Monday, January 31, 2011

Peanut Butter Cup Oatmeal

Hey everyone! Hope you enjoyed your weekend and are ready for what the new week brings! The new week is brining 10-20 inches of NEW snow to southeastern Wisconsin.Yuck.
We are supposed to get snow off and on today and tomorrow with most of it coming Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. Snow day? I am hoping.

I made a yummy creation over the weekend something along the lines of Peanut Butter Cup Oatmeal. It was enjoyed by kids so it was definately something worth posting about.



Peanut Butter Cup Oatmeal
1 serving of oats
1-2 T chocolate coconut butter
2 T peanut butter
1 T brown sugar
Blending with a splash of non-dairy milk
Garnished with carob chips


I also made a healthy version for myself

1 serving of oats, blended with 1 T almond butter and 1 T chocolate coconut butter
topped with coconut butter and cocoa nibs.

I love eating oatmeal in the morning or after a workout because it really keeps me full for 3-4 hours.
And there are so many variations of oatmeal that we can try!!

I hope your week is off to a great start and hopefully you check back this week because I will have a giveaway from CSN stores!

Nichole


Friday, January 28, 2011

Thank God It's Friday?

Hi friends! Hope your Friday is off to a great start. I love Friday's and the weekend however this weekend I am getting down and dirty. Working on the rental, for the last weekend (for awhile - hopefully). I have it rented and the renters are moving in the beginning of February. This is going to be a relief to have this burden done. However, I still have the upper unit to worry about. UGH.

I am going to be having my first giveaway on the blog, sometime next week! CSN Stores contacted me and offered to give one of my readers a $40 gift certificate to use on their website.

CSN Stores has over 200 online stores where you can find anything you need whether it be wall art and decor, fitness equipment, or even cutsie cookware and dishes!

I will be featuring the post next week sometime so be sure to keep reading and find out when and enter for your chance to win.

To enter you will simply have to become a new follower on my blog and my twitter page (@nicholemarie84).

Today for lunch I enjoyed once again a delicious Tofu Sandwich.

I ate this at work, at my desk. Hence the keyboard.
I am really digging this sandwich, tofu marinated with honey and teriakyi sauce, warmed in the microwave for 1 minute, add to my spinach, tomato and veganaise sandwich. Seriously yummmm....

Some leftover and warmed up Edamame please... delish...

Peanut Butter Cookie Larabar (purchased box from Target).

Have a great weekend!!!

Nichole

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Have you ever seen one this BIG?

An avocado the size of your head?


I found this bad boy at the grocery store and couldn't help myself - I had to get it. It had a much sweeter taste to it than the smaller ones. Never had one this big! I am thinking the bigger the sweeter????

Breakfast today was some blueberry oats and I also sprinkled chia seeds on top.

I did 30 minutes of eliptical before work and 30 minutes after. Also a 40 min ab work out with the wonderful Jillian Michaels. I am beat. Ready for relaxation.

I haven't posted much about Fashion on my blog, really at all. Lately I find my food habits a bit more interesting since I have been struggling with veganism for some time now.

However I plan to get more into the fashion aspect because I do live for it!

"I like my money where I can see it, hanging in my closet."


Can't forget makeup..
Lots of eye shadows, a girl needs her options...

until next time!!!

Nichole

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Tofu Scramble

Hello all! 1 Day closer to spring. I can't wait for some warm sun on my skin. In the summer I love getting my Vitamin D soaking up the rays. I believe in moderation and I can burn fairly easily. So I like to use natural sunscreen.

I recently posted about the Tofu Express that I purchased and I made a tofu scramble for breakfast the other day and absolutely loved it. I even put some in the fridge and heated up the next morning for breakfast and it was still great.

First thing I pressed the tofu overnight.

I chopped it into small squares and melted some Earth Balance in a pan.


I added my broccoli, onions, and tomato into the pan first, and the tofu second.

Heat until tofu is turning brown.


Add in spinach or use YOUR veggies of choice.



Wrap up in YOUR favorite wrap/tortilla etc. I love Ezekiel brand ANYTHING!

I garnished with avacado and salsa, so delicious and I could get used to eating this over eggs.

I also made some tofu in the oven and this is what I was eating on that sandwich.

Marinated in a Honey & Teriakyi flavor for 1 hour.



Baked at 375 degress for about 30-35 minutes.

Enjoy! I am becoming quite the tofu lover lately. Exciting!

Have a great week!

Nichole


Monday, January 24, 2011

Congratulations Green Bay Packers!

