Creamy Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal

In this post:

Quick Fix Strength Circuit Workout
Creamy Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal
Zucchini and Asiago Quinoa

As I came down the stairs several mornings ago, who should I find lounging in the middle of the staircase?

Oh Charlie, how lucky you are that I saw you through my morning stupor!

To kickstart the launch of my fitness page, I decided to get things going with a speedy strength workout, which is basically the workout I originally did in my mushroom asiago omelet post, but with a slight adaptation.

As I did the back extensions, I held every other one for 8 seconds.

Be sure to check my workouts page periodically because I will be adding workouts as I do them. At least, the ones I deem worthy. ;) I hope you enjoy!

Breakfast was a delicious bowl of Creamy Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal.

What I used:

~ 1/2 Cup oatmeal

~ 1 Cup water

~ 1/2 Banana, cut into quartered chunks

~ About 1/8 Cup blueberries

~ 1 Tablespoon Plumaisins (chopped up no sugar added dried plums)

~ Sprinkle of toasted coconut

~ 1 Tablespoon PB2 (Powdered peanut butter)

I cooked the oatmeal for about 3 to 4 minutes on high in the microwave (I didn't have the patience to use the stovetop) then mixed everything else in. Yum yum yum is all I have to say. Creamy goodness on a spoon.

Guess who I should find staring at me the whole time I ate this deliciousness? You guessed it! Sorry, Chairbear, you had food waiting for you several feet to your left, with pumpkin on top to boot!

Lunch

Who remembers the first time you saw or heard the word "quinoa?" (pronounced keen-wa) Was your reaction, "Huh?" 

No? Well, mine was. What was this foreign-sounding "grain?" 

While it is widely considered a grain, it is actually a seed. A yummy, nutritious seed, I might add.

 I don't know what exactly to call this dish, so I'm just going to say Zucchini and Asiago Quinoa. It's very simple, but might in fact be one of the best things I've put on this blog. If you love zucchini and asiago cheese (and garlic ;) ), you won't be disappointed!

What I Used:

~ 1/4 Cup dry quinoa

~ 1/2 Cup water

~ 1/3 Zucchini, cut into thin half-slices

~ About 1/3 Large, white onion, chopped into thick chunks

~ 1 Clove garlic, minced

~ Organic baby spinach

~ 2 Fresh bella mushrooms, somewhat thickly sliced

~ 3/4 oz Asiago cheese

~ Black pepper to taste (I don't like adding salt when I'm using asiago cheese, because that's salty enough for the whole dish, for my taste)

What I Did:

1. Rinse the quinoa thoroughly under cold water in a strainer or cheesecloth. This gets rid of the natural bitterness (that's meant to protect it from getting eaten no less). This bitter coating is called saponin.
2. In a small/medium saucepan, add the quinoa and water and bring to a boil. Then, cover and reduce the heat and let simmer for about 10-15 minutes, or until all the water is gone. 
3. While the quinoa is cooking, drizzle a little olive oil onto a skillet and heat over medium to medium-high heat.
4. Add the onions and sauté for several minutes, until you see it start to brown/caramelize, then add the zucchini and mushrooms, cooking for another 2 or 3 minutes.
5. When the quinoa and veggies are both done, combine them in the saucepan, along with the spinach, fresh garlic, asiago cheese, and pepper.

Done! The heat melts the cheese immediately and you're left with a cheesy, savory yumminess.

Yield: Makes about 1-2 servings.

Question of the evening: Are you a quinoa fanatic like I am? What is one of the best quinoa dishes you've ever eaten?

You might also like:

Chicken and Veggie Stir Fry

w/ Lemon Ginger Sauce

Garlic Hummus