complain. Because, whatever you make in your life is exactly that: what you made. The only difference between you and greatness is your choices. We are all given the key to happiness. Some of us use it, and others stand there holding it, complaining that we have to turn the lock ourselves.

There's a really awesome song, called Details in the Fabric that says: "If it's a broken part, replace it. If it's a broken arm, then brace it. If it's a broken heart, then face it. Hold your own, know your name, and go your own way." It's such good advice.

Life is so insanely perfect because it isn't perfect. It's not figured out for us. It's not pre-arranged so that everything falls into place so easily. It's beautiful in its design. Stop searching for purpose and meaning. Life has made it so that YOU have the opportunity to make something out of it. Make it beautiful. You only get one shot.

When you feel the need to search for meaning, go have coffee with a friend. Cook a delicious meal for your family. Write a list of the fabulous things you already have in your life. Laugh with a friend. It does wonders. Trust me. I was in a bit of a funk last week, so my friend helped me smile...

These things do wonders. They make life better. Smiling makes you younger, too! :) Possibly, this was all a jumble, but hey. It's what was on my mind. I'll leave this post with one of my favorite quotes, by Mary Radmacher:

Live with intention.

Walk to the edge.

Listen hard.

Practice wellness.

Play with abandon.

Laugh.

Choose with no regret.

Appreciate your friends.

Continue to learn.

Do what you love.

Live as if this is all there is.

Overnight Oats = Really Full Belly

 Good morning World!!!
 

I had overnight oats this morning. I put them in the fridge in tuperware the night before with some milk. Then, when I get up (thus, the bed head), I zap them in the microwave. It's way too cold in the mornings for cold oatmeal.

And... voila! Served with a bit of Hubby's pecan cereal and PB.

On the agenda today is some serious catching up. I have some writing due, and a TON of writing to do after that because I've been working on the other stuff! Let's just say JMyers Inc. has a bit of a backlog right now. I worked until 10:30 last night with hubby helping with editing Gah! :) Yes, I secretly take great pleasure in the fact that my husband is willing to edit my work. How lucky am I? :D

 Last night's dinner was good, but not very photogenic. We call it White Castles. I use a pound of ground  turkey, a packet of dry onion soup mix, and a cup of water. Ryan usually makes a sandwich out of it, but I usually just use one piece of bread. More like "chipped beef and toast" style.

It's not the prettiest meal, but it tasted fantastic! Ryan always loves the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Ok, now I'm off to work like a crazy woman! :)

Do you work a normal 40 Hour week? Do you work more or less? Day shift? Night shift?

Why I Don't Swim... (And Good News)

If humans were meant to swim, we would have fins...

:-) (Good news at the bottom.)

Today, I had the insane idea to go swimming. I rarely go swimming, mostly because I'm terrible at it. But, I wanted a different workout, and the idea of a heated pool sounded lovely on this cold morning.

I pre-fueld with a bowl of warm choco-pb oatmeal. This was about 2 hours before I left home.

Afterwards, I borrowed my roommate's car to run some errands. Bank, check! Post office, check check! Then, I hit the gym for some water laps, having completely forgotten why it had been so long since I'd been swimming at the gym.

Ugh.

Why I Don't Swim (at the Gym)

1. It's dirty. The entire time I'm swimming I have a million thoughts swimming in my head (pun intended): I wonder if someone peed in here? Does chlorine kill germs? Ew! Is that hair? Oh God, that's someone's hair on my arm. Ew ew ew.

2. I do not have appropriate swim-workout attire. At the end of every lap, I have to stop and adjust myself. Are the girls tucked in? Is my booty showing? Are my strings tied?

As you can see, my bathing suit is much more suitable for the beach than for actual swimming.

3. I'm a big floppy fish. The act of me swimming probably looks something like a frog swimming. I try to keep my legs in the correct position, but they tend to turn outward, like a frog. I splash like crazy the faster I swim, and if I'm sharing a lane, it's all but impossible. I'm like a big.floppy.fish. Yay fun.

