Sneaky sneaky . . .

Woah, it's been awhile! How are you all doing? I've been swimming in blog post ideas but have had a difficult time trying to sit down and write!

Since the school year ended and E made an early return to NYC, Indio and I have been busy, busy, busy! You'd think with all this activity, my boy would be eating up a storm, but as many 2-year olds do, he seems to have lost his appetite, some days living on fruits and waffles.

In an effort to ensure he's getting as many nutrients as possible, my dad and I concocted a delicious smoothie that's perfect for these hot summer days. Indy calls it "Popeye" because I told him Popeye eats spinach. He doesn't even know who/what Popeye is! And yes, I said spinach. Don't worry, you can't even taste it!

I didn't calculate the nutritional info yet, but I can definitely say it's really good for you and I'm ok if that's all that Indio wants for dinner.

Popeye Smoothie

1 large banana
1 mango
1/2 cup raspberries
2 handfuls or more of baby spinach leaves
1.5 cups milk [whatever kind you like . . . I used 2% cow's milk because that's what we give Indio.]
ice

Put everything in a blender and hit "on". Voila!
Yields about 2.5-3 cups, depending on how much ice you use.

lending a hand

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Well Fed: Steel Cut Oatmeal

For someone who doesn't always eat breakfast, I'm a huge fan of oatmeal, usually the instant variety, because of its ease, taste and that it's good for me! I still miss the daily breakfast ritual of preparing 1-minute oats with raisins and bananas for myself and my old co-teacher.

Lately, I've grown to appreciate slow-cooked, steel cut oats. Their nutty, creamy flavour surpasses instant oatmeal every time. If you're in a hurry, make them ahead of time and refrigerate individual portions in airtight containers until you're ready to heat and eat. [I add a bit of milk before reheating in the microwave.]

Tonight, E and I weren't that hungry so we had *breakfast for dinner.* I found this recipe from Alton Brown via the Food Network and decided to give it a try since I just happened to have buttermilk in the fridge. I added raisins, though you could add almost any fruit.

It was a deliciously satisfying meal and I can't wait to eat the leftovers in the morning!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup steel cut oats

3 cups boiling water

1/2 cup whole milk

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon low-fat buttermilk

1 tablespoon brown sugar [I used honey because I didn't have brown sugar.]

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

rains [as many as you'd like...or none at all...totally optional!]

Directions
In a large saucepot, melt the butter and add the oats. Stir for 2 minutes to toast. Add the boiling water and reduce heat to a simmer. Keep at a low simmer for 25 minutes, without stirring.

Combine the milk and half of the buttermilk with the oatmeal. Stir gently to combine and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Add the cinnamon, sugar and raisins. Spoon into a serving bowl and top with remaining buttermilk. Enjoy!

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