My (current) Favorite Oatmeal (and what I'm eating these days)

As I mentioned on Tuesday, going back to school has changed my daily routine significantly — I go to bed earlier, wake up earlier, spend significantly less time at home, cook less, eat differently, exercise more (commuting via bike), and so much more. I already shared my favorite go-to lunch (rice noodle salad with beets, carrots, kale, and herbs!), which I prepare ahead of time and eat throughout the week (when I'm not out getting Mexican food or donuts, that is...). It makes my weekdays easy by not having to prepare lunches every night!

But what about breakfast? and dinner? And weird snacky moments between school and climbing and commuting back home? Enter two things: oatmeal, and Naked Juice Sea Greens.

The oatmeal is pretty self-explanatory, and certainly not a groundbreaking recipe. I add some goodies, make a huge batch on Sunday, and package it up in individual servings that I take to school. I'm the kind of person that pretty much rolls out of bed and onto my bike, so I've found that I'm not actually very hungry before I leave the house. I haven't been awake long enough! So, I drink a big glass of water, make my coffee and put it in my to-go mug, pack everything up, and head to school! My ride isn't very hard, but I arrive at school ready for breakfast — enter the oatmeal! It's all ready to go, and after a minute in the microwave: it's awesome. It's like eating dessert! I always wish I packed more (even though I really don't need more...).

We've talked about lunch already and, unfortunately, that's where my healthy consumption was ending. I'd be starving by 5pm, let my stomach gurgle through a climbing session, and then return home to eat a dinner of chips and salsa. Or crackers and hummus. Seriously: NOT COOL. Not cool. Not healthy! And you guys KNOW how much I love the veg! Enter: Naked Juice Sea Greens.

I've been a fan of Naked Juice since I discovered my college mealplan covered them, and love seeing what goes into the juices — it's so clearly printed on the side of each bottle! Their new Sea Greens juice is a blend of sea greens (spirulina and dulse!), celery, strawberry, and orange. You might think "ew, green, gross, ew" ... NOT SO! The strawberry and orange give this nutrient-rich juice a wonderful flavor, without added sugar or preservatives. Plus, it's a coconut water base! WIN!

You guys have probably heard of spirulina, and now you've heard of dulse! It's an edible seaweed, which is great for your gut, high in vitamins A, B6, and B12 — not to mention iron! This juice deliver tons of vitamin A & C, potassium, and iodine, and couldn't be tastier. Even if I DO go home and eat a dinner of chips and salsa (which I am NOT recommending, and am steering away from...), I know I've at least had a boost of veggies and vitamins during the day. For me, it's the perfect bridge between lunch and dinner — and easy to take with me on my bike! #priorities

I'll keep you guys updated on how I'm adjusting my eating habits now that I'm out of the house 15+ hours per day! For now, I'll leave you with what I deem the world's greatest oatmeal (at least in my book!). As with most of my recipes, this one is totally customizable. Add nuts! Or stir in peanut butter! Let me know if you guys have any tips/tricks for getting your veggies, or cutting down prep time while still eating healthy foods!

My (current) Favorite Oatmeal (and what I\'m eating these days)

• Author: Mary
• Cook Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 5 servings 1x

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 3 cups water
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 ½ cups quick-cook steel cut oats
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 5 Tbsp shredded coconut (I use unsweetened)
• 1 cup dried chopped dates
• ½ cup seed mixture (I use a mixture of chia seeds, buckwheat groats, and hemp seeds)

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Instructions

1. In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the salt, then the oats.
2. Let the mixture simmer (I keep it covered unless I'm stirring), stirring occasionally, for 7 minutes.*
3. When the oats are done, remove from the heat and stir in the butter, maple syrup, and cinnamon. When the butter is completely melted, divide the mixture into your five containers for the week.
4. Divide the remaining ingredients equally between the containers. Cover, and store in the fridge until you're ready to eat. Microwave for 1-2 minutes before eating!

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Notes

Depending on what kind of oats you get, you may have to cook them slightly differently. Once they're done, you can follow the directions here to add the goodies!

This post was sponsored by Naked Juice. Thanks for supporting the brands that keep The Kitchen Paper up and running!