4. I'm slightly anti-social at the gym. People irritate me. Okay, not you, my bloggy friends, but people at the gym irritate me. Here are a few Jasmine rules: Don't stare at me (even if I am swimming like a frog). Don't get in my way (frogs need lots of room). If you are also a big floppy fish, don't get in my lane. You already know you need lots of room. And, above all, if you are a guy, I'm so.not.interested. This is the gym, not a night club.

Obviously, I'm poking fun here. I realize lots of people LOVE to swim. More power to them. I realize there's alot of people who think the elliptical is the most boring thing in the world. I love it though. To each his/her own.

Atleast, I got my workout in for the day, right? :D When I got out of the gym, there was a message on my phone with GOOD NEWS. (Keep reading.)

After the gym, I came home and had leftovers. I was ravenous and didn't take pictures. However, it was the same as both lunch and dinner yesterday. I also had a banana for dessert.

I also decided to fire up the crockpot. I used frozen chicken tenderloins, yellow yukon potatoes and a couple cans of soup. I usually use carrots or celery in this recipe, but I don't have either. I'll serve green beans on the side tonight, though.

I bought this whole 5lb bag of yukon gold potatoes for 50 cents!!!

Yay for another easy supper!!!

Okay, now for the goodness... We got the apartment!!!!!!! I'm SO super duper excited. We go over there on Saturday to sign the papers. They also had a second unit come open, so we'll be checking out that location to see if we prefer it over the one we're getting. It's a second floor place. I kinda got used to the idea of the apartment we were getting. We'll see.

Thanks for all your good vibes! That stuff makes all the difference in the world! :D

And, guess what? I think our good friend, Jess, is also going to be renting a place in the same complex. How fun is that? It'll be like Friends! he he

Okay, off to work. Lots of stuff left to do today.

Do you like to swim? Is there an exercise that you just do NOT enjoy?

New Use for My Guinness Mug: Oats!

Sometimes life requires improvisation...

This morning, I decided to make a warm, cozy bowl of oats.

I live "Inland" San Diego, in the mountains basically. On the other side of the moutains is a big desert. It's hot, very hot. That heat flows over the mountains and bakes my little town of La Mesa. This sometimes starts as early as April, and we don't have AC at our current apartment. Because of that, a warm bowl of oats is not exactly a breakfast you can enjoy year round here.

Wow. That was long-winded.

Okay, so I made my oats this morning with Chocolate Silk.

Quick thoughts on Soy Milk. I like it. I don't drink it all the time, because there are some pretty serious findings about the regular use of Soy over the long term. I do however believe that anything in moderation is okay. I buy it maybe once every two months.

Anyway... I use 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup water with 1/2 cup oats.

I ran out of bowls this morning (need to run the dishwasher), so I used my big Guinness Mug.

Peanut Butter on the bottom. The only way.

I poured my oats in on top of the PB, and I broke two whole walnuts into pieces over the top. Yum!

So, I'm off to get some major writing done today. I hope your day is amazing!

What's your favorite way to eat oats? I think choc-pb is pretty high on my list.

I Just Want to Drink My Tea and Take a Siesta

Americans should really consider adopting tea time and afternoon naps. Or how about we start a new thing, like Spa Mondays?... 

Today, I'm under some pretty heavy deadline pressure. On top of that, this is the first day of the new semester. I have to login to my online class today, as well as attend my chemistry lecture this evening. Ugh. I feel frazzled already!

Breath Jasmine Breath. :)

This morning started early at 5am. I was actually at my computer working by 5:20am. I wanted to get in a couple hours work before I hit the gym. I had a bowl of whole oats with natural peanut butter and a sprinkle of Fiber One Raisin Bran on top.

This picture isn't fabulous. No natural light available that early in the morning. That, and even my Nikon wasn't awake so early.

Ryan dropped me off at the gym on his way to work, and I pounded out 45 minutes. Split between the stairs, treadmill, and bike. Then, I walked the 1.5 miles home, gabbing the entire way to my girl. That walk home is pretty much the only time I get to talk on the phone. I enjoy it alot. When it isn't raining, that is...

Now, I'm showered, dressed, and ready to tackle the 10 million things I need to do today before my 5:30pm class. Tea in hand. Pomegranate Pizzazz. Yum!

What's your favorite kind of tea?

Breakfast Lunch Breakfast Out!

My friends!