Happy Monday! What a wonderful way to start the week in the state of Wisconsin. We are going to the Superbowl!!!!!!! It was an intense playoff game, and fun to watch! This is what victory tastes like!!!!
I am hosting a superbowl party and I decided that before I knew Green Bay was going for sure. Either way I always watch the superbowl, mostly for the hilarious commercials!
I am having family over to see my new house and enjoy watching the game on my new 55' LED tv.

How was your weekend? I got some much needed house cleaning done, grocery shopping done, lots of exercise in and I am feeling it today in my shoulders. I did a 25 minute kettleball workout with Jillian Michaels on Exercise TV on Demand. Also 45 minutes on the elipitcal machine of mine.

There's been some snow build up here in Wisconsin as well, enough that we made a snowman...

My camera died before we got the head on. hahaa

I also made a great purchase last week, the Tofu Express.

I feel like this works best when the tofu is pressed overnight.

However I really enjoy using this and think it will get much use in my kitchen. Great product!!

You will see lots of new tofu recipes from me thanks to the tofu express!

I hope you have a great week and enjoy the last week on January!!

Nichole

Friday, January 21, 2011

This Friday Night...

I am staying in... that is because it is -2 degrees outside (says my car's thermostat) but it feels like -18 degrees (says mr. weatherman).

This snow isn't going anywhere with weather like this.

It's okay, I love my house. I can get to work on my e-filing my taxes in my home office.
Love this used, giant L-Shaped desk. Also have a matching credenza which is great for filing.


Or I can pamper myself or organize my makeup collection on my new vanity.



Love this! Pier 1's Hayworth collection.

I can also get my workout on with my new Gold's Gym Eliptical.

How awesome is the scotch tape holding my pink ipod on the trainer? hehehe


I purchased my new television, maybe we can watch a movie on HD.

Just in time for the Superbowl. GO PACKERS!!!!!

At least the sun is shining today, -18 or not. I love the sun.


Asparagus Soup Recipe from the Soup Goddess.

Have a great weekend!

Nichole

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Taco Twist

Hey friends! Glad we are over the hump! It definately feels like this week is flying by to me since I had Monday off of work.

I wanted to share a new twist I did on my classic bean "tacos", trying to clean out the fridge on the kick of getting more vegetables into my diet for 2011.

I present you with Fajita-Tacos....

First I sliced some onions and red peppers and lightly tossed them in some olive oil and in a pan for about 5 minutes over medium-low heat. I just wanted to add some warmth and keep the crunch.


I threw in some spinach and cooked just a minute or two.


In the meantime prepare Vegan refried beans
Layer in wrap of choice, with guacamole of course
Add in some (homemade) salsa

Roll it up and devour.

......Ezekiel wrap of course. LOVE THEM!!!!

Happy Thursday!

Nichole

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Fueling on Plants, Lunching at Work

Hello Bloggies!!

I hope your 2011 goals and intentions are going strong. I have been doing really well by staying active, eating healthy and trying to get as much GREEN into my diet as possible.

I like to start my day off with a a very GREEN shake in my Vita-Mix

Jammed pack full of greens - Spinach + Kale
I absolutely LOVE Amazing Grass products, they make me feel, well amazing! I make sure a scoop of Amazing Meal is in my smoothie as well as the Wheat Grass powder I just purchased from iherb.com

When I have more time or am real hungry I opt for some oats instead.
Rolled oats cooked on the stovetop, splash of almond milk, walnuts and coconut butter
SCRUMDILLYUMPTIOUS!!!!

Sometimes I fit in my workout before work and others after work. Do you prefer a AM workout or a PM workout? For me I guess it always depends on the day and my mood. Also if I am rushing to get to work, or if I overslept you better believe I am working out in the PM :)

Here is a yummy salad that I created last week:
Kale, Cuke, Spinach, Carrots, Tomato + Sunflower seeds

I have also opted to bring my lunches to work from now on, I am eating leftovers from tofu to chili to stirfry. We have a microwave at work so it definately works out nicely.

Re-heated Vegan Chili, I think next I am going to add tofu to my chili.



re-heated Tofu StirFry

Today it's a "TST"
Tofu, Spinach, Tomato Sandwich

I baked some tofu this weekend and have some leftovers - I thought why not on a sandwich??

I warmed the 3 slices of tofu in the microwave and placed on my pre-made and brought from home sandwich, complete with Ezekiel bread, Veganaise, yellow mustard, spinach & tomato.

This was way good! I will be posting the tofu recipe soon!!

I hope you have a wonderful week!!

Nichole