Super Simple Overnight Oatmeal Recipe

Just last week I made a delicious discovery. My boyfriend and I were wandering in downtown DC where we stumbled into The Corner Bakery. Apparently it's a chain and I had no idea! Shame on me because it was fantastic. To paint a picture of this restaurant to those who are not familar with it.. I'll say this: if Starbucks and Panera Bread had a love child, The Corner Bakery would be it. Does that clear things up?

Anyways, I ordered chilled oatmeal. CHILLED!? Who chills oatmeal? Wouldn't that insult the Quaker Man?... but you know what? These cold oats (mixed with yogurt, bananas, cranberries, apples and other yum yums) WAS AMAZING. I can easily say it was in the Top 5 of my favorite breakfasts. How could I've been so naive? I'm embaraased to say the least.

CEREAL FACT ALERT:

According to Quaker, the "Quaker Man" was the first registered trademark for a breakfast cereal... in 1877!

As homange to the Quaker Man, I've created my own cold oats recipe. You only need 3 main ingredients which makes it so easy that a caveman could do it!

Ander's Super Simple Overnight Oatmeal

  what you'll need:

1/2 c rolled oats

1/2 c greek or plain yogurt (I use flavored yogurt to give the oats some zip!)

1/2 c almond milk or any other milk

(if you want to make a larger batch, just make sure the measurements are about equal; ie. if 1 cup oats then 1 cup of milk and yogurt... just eye ball it )

Add-ins:

walnuts (check)

apples   (double check)

bananas

cranberries

    what to do:

mix all the ingredients together well, cover, then place in the refridgerator overnight! Follow the pictures for a step-by-step:

REFRIDGERATE for 12 hours AND....

BAM. Welcome to Heaven in your mouth. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie Yogurt

Hello all. I apologize for the lack of posts. Undergraduate and graduate work has been consuming my every minute; and, sadly, my creative juices recently have been sucked right through a bendy straw. However, today is a wonderful day because it's December 1st without a flake of snow on the ground and I can finally take a breath and relax. 

I hope everyone had a wonderful Turkey Day and enjoyed time with their loved ones. I was feeling reminiscent of the holidays and craving some pumpkin pie this morning. Well, I didn't have pie and it was terribly sad; however, I did have yogurt. Hmm. Can I make yogurt taste like pie? Probably not but I can try, dammit. 

I'm adding: pumpkin seeds  

                  + cinnamon 

                  + chia seeds 

                  + flax seeds 

                  + agave nectar to my vanilla Greek yogurt

                  = a whole cup of yummy

The seeds give it a pumpkin feel , the cinnamon enhances its pie-like taste, the seeds add a crust-like crunch and the agave gives it an umph of sweetness! Plus it's way healthier than indulging in half a pie (not that I would, ahem, do such a thing....)

FUN FACT ALERT!

Cha...cha...chia! Yes, these are the same seeds that have been used to grow hair on Chia Pets. You're probably thinking ew and wondering why they're on my yogurt. Yes, they are edible and surprisingly packed with nutritional benefits. For a visual, they are the little black rounded seeds below.  These little guys are provide a huge kick of fiber and can keep you full for hours. They also have more Omega-3 fatty acids than flax seeds. They'll have you doing the cha-cha all the way down the health food aisle.

Spice up your bland yogurt and you'll be satified until Christmas dinner--- then I highly encourage digging into the real thing, I will.

Enjoy!

Thank You Stonyfield: Honored by the Great Yogurt Giant

The  awesome folks at Stonyfield recognized my "My Saving Grace: Stonyfield" post and sent me the highlight of my summer. I about peed my pants with excitement (but seriously).

I received a hand written card filled with coupons and organic appreciation. This just about confirmed my love affair with Stonyfield; and my favorite part of the note?.. they said I was "moo-rific"! That's one of the most flattering compliments I have ever received.

Bucket List

Visit Italy

Receive a "moo-rific" compliment from Stonyfield

Complete a Triathlon

Complete my Masters degree

What a great way to create long lasting consumer relationships; I'm hooked! It's refreshing to see a company that's as passionate about its supporters as it is about it's products. I am impressed and in love. Thank you Stonyfield!

  

It's All Greek to Me: Greek Yogurt & Why Its Good For You

Feeling a little bland? Did you wake up this morning with the desire to get a little crazy, live on the edge even? Well, no passport required for this cultural experience. Greek yogurt is the filling answer to spice up your life. Contrary to popular yogurt belief, Greek yogurt is not indigenous solely to Greece. The same yummy recipe is made the same way in Greece, Lebanon, Turkey, and even Israel. So technically, Greek yogurt could be called Turkish yogurt or even Lebanese yogurt--it's a yogurt of many nationalities! So, for the rest of this post, I will be putting Greek quotations to accredit all countries for their delicious contribution to the US of A.  

"Greek" yogurt has a different appearance than its distant yogurt cousins. Its initial texture is thicker, richer and creamer than regular yogurt which tends to be lighter and smoother. Also, from what I have heard, it can be an acquired taste. "Greek" yogurt sometimes tends to taste more tart compared to the sweetness of regular yogurt. And, not only being bilingual, "Greek" yogurt has a ton of added health benefits. Here are a few:

1. 2x the amount of protein compared to regular yogurt! One cup of "Greek" yogurt can have up to 13-20 grams of protein! Hello, Hercules.
2. It's swimsuit-friendly! It contains less sodium so it will be filling without the bloat. 
3. It has less carbohydrates which means less lactose! So it's easy to digest for all fellow yogurt lovers with sensitive GI tracts, I got you.
4. It has a fun texture! "Greek" yogurt is strained to remove the whey which also removes the water causing it to become thicker and more satisfying. 
5. It's a great cooking and baking substitute. It can be added in lieu of milk or sour cream--which can help make dishes healthier, too!