I hope all is well in your bloggy lives. I have been busy with school and work. Plus, the loss of the car has meant I've been walking the 4-5ish miles home from school. Not a big deal, except my book bag gets heavy!!! It also cuts into my time. However, I'm love love loving the exercise.

This will be a quick post, but I wanted to share my beautiful breakfasts I've been having, as well as yesterday's quirky lunch.

Yesterday's breakfast was raspberry-licious.

As you remember from my last post, I got these berries for the bargain-basement price of $3.99. Oh, how good a bargain berry tastes.

My Saturday lunch included eggs and tomatoes. Maybe strange, but one of my favorite combos in the whole food world! The picture leaves alot to be desired. Forgive me, as always.

Today's breakfast took the cake, or muffin, I should say. Cinna-raisin english muffin with crunchy peanut butter and more raspberries!!! This was so filling. Love it.

I'm about to head over to my friend Isela's house (to study, of course... Isn't that what you do with friends?). Catch you on the flip side.

I'm out!!! Have a good one!

--Mrs. Myers

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This Oatmeal's Doing Too Much

Whole Oats made with Light Chocolate Soy, 1 tbsp peanut butter and some big blackberries. Chocolate, PB and Blackberries. Kinda weird, but it was yummy though! My friend Mandy would say it combines lots of antioxidants, so its all good. lol.

What strange flavor combinations do you like?



P.S. I joined Facebook. I have no idea what I'm doing, and I have no friends! :p

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Yum Yum Donuts

Not really donuts... Oatmeal, but special supercalafragilistic oatmeal, at that.

I'll admit, this could be termed a concoction. But, it's a GOOD concoction.

Check it. I made my oatmeal like normal 1/2 soy and 1/2 water. Went to wake up hubby. Forgot about oatmeal, came back, added more milk since it was now sticky and then resumed my normal breakfast schedule.

Next, I put a spoonful of peanut butter in the bowl.

See, I like crunchy pb, but we're out, so I needed to find an alternative crunch factor.

Perfect!

This oatmeal was to die for!!! Loved it! I only used a few of the dark-chocolate-covered soynuts, but it was enough. They got all melty and delish, with crunch factor to boot.

Concoction successful. Ok, off to class. xoxoxoxoxo

--Mrs. Myers

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A Day at the Science Center

I had a good day, but I just realized I was supposed to mail a short story manuscript today for an Aug 1 postmark and I completely forgot..... :( DANGIT.

Ok, beyond that... (which sucks), it was a good day spent with my hubby.

I started off with oatmeal. I used pumpkin butter and pumpkin flax. I don't know why, but this just wasn't good to me. I think because the pumpkin butter is sooooo sweet.

A little later, I hit the gym. I came home around noon and had lunch:

A ham and cheese wrap (no broccoli this time), some roma tomatoes and a small almost-bad nanner. Oh, and these:

We decided after lunch that we wanted to go to a museum. We decided on the Science Center, which we'd never been to, especially since we had a coupon for a free IMAX show there.

The exhibits were strangely basic, but the IMAX show (Under the Sea) rocked. It was in a wrap around dome and was super fun. We also did the Dino Island Simulator ride. Please, trust me, if you ever get the chance, don't waste your money on this kiddie ride.

Some pics from the days:

When we left Balboa Park, we were STARVING. We decided to hit up City Delicatessen in Hillcrest. It's really more his kind of food than mine.

He had a burger, onion rings and a beer. He was a happy boy.

I decided to get a (veggie) burger as well. Mine came with curly fries, which were just okay. I try not to eat things that are "just okay." It needs to bee GOOD, ya know? I ate maybe 5 of the really tight curls, but about 90% of my burger, which had huge chunks of veggies in the patty. Very good.

City Delicatessen is very well known for its amazing desserts. We got a snickerdoodle to go.

I did eat out today, but I didn't stuff myself at all. I don't mind eating "bad" food very often. It's a rare thing when I do, and honestly, "bad" food isn't my problem. It's large volumes of good foods in small spans of time that turns out to be my downfall. So, I'm still perfectly okay with this day.

I think we're going to curl up and watch a movie.

Keep Jen in your thoughts. She's been in mine all day, for sure.

Best to you all...

-Mrs. Myers

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