Sometimes I want to Blog, and Sometimes I don't

I always question whether I should write a new post. I get that there are a million blogs out there and that I can't expect mine to get views in the beginning, but it's just frustrating to write a post that won't get any comments. :( Okay, tangent ended. Stick around for a recipe at the bottom, or just skip my Sunday Rambles Thoughts.

Let's start over shall we?
I have a VERY short attention span. I blame electronics. And our generation's need for texting, facebook (which I really despise actually) and tv shows. I mean seriously, watching a movie for me requires focus. And self-restraint. Enter: "No Carly, you cannot check Instagram for the hundredth time to see if anyone has posted any food porn ;)" 

My mom always asks me why I bother sitting in front of the television with my laptop as I am reading/browsing blogs. I mean really? Can I focus on both? No. That's why I didn't know that Finn joined the army. (lol, anyone else out there a gleek?) I watched the season finale of Glee while blogging. And thus, I had to watch it again (with my laptop out of sight) to pick up the details I missed.

Anyways, (wow my ramblings really took over this time), the point of that was to lead into the fact that I actually get bored of blogs quite quickly. I will find a new blog, get all excited because I really like it, then I'll browse through their old posts (Those "you might also enjoy" pictures always just look so intriguing!) and then I'll subscribe to them. But in reality, my Bloglovin' Reader just gets full because I usually just get on a blog-to-blog searching spree for new ideas and reading interesting posts. 

Want to see a timeline?
Some recent blogs I've become obsessed with
first it was, Peanut Butter and Jenny
then came Chef Katelyn
and today I discovered Live Laugh Eat

But hey, there is hope. Because I always look forward to reading posts by these lovely ladies(: Check them out. And while I have you, stay with me for this ah-mazing breakfast recipe I concocted today.


Kiss My Broccoli
Hungry Hungry Hippie
Meals and Moves

Recipe time!

Carrot Cake Egg White Oats

can you believe that's an iPhone photo? gasp; no editing either #lazygirlproblems

Part One: The Oats
1/3 cup Oat Bran
1/2 cup Milk
1/2 Water
Spices; Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger, Ground Cloves, Allspice
*Sorry I never measure. Just be careful with cloves and ginger those have strong flavors. And always feel free to add more cinnamon(: 

THE NIGHT BEFORE (optional, but recommended)
Mix the above ingredients and place in your fridge to soak overnight. This will make the oats thick and voluminous.

Part Two: The Carrots and The Cake
1 medium Carrot, shredded
1 ripe Banana
3/4 cup Egg Whites (+cream of tartar or lemon juice if you use the kind from the carton)
~1/4 cup Walnuts, toasted and chopped
Blackberries (or fruit of choice, raisins would be good too)

Part Three: The "Cream Cheese Frosting"
Dollop of Cottage Cheese
Dollop of Yogurt
1/2 scoop Vanilla Protein Powder [~10g]
Almond Milk to thin to desired consistency (mine turned out a little more watered down than I would have liked)

Method
Place your oat/water/milk mixture along with the spices into a medium saucepan and leave uncovered on low heat to cook while you assemble the remaining elements. (The longer the oats cook the thicker they will become and I have found that they taste better if they are thick when you add the egg whites). Be sure to stir them as you prep! 
Start by making your "frosting" by placing the ingredients into a Magic Bullet or food processor to make it smooth. Set aside.
Toast your walnuts (don't let them burn; watch carefully) and shred your carrot into the pot of oats (or just place your pre-shredded carrots in). Cut the banana in half and thinly slice one half into the pot of oats and stir until the carrots and banana have thickened the oats. (The banana will break down on low heat and release natural sweetness). 
Measure out your egg whites and cream of tartar/lemon juice (if using carton egg whites) and use a handmixer to whip them until white fluffy peaks form. This step is also optional, but makes the oats much more voluminous. 
While the pan of oats is still on low heat mix in the whipped egg whites (try adding about half of the egg whites at a time). Keep stirring until the mixture becomes uniform and let them cook for 2-3 minutes or until thickened. 
Transfer your oats into a bowl and top with your cream cheese frosting, chopped walnuts, blackberries and the remainder of your banana. 

Notes
Don't let this long recipe intimidate you. It may take a little bit longer to make them the first time (I suggest a leisurely sunday morning, not when you are starving after a workout). But once you make them once (and become addicted (: ) you will get the hang of it and it will become easier and faster. 
Substitutions
I would not suggest replacing the milk with water because the oats will taste watery (even the 1/2 cup of milk makes them creamy)
Feel free to:

• sub in any fruit or your choice
• top these oats with peanut butter instead of the frosting
• leave out the carrots (you can't take them I promise!)
• top with shredded coconut or another type of nut (pecans perhaps)
• if you don't have time you can just put the egg whites straight into the oats rather than whipping them up
• they will taste just as good if you don't soak the oats over night

Loves(:

P.S I would love to hear any feedback or your favorite type of oats!

