Oatmeal

I have this weird love for oatmeal, it is so warm and hearty and improves my mood instantly. I don't know why, it's just amazing! I used to be all about those Quaker Oat prepackaged oatmeal pouches, so much variety and tasty flavors! However over the past year and a half, I've been working towards avoiding the convenience because we all know it's full of preservatives, sodium, and it's just processed.

In my earlier confession, I mentioned that I'm a minimalist when it comes to cooking. Mainly because I'm lazy and want to just eat already! Also, it is actually one mention in Ayurveda teachings that we should always be simple in our meals, avoiding a complex combination of different ingredients. Which I also strongly believe! Our bodies shouldn't have to overwork when it comes to digestion...but i won't get into the science as I'm not at ALL an expert.

So my oatmeals in the past used to be water, oats, and brown sugar. Then I wanted to cut out sugar because that's my kryptonite. I started having oats with coconut milk / and or water depending if I'm at work or home...cooked with a LOT of cinnamon! It was definitely filling and without the brown sugar I wasn't craving more after!

But here's a new recipe that I've tried all this week that has given me energy, focus, and satisfaction first thing in the morning:

-1/2 cup Oats
-1 cup unsweetened Coconut Milk
-a lot of Cinnamon
-1 Banana, sliced
-A small handful of Craisins
-A sprinkle of Sliced Almonds

It's sweet without added sweeteners, has a little crunch and tartness! It incorporates a lot of different tastes and so filling, you won't think about 'what's next on my 'to-eat' list?'

It's a pretty chilly but sunny Saturday afternoon (I woke up late and I can enjoy breakfast whenever I want to). I wanted to disconnect from the internet because I had spent the entire morning coordinating a bachelorette party with my friends. I also wanted to get some more reading in my current read on Ayurveda for Modern Women. Another factor in balancing your life is to be in touch with nature, so I enjoyed my meal out on my patio reading. I know eating while watching TV / Texting/ being distracted is a HUGE factor to overeating. It was really nice :)

Before I made this meal today, I was reading a section of 'Meditation on Eating'. The author mentioned this strategy of relaxing, and visualizing your Inner Goddess in your belly. She could be as beautiful as you imagine. Next, imagine you are going to feed this beautiful Goddess within you. How would you prepare her meal? What would you give her? How would you plate it? Would she rush her meal? How would she eat it, how does she enjoy it? Once she's done, does she rushes off to do something next or is mindful of what she ate?

I want to feed my inner goddess in the most fanciest and meaningful way possible, with pretty plates and colorful foods. I want to make the food with love and take my time. I want to feed her with the ripest and most natural foods. That visualizing really helped me!

Enjoy!

la nourriture

Throughout my entire life, I've always been aware of my slightly unhealthy relationship with food, but never did too much to improve it. I just admitted to being an overeater, constantly overindulging at the sight of food. Feeling full? What's that?! I would be completely aware that I finished an entire meal for a family of four, but still felt unsatisfied. I am a ridiculously fast eater too, practically inhaling whatever is in front of me the second I lay my eyes on it. In class or at work or driving or on the couch or in bed, I'm constantly thinking of "what should I eat? I'm hungry but not starving...I just need something little." It was tormenting not being able to identify what was the missing piece for my temporary satisfaction. I am also the friend who always wants to order dessert, but always declines as most of the people I go out to eat with never do, which is pretty insane if you ask me!! When I look at menus, I am not closing it until I know the establishment's entire list of dessert items. Once, someone at work from another team messaged me asking if I knew any good places with cakes around here, it's a specialization I have!

Anyway, I finally want to say NO to overeating, to be mindful about my meals, and to stop revolving my entire life around food. Yes, it keeps us alive, however it should NOT be an obsession. We should be satisfied with what we feed ourselves, and if we're not that means we are not doing it right.

Side note, despite my infatuation with eating food, you must realize I do not cook. I can do a few things here and there, but then again I'm a minimalist. I prepare meals with maybe 3-4 main ingredients because I have no creative mind or mindfulness to enjoy all different complimenting tastes. I rush cooking, and I never understood why one of my friends who's akin to Martha Stewart spent so much time on presentation.

I recently started reading a book about Ayurveda for Modern Women. I really want to change my lifestyle, actually return it to how I was exactly a year ago. I worked out daily after work (I had a nonexistent social life, so it made it tremendously easy), and ate fresh vegetables and fruits in almost every meal, smoothies in the morning and salads at lunch. I don't remember feeling SUPER great because I was enduring a pretty harsh breakup, but I was healthy as hell. I had self-control, goals, and awareness. I want to get back to that and lose 15 pounds. But I need to balance diet , exercise, and having a life.

I want to be more mindful about my eating, so I will start getting creative and make and enjoy meals that make me feel full, energized, AND most importantly, satisfied.

Imitation Viva Chicken

today's dinner:

Quinoa and wild rice stuffed avocado with lime juice and balsamic glaze

think before you speak

If you are ever curious about someone's ethnicity, their background, their origins, please think before you speak. Never ask someone, "what are you?", because I will respond "human, dammit!"