The last time I spoke about the ups and downs of ending calorie counting, I mentioned that one of my big goals was switching things up in the meal department, and trying not to rely so much on the same old, same old.
unadulterated oatmeal w. apples, pears, bananas, raisings, pecans, and loose granola
While I’ve still been loving oatmeal–there is just something so comforting about it–
cinnamon blizzard. the only kind of blizzard i can appreciate.
–I’ve been exploring some new toppings. Like yogurt.
grapefruit, strawberries, slivered almonds, blueberry yogurt
I continue to try to believe I do not have lactose issues, and eat ‘regular’ (non-strained) yogurt–especially when it is offered for free at a staff luncheon or breakfast and instead of eating it at school I take it home in my lunchbox. This does not always make for the most comfortable mornings.
shockingly, grapefruit is not a new-to-me oatmeal topper. citrus on oats...try it.
For the most part, though, I’ve been eating something different every single morning.
please note they are using bacon to climb up a wall of toast.
[And yes, I spend WAY too long preparing breakfast before work. But it makes me happy. And I haven’t been late yet.]
at least countless wasted hours watching top chef have taught me the joy of pretty plating
I have switched up my morning grains, taking a brown rice obsession to breakfast, with impromptu brown rice and bulgur breakfast puddings.
cinnamon vanilla sweetness, with a side of papaya and kabocha squash
Creaminess provided by almond milk, and perhaps a bit of low-lactose kefir.
rice pudding isn't rice pudding without cinnamon. and raisins.
A side of squash for breakfast? It has happened more than once twice three times.
most of this squash might have been eaten before i got to the rest of breakfast.
That whole lactose question hasn’t prevented me from concocting some pretty protein pudding parfaits. When I’m feeling sort of snacky in the mornings, these make me feel like I get to eat little bits at a time, for a long time…
cinnamon vanilla tofu, Greek yogurt, and protein pudding w. nuts, rice cakes, apples, oranges
…or put it all together, if I choose to.*
lemon nunaturals-sweetened chia, kefir, almond milk protein 'pudding'
*I don’t usually choose to. Most of the toppings get eaten separately on my way to school before I can actually assemble. Meaning they aren’t really parfaits are they? More like…collections of potential parfait ingredients.
lemon chia kefir protein pudding, side of cereal, strawberries, apples, nuts, chocolate, dates
Giant pancakes made with a combination of oats, coconut flour, and buckwheat–and sometimes pumped up with protein powder–
chocolate protein coc-oat-nut pancake w. bananas, strawberries, and peanut flour 'syrup'
–have become an incredibly quick-to-prepare and surprisingly (to me) satiating staple.
nunaturals sweetened Mexican chocolate pancake w. dollop of orange ginger siggis strained yogurt and some bananas
And pancakes aren’t just good sweet.
herb-seasoned. with homemade TVP sausage crumbles.
In fact, I sometimes prefer them to be sinfully, succulently, savory.
who needs a sausage biscuit when you can have a (TVP) sausage pancake?
Since I started eating eggs again—although I stick with one at a time as I continue to test my tolerance--I often feel like I’ve become a yolk pornographer.
bet your (perfectly browned) bottom dollar i have been practicing my fry technique
It is almost required that you not only photograph a beautifully cooked egg, but also the oozy runniness that is the mark of unlike-anything-elseflavor that will soon be covering everything on your plate.
a not particularly pornographic egg, with purple sweets and fruit salad
Sometimes I can restrain myself from the XXX-rated.
seasoned mushrooms, carrots, and kale topped with an egg
Like when there is toast and [Bull FROG–blueberry, fig, raspberry, orange, ginger] jam* involved.
*She likes bread and butter…I like toast and jam.
for someone who always claimed she wasn't a bread person, i certainly love toast lately
Or when there aren’t actually eggs involved.
vegan tofu scramble with summer squash and previously frozen peppers
But sometimes, I can’t hold back.
sitting pretty.
There’s no need for syrup on a seasoned savory pancake…
…when you have egg yolk and ketchup.
And now, I know what you are thinking:
“Sarah, didn’t you say you felt like a yolk pornographer? Where are all of the the drippy, dippy egg yolks?
“And wait. Can you please just finally tell us how you make those pancakes?“
Yeah. No.
After all, isn’t an entire yolk porn expose much more enticing?
And how about a post entitled ‘Pancake Parade’?
Since I don’t have an eligible bachelors around to tease, I have to get my kicks where I can. 