WIAW (I made it!)

I think it's a little ironic that one of my summer goals was to be on time, yet last week I missed the link deadline for the WIAW. #oops


So here it is, a tad late, but with more eats to share (:


Thanks Jenn for hosting!

So let's start with fitness; as I said earlier I'm training for a triathlon so my workouts have been mainly geared around that, but I also have been incorporating some strength training, rest days and some Cardio Funk of course!


Monday: Cardio Funk
Tuesday: Personal Training Session (I won it in the YMCA contest :) )
Wednesday: Bike Ride
Thursday: XC Workout
Friday: Bike Ride with a friend 
Saturday: Open Water Swim and Bike Ride


Now onto some eats; these are my eats from July 10th and then later I'll just post some random eats from recent meals


Before my triathlon training appointment 
9:00 am; Banana, Mini LUNA Bar, and homemade Protein Thin Mint (not sure if I'm sold on these yet..)

 After my triathlon training appointment (second breakfast; duh :) )
12:00pm; OIAJ (Plus some overflow ;) ) These oats were extremely voluminous


1/3 Cup Oat Bran
2 T Wheat Bran
Cooked in 1 1/2 Cups of Water/Coffee
(plus the usuals= Vanilla Extract, Cinnamon, Pinch of Salt)


After cooking in the microwave I mixed in about 1/2 cup of cottage cheese, 1/2 cup USVAM, 4 t Chia Seeds (I started with a Tablespoon and just added one more teaspoon) and left it in the fridge overnight. In the morning I topped it with Peanut Flour Candy

 Before my almost forgotten Orthodontist Appointment; I really need to work on those summer goals!

 2:30pm; A stir fry of sorts topped with Wasabi Peas and a mock Sriracha hot sauce

 A pre-dinner snack

 4:45pm; a side of Fresh Okra and a Green Macho Smoothie topped with Strawberries, Peaches and a sprinkling of Cinnamon life, oh every spoonful or so (; #shouldntkeeptheboxsoclose 

And some water of course a la my camelbak insulated waterbottle #lovethisthing

 Dinner while babysitting

 7:30pm; Buffalo Chicken Salad Melt with Summer Squash, Homemade Ketchup, and Parsnip Fries

You didn't think I brought that all from home did you? (; #foodie 

Late-night dessert
10:30pm; topped with a Double Chocolate Scone, Shredded Coconut and Blueberries


 I'll try not to bore you, but here are some memorable eats from lately #photodump
I never know if I should say what these were, but since on most posts I read I'm always curious; I'll include a brief description anyways (if you have any questions, feel free to ask)

Egg White Oats with Red Berries, Cocoa Almonds and Coconut Cream

 FRDIAC (did you get that? haha, it's my frozen dessert mess in Chobani container)

 Salad Plate with a Turkey Muffin, Mac and Cheese
Chicken Tenders with Homemade Ketchup/Goat Cheese and Fresh Veggies

 Egg White Oats with Peaches, Blackberries, Blueberries, Coconut, Soynuts and Shredded Coconut
Snack Plate with Sliced Apple and Half of a Clif Bar (Chocolate Coconut ftw!)

Grilled Yellowtail, Mac and Cheese, Kale Salad and Corn on the Cob

A Chocolate Sweet Potato Protein Shake with LOTS of Chocolate (you must try Trader Joe's Hazelnut Chocolate Bar), Banana Slices, Red Berries and a Banana Bread Muffin

 Pre-workout Date with Peanut Butter
Cocoa Chili with Homemade Cornbread

Egg White Oats with Chocolate, Passionfruit Yogurt, Red Berries, Cocoa Almonds and Freezedried Bananas (The calculator is for size reference because I wish you guys knew how big this bowl was!)

Sorry for the overload (I just had two weeks worth to share :P)
Loves(:

Sunshining(:

Hey readers! Lately I've been taking it slow, sleeping in ('til 12) and going to an occasional XC workout (yes, I realize I have graduated haha).

I've also been working out, chasing chickens (haha, my sister and I are petsitting; they are cute, but oh so fast!) and recieving packages (yay, can't wait for the foodie pen pal reveals!)

RUN

good3 mi 00:28 09:22 pace

Critical Threshold Run

1 day ago

SWIM

alright1400 yd 00:30 37:42 pace

Followed by a 20 minute easy stationary bike ride at the Y!

2 days ago

RUN

good2.3 mi 00:19 08:24 pace

2 mile PPM run

3 days ago

FIT

greatCardio funk 01:004 days ago

Oh and I finally got around to posting that picture of my inspiration board(:

See that cute little kitty? Look familiar? Check him out at STUFT Mama's blog. She sent them out for readers and bloggers to send her pics (I'll let ou know if any of my pics are featured in her posts). You can look at an example of a previous post here.

