Recipe: Choco-PB-Banana Oatmeal

So I decided to run later and to make oatmeal for breakfast. Since I'm not sure how long it will be before I have lunch (gotta squeeze in that baby visit and a 4-mile run before then), I'm going with one of my favorite higher-point breakfast recipes.

You can cut the points down if you like by omitting the Fiber One, using less oatmeal, or less peanut butter. If I put the ingredients into the WW online point tracker individually, I get 5 points. If I add everything up and figure out the points that way, I get 7 points. So I guess I will count 5 and let you decide for yourself. Inspiration is owed partly to Lisa at www.hungry-girl.com who makes something similar (but without the PB).

I LOVE peanut butter. I LOVE chocolate. This recipe has both. It feels decadent and naughty but has a lot of good stuff going on in it. Fiber, Protein, and Potassium make this a smart pre-workout meal. I should have my kids try it and see if they like it. They get tired of plain Malt-O-Meal and oatmeal with cinnamon and raisins in it. (I decided I was tired of spending so much money on cereal all the time, so we hardly ever have it).

Admittedly, this looks like a bowl of dogfood in the picture, but it doesn't taste like it, I swear! (Hmmm, although, like a dog, I'm always tempted to lick the bowl clean when I'm done).

--Choco-PB-Banana Oatmeal--

- 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats, cooked to package directions
- 1 Tbsp. peanut butter
- 1/2 ripe medium banana, mashed
- 1/4 cup Fiber One Original cereal (you can use another high-fiber cereal if you don't like F1 or can't eat aspartame)
- 1 packet diet hot cocoa mix (I use Swiss Miss 'Sensible Sweets' at 25 calories)
- Splash of Unsweetened Vanilla Almond milk

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Easy, huh?

Nutritionals: 360 calories, 11g fat, 14g fiber, 285mg sodium, 12g protein

WW points: 7

Fridays mean running...

I typically run (either outside if the weather is nice, or in the gym) on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. I don't particularly love running. In fact, I used to say I hated it. I called people who did it "freaking nuts". I was always that one kid in Highschool P.E. class trying to fake an asthma attack or find some other way to get out of running the mile. But guess what, it burns a TON of calories, and is great for my heart, my lungs, and my muscles. So now I do it. In fact, I ran a marathon in 2007 in Florence, Italy and one in 2008 in San Francisco and have done 4 half-marathons.

The full marathons I ran were through the National AIDS Marathon Training Program. It is a great training program that teaches you a lot and gets you ready to finish a half- or full marathon. Go to www.aidsmarathon.com if you want to check it out. I'm not sure if I will do any full marathons this year. I am tempted to do the San Francisco Marathon again just to see if I can improve my time. (I am a LOT faster and a lot stronger now). But then I am reminded of last year around mile 22 when I came around a corner to see another HUGE hill, and proclaimed, "This is the last full marathon I'm doing!"

Last year I completely geeked out and made a spreadsheet to track all my running mileage for the year. I ALMOST made it to 600 miles. In fact, I would have if I hadn't gotten sick with the flu the last week of the year! This year I have set a goal for myself of 700 miles. I am on track to get there if I keep up my schedule of running four times a week. So far I am a little past 200. Who knows, maybe I will make it to 800 this year, barring any catastrophic injuries?

I'm not sure if I will go for my run now or a little bit later. I have a 2-month-old baby nephew that I am completely enamored of, and I think I need to go visit. It's way easier when his brother and sister aren't around hogging him.

What, then, should I have for breakfast? It needs to be sweet (because I am in a sweet mood). It needs to have both complex carbs and protein in it. Some potassium would be good to help prevent muscle cramps on my run, and fiber would help me stay full longer so I won't be tempted to snack while I'm out visiting. (That's what people in my family do when they get together - they eat).

Hmmm, I'll update when I've decided and see if it's anything worth posting.

Recipe: Berry Yogurt Sundae

So, I know that the idea of mixing plain nonfat Greek yogurt with berries is not new. But I was having some and decided to post my little spin on it as my first recipe post. It has a good tart/sweet thing going on, with some crunch. The antioxidants from the berries and protein from the yogurt make this filling snack or dessert a winner!

--Yogurt Berry Sundae--

- 1 cup unsweetened frozen berries (I like to use Trader Joe's 'berry
cherry' blend)
- 1/2 cup Fage total 0% Greek yogurt
- 1/4 ounce walnut halves, diced
- 2 tsp. sugar-free pancake syrup (I use Mrs. Butterworth's)
- pinch ground cinnamon

Put the berries in a bowl and allow to thaw slightly (about 5 minutes). Top with Fage. Sprinkle on walnut pieces, drizzle on syrup, and sprinkle cinnamon over the top. Let sit for a few minutes to allow the yogurt to get really cold and thick.

Nutritionals (yours may vary depending on the berries you use): 190 calories, 4.5 g fat, 5.5 g fiber, 60 mg sodium, 12 g protein

WW points: 3

Getting Started...

So, my good friend Carol over at www.uncoveringfood.com has been doing a healthy foodie type of BLOG thing for a while. I have always admired her and use her recipes all the time. Recently I expressed jealousy at her following and made a comment that I wished I had time to do the same thing. She pointed out that if she has the time (with a very busy job that requries a lot of travel), then I have the time! So here we go.

I don't know if I will be very regular or organized in my posts, but it's worth a shot, right?

A little about me: I am a busy mom of four boys - stepsons ages 14, 13, and 11, and a 7-year-old. I own a martial arts school and teach classes to children and adults. I work in the afternoon and evenings and I bring the kids to the karate school with me. I use my mornings to get in my own karate training, work out at the gym, do housework, and run errands.

I have been on an on again/off again (but mostly off) Weight Watchers journey for the past 10 years, trying to lose lots of extra pounds that accumulated since my sedentary teenage years. This time around, I have been going strong for 9 months and have lost 75 pounds. This BLOG will include a lot of Weight Watchers (or WW for short) mentions, I am sure.

Please feel free to leave me your honest feedback and suggestions. If you have taken the time to read this far, I hope you will stick around!