It was fun reading about your responses on the whole acupuncture experience!
I hope you guys have been enjoying the Portable Breakfast series on The Chic Life this week. So far, I’ve featured two other breakfasts you can enjoy on-the-go here and here.
WIthout further adieu, here’s our next morning meal for your busiest days…
Portable Breakfast #3 – Sip + Chew Oatmeal
Ok, I know what you’re thinking…sip…and…chew? While I find that oatmeal is far and above better when enjoyed spoonful by spoonful from your favorite oatmeal bowl…when you’re short on time, oatmeal in a cup is better than no oatmeal at all. I mean, sometimes, you just really, really want oatmeal. Not a smoothie, not toast…oatmeal. So, here’s your solution. And while I suppose you could whip up oatmeal and throw it in a blender so you can skip that whole chew part (and while I do have an oatmeal smoothie recipe in the works), I believe oatmeal of this kind should still be chewed.
So, why sip the oatmeal? Because, unless you’re able to take public transportation to work, you’re probably going to need your hands to drive your car, etc. By sipping the oatmeal, your hands are free to take care of business.
Step 1: Gather your ingredients and oatmeal pot (or a bowl if you’re going to microwave)
I really like oatmeal because it hits all the key points I try to get in my breakfast: whole grains, fruit, protein and the ability to add healthful add-ins like chia seeds.
Today, I used (to make oatmeal for me & hubby – he’s not a big oatmeal eater:
- 1/2 cup Bob’s Red Mill extra thick oats
- 1 tsp chia seeds
- 1/2 cup organic skim milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 banana sliced
Note: I don’t typically use extra sweeteners. I prefer to get the natural sweeteners from the fruit, but feel free to add yours to taste.
Step 2: Prepare ingredients, as needed
A blended fruit or veggie like applesauce or pumpkin would probably be your best bet for a fruit add-in, but I really like bananas. I also really don’t like mashed bananas in my oatmeal, so I just chopped mine, but mashed bananas would probably be better on the go.
Step 3: Cook oats stovetop (or in the microwave)
A couple general stovetop oats notes:
- I cook my oats on a medium low heat setting
- I add my oats, water, milk, and chia seeds straightaway
- I add the banana slices near the end of cooking
A couple notes for sip + chew oats:
- You want the consistency to be pretty liquid-y so it’s easy to sip. Otherwise, it will be difficult to eat from a cup.
- If your oatmeal gets too thick, you can add extra milk or water while you’re cooking to help it thin out.
Step 4: Add toppings
I like to add my protein via a nut butter and nut/seed toppings. Some oatmeal can have a fair amount of protein, so check your label. The one I’m using today has 7g per 1/2 cup, but I like to get extra from the nut butters, since the protein helps you stay full.
You can also add other toppings here, but I recommend sticking with things that are small or easy to eat since you won’t be using a spoon.
For toppings, I used:
- 2 spoonfuls homemade maple cinnamon almond butter
- flaxseed meal
- cacao nibs
I added my cooked oats and toppings in a bowl to show you, but you can add it straight to your container for transportation of choice.
Step 5: Stir
And if for some reason your almond/etc butter gets stuck to your spoon…well…
…you know what to do.
Step 6: Add your oats to a container for transportation and enjoy (if you haven’t already)
For a container for transporting your oats, I recommend the same thing you used for your smoothie – an insulated thermos. They’ll keep your oats warm, off your lap, off of the interior of your car (if you do it right), and will fit nicely in your cup-holders so you don’t have to look around for somewhere to put a bowl (as you may be able to tell…I’ve tried that before). I also recommend while you’re transporting the the oatmeal you leave the top on to prevent spills, but you can remove the top once you’ve settled into your car (or on the bus, etc.).
That’s it…if you got your oatmeal to the right consistency, it should be pretty easy to sip and chew when you’re on-the-go. Just think of it as pouring bites into your mouth instead of getting them off your spoon. Remember to try to stick with toppings and mixins that are easy to chew.
