This past weekend Mark and I had the pleasure of having a little getaway. While we had looked forward to this getaway, I was a little worried about finding something filling and nutritious with the continental breakfast provided at the hotel. Sure, we could have gone out for breakfast, but it made financial sense to take advantage of the meal provided. Besides, having one healthy meal a day negates all the other unhealthy (but delectable) food I ate for the rest of the trip, right? Challenge: Accepted.
Anywho, getting back to my quest of finding a
hidden gem in the enriched white flour, HFCS laden breakfast options
available....
The first morning we awoke 30 minutes before
breakfast ended so we hurried down to find a very limited quantity of items
left. Mark chose a bowl of Fruit Loops and a waffle, which I nibbled on as
well (oh, nostalgia). As for me, I immediately noticed the fruit bowl filled
with oranges and apples. Given I eat approximately 1,468 apples a week, I
switched it up and went with an orange. But the important part of this fruit
bowl story is that it gave me notice to my saving breakfast grace for the next
three days: instant oatmeal.
Now normally, I am strictly a thick cut oats kind
of girl but sometimes compromises are needed. I grabbed two of the original
flavored packets and simultaneously had a stroke of genius. Remembering
that I just so happened to pack a couple gingerbread flavored tea bags
(obsession of the moment) and some stevia packets I raced up to my room and grabbed
a tea bag and a stevia packet. The stevia packet isn't necessary since they
usually have sugar packets readily available.
This trifeca of ingredients created the sweet
version of the two oatmeal recipes I am excited to share with you today.
Hotel Breakfast Style Gingerbread Oatmeal
Serves 1
Ingredients:
2 packets of unflavored instant oatmeal
1 1/4 cups hot water
1 gingerbread flavored tea bag
1/2-1 packet sweetener of choice
Directions:
Steep tea bag in hot water for 5-10 minutes (peel
and eat orange during this time).
Remove tea bag and add packets of oatmeal. Stir to
dampen oats and place in microwave for 1-1:30 minutes.
Remove from microwave and stir in sweetener packet.
As for the savory oatmeal, I will warn you that
most will find this extremely odd and immediately turn their nose up. But bare
with me, its good, I promise.
The inspiration for this oatmeal came about after a trip to the store
and the purchase of some vegetable juice (that counts as veggies, right?).
While enjoying a delicious glass of chilled vegetable juice before bed and
thinking about how awesome it would be warmed up my quick tomato soup recipe
popped into my head! Soon after, as I drifted off into dream land a brilliant
idea popped into my head. What if I cooked some oatmeal and added some warmed
up vegetable juice?
Not knowing how it would turn out, but not exactly scared to try, I made
some for breakfast the next morning. The verdict? I loved it. It reminded me of
a tomato barley soup and I couldn’t get enough, so much so that it was my
breakfast for the rest of the trip and I will probably work on a thick cut oats
version upon returning home.
I told you this recipe was out there, but I dare you to give it a shot.
Vegetable
Juice Oatmeal
Serves 1
Ingredients:
2 packets of unflavored instant oatmeal
1 cup of water
8 oz. of vegetable juice
Directions:
Combine water and oatmeal in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high
for 1-2 minutes. Watch carefully, so it doesn’t overflow.
Remove oats from microwave and set aside. Pour vegetable juice into a
microwaveable safe cup and microwave on high for 45 seconds – 1 minute.
Remove juice from microwave and pour into oats. Mix well to combine.
Enjoy :)
It might have taken some creativity, but I found two breakfasts that
satisfied both my stomach and my taste buds. Challenge: Accomplished.
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