 So yesterday I FINALLY cleaned my room. Like I had things that I never unpacked from May (yikes!) I just hate unpacking and I have been on so many trips lately with lots of overlap, so I never got around to it. But luckily my room is looking pretty spiffy now(: And for that I rewarded myself with a little relaxin in the sunshine.

I finally finished Mockingjay on my kindle! What did you guys think of it? I thought it was a little bleh, too drawn out and a disappointing ending :/

Check out my new button bracelet I just made(: All I did was take some hemp and thread all these old buttons through it. You can even use those buttons that come with shirts or sweaters in the little plastic baggies (That you know you will never use; I mean come on, how could you find them when your button breaks, haha I have like a bizillion)

Oh and I just wanted to share a little makeup tip with you guys; To get extra curly eyelashes (because mine are naturally short and flat) you take a blow-dryer and then heat up your curling iron for a few seconds (not too long or you may burn yourself!). But I do it and it really makes my eyelashes look longer and fuller! I'm not too big on makeup but I'll usually just put on some tinted SPF moisturizer and mascara. I really like Covergirl's mascara...anyways onto some recent eats;

A massive (read:way too much) salad that I didn't even get to finish filled with the rest of my chicken salad, a soft boiled egg, more cabbage, tomatoes, chopped veggies on a bed of greens

A bowl of cantaloupe filled with cereal and berries (underneath)

Some amazeballs Peanut butter S'mores Egg White Oats inspired by Heather

 Mid- and Post-toppings [I like to go all out(: hehe]

I guess I like massive bowls/plates of food; because there's my 15'' Macbook for size comparison (but it was soooo good)

What's our favorite oatmeal combination? I think I'm going to give tahini and chocolate one last go around..

My eats round dos; A little WIAW action

So here's some more of my eats from this past week and an actual day in the life; haha because I know you love just oogling over my pictures of food(: But hey, I do love looking at other's WIAWs because I use them as inspiration, especially when I'm in a rut! Thanks Jenn for hosting(:

So first we have Monday's eats (all of them; I know right, I'm getting fancy now :p)


Let's say 12:00 pm because I got up pretty late that day

Pumpkin Egg White Oats (am I the only one who enjoys it year round?) but wait, get this, they aren't just pumpkin oats, they are Pumpkin BBQ Egg White oats a la wildberry jelly, coconut butter, alm/cash/peanutbutter mix, blackberries and blueberries with a little cinnamon life, grape nuts, kashi cinnamon hearts and some shredded coconut action

2 pm snack

sensible snack~

Handfuls of raw okra x4 (or so haha)

Now we are at my mid-day lunchish; 3pm?

Oh look my dog! haha; she was lounging out in the nice sunshine with me. I was just eatin up my Cinnamon Canteloupe Chia Chiller (i'm liking the alliterations) I based it off this recipe, but I added chia seeds, vanilla extract, xanthan gum and protein powder.

Shall we say 4pm

Sensible snack~

 A snackity snack, Peanutbutter frozen popcorn

5:45pm before my Cardio Funk Class (yes I'm addicted; but the teacher is amazing!)

Chicken salad on a bed of lettuce and arugula with salsa and scoopers (sunchips, flaxseed chips, ricecakes and pretzels)

Sensible snack/dessert~

A little dancin fuel; one of my energy bites!

8:30 pm

 Frozen dessert mess of course (this one had pistachio pudding mix, vanilla protein powder, shredded zucchini along with the fixins, topped with strawbs, freezedried strawbs, chocolate, cacao nibs and a banana bread muffin

Now I'll just dump the rest of my recent eats on ya(: hehe

 Failed crockpot oats on the left and a frozen dessert mess on the right (I realize I'm bad with promises)

2-egg omelet topped with salsa served with roasted dill squash, canteloupe and another fail, a dry pancake haha. And on the right a yummy waffle with soynuts, freezedried strawbs, oreo crumbles and cacao nibs, topped with peanutflour syrup and a sliced nanners (success!)

 Whole-wheat bagel with chicken salad and jalapeño jack yogurt cheese

Served alongside red cabbage with avacado, walnuts, wilted arugula and spiralized squash with sauteed mushrooms, tj's seafood medley and marinara, (the bagel is hidden under the lettuce) 

 Part two of my breakfast today (part one went unpictured; a waffle with ssb and bloobs)

This is popped amaranth with a banana cream smoothie (a la incredible greens), strawbs and freezedried bananas and strawberries, cracklin oat bran and shredded coconut

Almond milk "ice-cream" made with chocolate protein powder topped with cocoa "puff"-ins, cacao nibs, sliced nanner, chocolate and blackberries