Btw, other options, if you don’t want to sip your oatmeal are to use an insulated container and enjoy your oats when you get to your destination/office or bring ingredients with you and make your oats at your destination/office. You don’t have to sip it…that’s just another option for you busy bees.
Cleaning tip: fill your pot with water once you’re done. If you let oatmeal sit on your pot all day, it will cake on and be difficult to remove. If you soak your pot, the oatmeal should come off very easily, even after only several minutes (though I do often let mine soak all day and clean when I come home from work, depending on how hectic my morning is). I do try to let the pot come to room temperature before I add water because I heard sudden changes in temperature can ruin a non-stick finish.
And here’s a photo of Bailey from this afternoon because you guys asked for it. π
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I fiiinally have a house update to share with you guys! You may remember hubby and I fell in love with a couch and chair set at Macy’s late last year, but have been too short on funds to purchase it. We’ve been stalking the set for the last year in hopes we’d find a floor sample or a major sale, but alas…the sale never came.
Lucky for us, hubby has been checking Craigslist on a regular basis and recently found the very couch set we wanted there!
For the first time in over a year, the formal living room has furniture in it. Literally, the only thing in this living room for what feels like forever was the rug…and eventually the buffet.
Bailey loves both the new couch and chair.
I love them both! Plus Bailey and definitely plus hubby for finding this amazing furniture for us! π
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Check back later for my next post on a new twist on stir-fries, plus new kitchen goodies!
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Btw, I asked my Facebook friends (click) for one word to describe The Chic Life and they said:
- Chic π
- Fabulous/Fab
- Creative
- Fun
You guys make me smile…thank you!
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Have you ever wanted to purchase something (doesn’t have to be furniture) but had to wait a long time to get it? What’s your shopping story?
I am LOVING your new couch / chair combo!!! It suits the room perfectly π
Nice new furniture! I love the close up of Bailey, he’s so sweet, I can tell he loves you very much, he looks so soft I wish I could touch him.
What a FUN find, I love the color combo too!! Goooooo Craigslist!!
I have put oats into my smoothie, it works π (Same ingredients, different proportions! ).
i love love love your oats- the photos are beautiful!
Thanks Carrie! π
I’d never even though to make drinkable oatmeal!! Though I did used to drink yogurt back in elementary school…weird, I know π I’m in love with the color of your new chair!
Drinkable yogurt sounds totally normal to me! π
Making oats at work is definitely another great way to go! I keep oatmeal, bananas, almond butter, and milk at work in the office fridge and pantry, and then whip up a nice bowl in the microwave. I love it…its part of morning routine now, checking email and making my to-do list, with a nice bowl of hot oats and coffee to settle into the day. π
I used to do that too! Not sure how I got into the habit of doing them at home. I agree…it’s a great way to start the work day! π
I do your cleaning tip all the time ;). The pot is so easy to clean afterward!
I have been dieing for new living room furniture since I bought my house over 2 years ago…I know exactly what I want but, like you, cash has been a bit short. My fiancΓ©e constantly checks Craiglist so I hope that it’ll pay off for us too (reading your post gave me hope that we will find our furniture). Thank you and, btw, your new furniture looks great…enjoy!!!
I’m thinking positive thoughts for you Carrie! π Maybe someone will get rid of something you’d love in their spring cleaning just around the corner. π
You got that couch off Craigslist? It’s gorgeous! Nice work π
I love the new furniture! It’s very chic. π
those oats look sooo good!
I can’t believe how nice that couch is. Good score from Craigslist!
What a great idea! How do you make oatmeal in the microwave?
First off…make sure you use a large bowl because they boil over easily and you can lose all your oats to your microwave. But I usually just follow the instructions on the back of the oats container. They can vary depending on what types of oats you use. I usually just microwave water and oats using the amounts and times according to the package. After it’s done cooking, I stir in milk and add toppings. π