Breakfast at Panera

Finding good wholesome breakfast on the go can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. While on an early morning outing, my fam and i decide to get some breakfast so we decide to grab some Panera Bread. This was my first time actually going to Panera bread during breakfast so i knew that this was going to be very interesting.  Way before i even became vegetarian, i  had a bad gag reflex to eggs. The smell of it , the taste of it, boiled, scrambled, poached, it didn’t matter i  just couldn’t eat eggs.  So my breakfast options growing up has always been limited, so when i got to Panera Bread i knew my only option was going to be a bagel. But once at the counter, I was please to see that on the menu was steel cut oatmeal.  I’m not gonna lie the oatmeal was a bit pricey but compared to what you find at you local drive thru. This oatmeal was out of this world, real ingredients,  fresh fruits and pecans and also vegan friendly too. I paired it with a wheat bagel and black coffee and had the most nutritious and delicious breakfast i had in a while.   If you’re an oatmeal fan and haven’t tried Panera’s  oatmeal you don’t know what you’re missing.  What your favorite Panera bread item?

What’s for Breakfast? (Coconut Chia Waffles)

The weekend is when i tend to sleep in and just get some well needed rest. For some reason this past weekend i got up earlier than usual and decided to make some breakfast. So i fired up some waffles, but these weren’t your regular type of waffles. These were Frozen Gurus’ flour-less waffles,I know i thought the same thing you’re thinking but they gave out samples at whole food that made me a believer. These waffles are smaller than your usual waffles but  are high in protein and fiber. I had the coconut chia flavor which was very different from any waffles that i ever had. These waffles consist of Non GMO Tofu,  Rolled Oats, Fruit Puree and in this case coconut and chia seed. These waffles are a bit pricey for the size and quantity but if you’re looking for a quality once in a while treat this might be it.  This product  is great for vegans or even gluten free people since these are egg-less ,flour-less and contains gluten free oats. I bought these at my local Whole Foods but chances are they might be find at your local nutrition/organic store  check for locations on their website .Bon Appétit !    http://frozenguru.com/store-locator/  

 

FYI: These waffles go great with Green smoothies. My daily green smoothie contains coconut water and chia seeds so these paired nicely with each other 🙂 .

 

 

Dinner is served

So If you guys didn’t know already, i have the best sister in the world. Yes its a bias statement but it’s true none the less. The other night we planned on cooking this grand meal to end our 40 day fast. When I got home that night running late from work , everything was cooking away and dinner was almost ready. We had blackened salmon, garlic herb potatoes and green beans,three word to describe this meal was: Yum,Yum, Yum! In the past i tried but failed  at making  salmon but this was our first try at blackened salmon which came out great. We finally figured out the secret ingredient to make the best blackened salmon ever. Its all starts from the prep way before the seasoning comes in. Acidity is your best friend when it comes to fish let alone any meats or poultry. But its a vital part when it comes to fish. Why you ask?  Well because  without it you fish ends up having a fishy smell and taste. I like fish and all but the fishy scent that it gives when cooking i could live without. So we poured a little vinegar, wine  and lemon juice and let it marinate a little, you can also do rum or vodka if you like too.  We didn’t get to soak it over night but it did just fine in that short period of time. After that we added some blackened seasoning on both sides and baked.   Based on this picture and how happy my stomach felt after, why wouldn’t my sister be the best sister in the world lol. 🙂

VeggieMac and Cheese

One staple i started eating since turning vegetarian is wheat pasta. My favorite way to eat wheat pasta  is  Macaroni and cheese  with California blend vegetables. This is a great way to eat vegetables if you’re not a fan of steamed/boiled  vegetables.  My go to is California  vegetables that comes with Carrots, Broccoli and cauliflower but you can add any veggies you like. I  recommend using the deluxe mac and cheese that comes with the cheese sauce already made but you can make if  from scratch if you prefer. Being in school i don’t have much time to really do things from scratch let alone cook a grand meal, so this veggie Mac and Cheese is my go to. A quick 15 minute meals that’s easy  and nutritious(Depending on the brand) and affordable. Yum! 🙂

FYI: When your Pasta is close to al dente pour the frozen vegetable in the same pot, once boiled completely . Drain and Stir in the cheese!

Trip to the Farmers Market

So my sis and I decided to go to the farmers market to stock up on some fruits and veggies. We decided to be a little adventurous and try a new farmers market and finally decided on the Flamingo’s Farmer Market. This was more than a farmers market this was a plant Nursery as well. So this was basically a one stop shop kind of place, but we headed straight to the farmer market and stocked up on fruits and veggies for our Daniel fast . The prices were nothing short of the ordinary prices  at the regular grocery store but i did find a deal on beets.  I honestly have to say ,I  never thought i would like beets but i do.When you get pass the color they kinda of taste like earthy carrots. I haven’t juiced them or added them to my smoothies just yet but as a little snack they are pretty good.

On this particular Farmers Market trip I was on a mission to find some avocados.  There weren’t really on sale but i needed them specifically to make my green smoothies extra hearty.  I used one avocado for two 160z servings that i would drink throughout the morning at work.In addition to the avocados, i would add apples, flax-seeds, chia seeds and loosed leaf green tea along with my leafy greens and fruits. These smoothies were so thick that there were days that i would consume the smoothies for lunch instead cause they made me feel that full. I know they say that too much avocado is bad for, which i  really  don’t believe. But after this fast i will be taking a break from avocados only because I’ve gotten tired of it after 20 plus days of consuming it straight.