Now knowing all the health benefits, which brand do you buy? Chobani? Stonyfield? Trader Joe's? Fage? While you could try them all, and I support your decision, it is still a tough choice when bombarded with yogurt options at the grocery store. Since "Greek" yogurt is growing in popularity due to the above factors, many dairy manufacturers are adding this product to their yogurt line-up. There are so many different "Greek" yogurt companies; and, though the recipe is similar, taste can vary between brands. I am not yet a Greek connoisseur, but I did a little research on taste and this is what I found and I made it into a little, handy dandy, fun  personality quiz:

What Does Your Personality Say 

About Your "Greek" Yogurt Brand?

You're bold: You'd love the original, funky "Greek" taste of Fage yogurt. It has more of a sour taste, but you're tough and up for the challenge.

You're simple: You'd appreciate the taste of Chobani. It's a more delicate taste, and a nice "welcome to the club" choice for new "Greek" yogurteers.

You're sweet: You're a fruit on the bottom kind of person, so Stonyfield Oikos would fit your sweet taste. They also have flavors like caramel and chocolate which completes this dessert in a cup.

You always save room for dessert: If you're a person after my own heart and your sweet tooth takes steroids, then Trader Joe's Organic Vanilla Bean is a match for you. It's sweet and creamy while not being overly rich.

No matter your personality, I say go crazy and try every brand; you can't go wrong. Regardless which kind you choose, you are still getting the good-for-you benefits of "Greek" yogurt. It'll be the easiest, cheapest, and most delicious cultural experience in the dairy aisle.

(Sources: http://www.livestrong.com/article/86488-benefits-greek-yogurt/; http://www.seriouseats.com/2009/08/taste-test-greek-yogurts-fage-trader-joes-oikos-chobani-greek-gods-brown-cow.html )

My Saving Grace: Stonyfield

 
One of the best combinations ever concocted has to be yogurt and granola. The textures of smooth and crunchy fit perfectly with the mixtures of sweet and tangy--it's like a firework show in your mouth, filled with oohs and ahhs. My body, sadly being allergic to dairy, has developed a love/hate (mostly hate) relationship with yogurt. Ah, and it's so hard to deprive yourself of something so wonderful knowing its deliciousness. And though I could eat granola with a shovel, it just isn't the same without its creamy and fruity sidekick. This was my brick wall, until I was introduced to my saving grace:

Bam. Stonyfield in one word? Ah-ma-zing. And I am going to attempt to summarize all of its numerous benefits (for body and planet) in 10 short-ish bullet points. Here I go, ahem.

10 Reasons Why I Love Stonyfield:

1. They produce all organic products. All of their delicious yogurts (soy and greek, too), smoothies, milks, creamers, and ice creams are made without icky pesticides and other chemicals that are commonly used on non-organic farms. Plus they come in regular, fat-free and low-fat. What ever floats your boat.
2. Their mission statement: "We're committed to healthy food, healthy people, a healthy planet and healthy business." Enough said.
3. The yogurt lids sponsor and raise awareness about non-profit environmental efforts, farming and health issues, and other issues that Stonyfield supports. 
4. Wait, there's more! Stonyfield has a My Stonyfield's Rewards club-- there is a code on each yogurt lid that can be submitted then traded in for free stuff. It's a great way the company gives back to the customer. Yogurt and free stuff?, don't need to tell me twice.
5. O'Soy, Stonyfield's soy yogurt--Its the saving grace I mentioned above! It says a lot about when I fully support a company though I only consume a small category of their products (But, my family and boyfriend are huge cheerleaders of their dairy products). Stonyfield has the largest (and close to only) soy yogurt selection I have seen. I even wrote them an e-mail suggesting them to sell O'Soy in larger containers--they wrote me a thank you note and free coupons. Score. Stonyfield has allowed me to enjoy yogurt with granola again. O'Soy has given my life hope and not ingestion; my GI tract is gracious.
6. Stonyfield fully supports family farms and happy cows. Fresh, organic food comes from the experts: farmers, and the producers: cows. Both need to go hand-in-hand to make yummy, good-for-you food.
7. Sustainability. Stonyfield uses packaging that is beneficial to the environment. Light-weight plastics mean all Stonyfield containers are recyclable; and, as of October 2010, all of the multi-pack cups are 93% made out of plant based plastic. Who would of thought of such of thing? Stonyfield is like the Chuck Norris of dairy. 
8. The company's CEO is referred as the CE-Yo...I just think that's witty and funny. Yo.
9. Stonyfield is very active on Facebook and Twitter.They create long lasting relationships with their supporters. They have even RT'd some of my tweets which was extremely, ahem, flattering (I about peed my pants with excitement). Plus they have awesome recipes on their Web site that are healthy, easy to make, and (of course!) incorporate Stonyfield products.
10. Finally, plain and simple, all of their products are just so good and so good for you. The company's compassion for environment and human wellness are clearly shown through taste and quality.

So good, even if your body can tolerate dairy (lucky).

This is my ode to Stonyfield. Here's a link to their Web site, Stonyfield, in case I've ignited an interest and you want to broaden your field (ha!) of knowledge. I fully support their products and what the company stands for. It's refreshing to see a business whose goals are more than selfish gains. I hope food manufacturers will (or continue to) follow in the same selfless footsteps, and concentrate more on the well-being of the consumer and environment as a whole. After all, without the two factors a company's success would never come to (fruit)ion.