Cookies Continued

Mornin! 😀

I woke up hung-ary this morning—no better time to make some pumpkin oats!!  This combo is so filling and tasty.  The banana was perfectly ripe, just the way I like them—soft and marshmallow-y.

• 1/4 c. oats
• 1/4 c. oatbran
• 1 c. milk + 1/2 c. water
• 1/2 c. pumpkin
• cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves
• 1 sliced banana
• 1 T. raisins

On top, I sprinkled 2 T. pecans and 2 tsp. sweetened coconut.  Next time I’m toasting both the nuts and the coconut, because I think it will add a world of flavor. 😀

It took a few weeks, but I’m actually starting to really enjoy cold weather running.  The first day out in 15 degree weather left me feeling a little bitter towards old man winter, but with a few more chilly runs under my belt, I’ve come to see the joy that can come along with it.  After about the first mile, I reach the perfect temperature and fall into a groove.  And I absolutely love the sounds of the snow crunching beneath my feet! 😀

When I came home from my 4-mile ganter, I wanted tea. 😀  I love this chocolate min wuyi oolong tea (I can guarentee you that I sound ridiculous when saying this aloud) that I picked up at the grocery store yesterday. 

I let it steep for 4 minutes, then added a splash of plain soymilk for a touch of creamy sweetness.  The tea was light and minty, with a hint of chocolate.  Loved it! 😀

I had a bowl of many colors for lunch. 😀

• mixed greens + extra beet leaves
• 1/2 c. black beans
• diced red bell pepper
• sliced black olives
• 1/4 avocado
• cilantro
• red onion
• carrots, cucumber, tomato
• balsamic vinegar + splash of orange juice

+ kashis…such a tasty lunch. 😀

I can’t believe my dad and I went back to the malls this afternoon.  What—please, tell me what—was I thinking?  It’s a mad house out there, especially on the roads…eeks!  Thankfully I made it home alive with the last of my Christmas shopping in tow.  I even managed to finish wrapping everything today.  It sure beats last year, when I was out shopping on Christmas Eve.  I’m just one step closer to not being a procastinator—haha! 😀

I packed some snacks to carry along with me—an orange and some almonds.  This snack carried me through practically my entire Fall semester of school, and I’m still not tired of it. 😀

Moosewood Cookbook once again brought out 3 big smiles at the dinner table. 😀  I made the Cauliflower-Cheese Pie (I believe there’s a copyright on this recipe, but it is written in its entirety at this link) with some minor variations—using cooking spray instead of butter to grease the pan, and using sweet potato instead of white on the bottom for a hit of sweetness.  The recipe was pretty simple to make, but it’s definitely a little time consuming due to cooking time (about an hour.)   Totally worth it, though!  Everyone agreed…this dinner was amazing.

On the side, I sauteed some zucchini & summer squash in a bit of salt, garlic powder and balsamic vinegar.  I also roasted some diced beets in a 425 degree oven for about 30 minutes—let them get crispy, browned and caramelized! 😀

Dinner’s done—time to cook!

Admittedly, I’m not that great at baking cookies and sweet things.  I do, however, really enjoy it.  So every Christmas, I pick two new recipes for the family Christmas Eve party and go wild with it.  This year I decided to make coconut macaroons…

…with almonds and a dark chocolate drizzle—(recipe: Chocolate-and-Almond Macaroons from Souther Living Magazine.)  They stuck a little on the bottom of the parchment paper, and I almost ended up dumping them all in the trash out of pure frustration.  Dad told me to calm down and let them cool off.  I didn’t think it would work.  It did. *shaking head*  Sometimes I just need a lil’ more patience, I think…haha. 😀   Next time, I’ll just spray or butter the pan instead of using the parchment paper.

I found myself nibbling on the leftover peices that were left behind on the cookie sheet.  They taste like sticky, toasted marshmallows…yum!  I tried to make them small enough that people can sample these while trying other desserts as well.  😀

After a 20 minute session of arm-tiring yoga, a blueberry parfait hit the spot. 😀

Tomorrow is a busy day, and I can hardly wait!  Christmas Eve is easily one of my favorite days of the year, and I’m excited to celebrate with the family. 😀

2 Days Until Christmas—1 day till Christmas Eve 😀

Are you ready????