The Hug Mug

It’s another rainy, wet, and cold day here in my town.  I woke up sleepy-eyed and tired.  I can’t wait for the clouds to clear up so I can remind myself of what the sun looks like again. 😀  However, these types of days are most definitely perfect for some of my favorite comfort foods, ie., oatmeal, hot coffee, and soup! 

I found another 1/2 an apple, deep in the back of the fruit drawer, so I used that up in my oatmeal.  I made it the usual way…

• 3/4 c. oats
• 1 c. milk + 1/2 c. water
• 1/2 apple
• handful of raisins
• lots of cinnamon, and a dash or two of nutmeg and cloves

Topped with…

• 2 T. homemade granola
• 2 T. walnuts
• a few raisins
• a sprinkling of coconut

I love this mix.  It just never grows old. 😀 

Oh, and before I forget…let’s talk about homemade granola.  I need a great recipe! 😀  I found this one off of Kath’s website, but I think I did something terribly wrong or I just really don’t know how to make granola.  Mine came out a little too salty without enough sweet.  I think maybe my proportions were distorted somehow, and I messed it up.  It still didn’t taste too bad, especially on oatmeal where I kind of liked the sweet/salty combo. 

But I’m still in search of that perfect granola that can save my wallet from buying it bag by bag. 😀  Any ideas of what I might have done wrong or any recommendations for what you consider the best granola ever?

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I was very proud of myself for finally remembering to bring my whole foods bags to the grocery store.  Reusable bags are such an easy alternative that I should have been doing all along.  Sometimes it just takes me a while to jump on to the ‘green wagon,’ but I’m making small changes where I can.  😉

I was pretty hungry after our grocery shopping trip, and whipped up a quick sandwich with some veggie sticks.

• 2 slices of Natures Place whole wheat bread
• 1/4 a smashed avocado
• about 1/4 c. artichoke-spinach hummus
• cucumber slices
• green bell pepper slices
• lettuce and tomato

Then I grilled it so it got all nice and crispy and melty…mmmm…

And dessert… 😀

I’ve realized that a lot of my money goes to coffee.  Whether it’s an iced latte…a soy misto…a soy steamer…or just a regular ol’ hot cup of joe.  I like my coffee.

But I’ve also realized that I can make a great tasting cup of coffee at home for much less.  A bag of really great whole beans from starbucks or whole foods (their brand is actually really good, by the way,) goes a long way in taste and in my wallet.  So I’m determined to save my coffee outings for special occasions. 

I made myself a nice cup of coffee this afternoon by mixing a cup of hot coffee with 1/2 c. of hot soy milk…and put it in an extra special hug mug.

I fell in love with the hug mug concept after watching Rachel Ray talk about it.  When it’s really cold outside, having a nice big hug mug gives off a wonderfully cozy vibe and warms you right up.  It makes rainy days completely enjoyable.   I enjoyed my hug mug of coffee ‘n’ soy after going for a 3-mile walk in the rain…pure bliss. 😀

This afternoon, despite the cup of coffee, I was feeling sort of sluggish.  I think it’s the weather.  My mood and energy levels are easily influenced by whether the sun is out or not, and whether I’m really cold or not.  Today I was cold and it was dark out…I had almost no motivation to get out and run. 😦

So…I almost didn’t run.  I decided I’d first address my growling stomach with a bowl of yogurt, a spoonful of crushed flax, and some strawberries…then I’d decide from there what to do.

The yogurt pepped me right up, and I decided to just go out for a short run in the rain and see how I felt.  I could always turn around and make it a 2-mile run, right?

I always trick myself in that way, and it almost always works. 😀 

Once out, I was having too much fun to turn around and went for 3-miles instead.  It was just drizzling enough to make things interesting, and I found myself grinning from ear to ear, even up the grueling hills.  My legs felt super strong which made me feel more confident.  I love the good runs…they completely make up for the bad ones. 😀

My third comfort food of the day was some homemade mushroom and barley soup.  I love, love, love this earthy and simple soup.  I think it would have been perfect with some kale thrown in too. 😀  I also added just a bit of balsamic vinegar to add some interest.  Delicious!

 And a slice of the whole wheat walnut-raisin bread toasts that I had made a couple days back with a pat of butter…mmm…moosewood cookbooks just never let me down.

I finished the night off with a bowl of raisin bran, soymilk and 1/2 a small banana.  I know I’ve mentioned it before, but this cereal is really starting to grow on me.  I think I may end up buying another box… :-o!

I’m still trying to get in touch with the RD at the hospital to see if I can volunteer over the summer with her…I really hope it works out.  It would be such an interesting experience.  Keeping my fingers crossed!

On that note, I’m off to relax a bit…tomorrow is FRIDAY! 😀

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