Hey, hey, hey! It’s What I Ate Wednesday!
So it’s been a hot minute since we’ve done one of these, eh? And by “we’ve” I mean I’ve. Please don’t call the men in white coats – there’s just me rattling around in this old head of mine. We I promise 😉
Funny story! So back in the day, I had a serious fascination with abnormal psychology. I guess I still do, but after getting my degree and spending a good amount of time in the field, I came to realize that it probably wasn’t the best career path for my highly sensitive self.
Either way, I spent so much time studying all the mental disorders and the abnormal behaviours and thought patterns that go with them, that I’m pretty sure I developed something akin to medical students’ disease. Forget psychoanalyzing friends and family – I was psychoanalyzing myself and constantly paranoid that I either had or was going to get one of the disorders I was learning so much about. OCD. GAD. Schizophrenia. Bipolar. It was good times 🙄
And in case you’re wondering, no… my little story has nothing to do with today’s post. So what’s say we switch gears and get to the food?!?
[Breakfast] 1 cup of dry oats cooked in a mix of canned coconut milk and water. 1/2 scoop of cookies ‘n’ cream protein powder, a nectarine, blueberries, strawberries, and cinnamon added post-cook.
Oh man, oh man. I missed my oats while I was gone. We stayed at the Bellagio while we were down in Vegas, and as much as I love that hotel, I hate that they don’t even have in-room coffee makers, because no coffee maker means no hot water, and no hot water means no in-room oatmeal for Spoons (aka: me).
I ended up getting oatmeal from the cafes a few times, but is was pretty basic stuff with just raisins and sugar, and the portion was so small compared to what I normally have, that I started getting hungry about an hour after I finished. And let’s not even talk about how much it cost. Next question! Or… uhm… meal.
[Lunch] a smorgasbord of mixed baby greens, coconut basmati rice, kidney beans, steamed sweet potato, guacamole, and salsa.
It’s not a smoothie! 😲 Shocking, right?
I’m pretty sure this is the first time since I started doing WIAWs again that I haven’t had a swampy chocolate smoothie for lunch, but I was planning on testing a new pancake recipe in the afternoon which meant breakfast for dinner was inevitable. And while I have no qualms with eating breakfast foods for all 3 meals, I figured I should probably get some extra nutrition in after my trip.
And no chocolate for lunch meant chocolate in the afternoon, obviously…
[Afternoon Snack:] a chunk (slice?) of Mom’s chocolate zucchini cake and some So Delicious vanilla coconut milk yogurt.
You know… I can’t even remember the last time someone other than me did the baking. So thank you, Mom, for this tasty chocolate bread/cake. She was even pretty adamant about making sure I knew there was zucchini in there… possibly after reading this post 😂
Also, I’m not sure if I told you guys this yet, but I’ve really eased up on dairy over the past little while… hence the coconut yogurt. Remember my crazy bad eczema? I put myself on a bit of an elimination diet a while back and figured out that dairy was a pretty huge contributor to it. And while I can still handle the small amounts that I use in baking since I’m not eating the whole thing in one go, I’ve pretty much cut it out everywhere else.
Is it a pain? Sure, but eczema is an even bigger one.
And on that note… [breakfast for] dinner!
[Dinner]: quite possibly my favourite pancake recipe that I’ve ever posted (or will post) here on Spoons. Look for it on Saturday!
Best way to end the day, yeah?
I ended up eating a batch and a half since I had extras lying around from testing, and it hit the spot juuuuuust right. Also, I think my pancake flipping skills are improving 👌🏻
And that’s that! My beloved oats, chocolate cake, breakfast for dinner… a good day of eating, if I don’t say so myself.
Let’s chat!
What’s one dish you only like if you make it yourself?
What’s for lunch today?
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That lunch bowl… It’s 6am and I want that right now! Delicious.
I think porridge is the only thing I prefer when I make it. I like it thick. No runny oats for me – the spoon has got to be able to stand up by itself!
Lunch today will be leftover Quorn fajita bake with some mixed leaves.
Funny thing: I’ve only ever stayed in one hotel with an actual coffee maker in the room. Usually there’s just a kettle and a few sachets of tea or instant (ick) coffee. I tend to take my own green tea!
Smoothies are super hard for me to like unless I make it myself – usually because I use “weird” ingredients like frozen zucchini! And travel eats can definitely be challenging…especially if you’re like me and love routine!
I don’t think I’ve eaten something someone else baked since…maybe last September? Besides pre-packaged gluten-free things. Moms are awesome. 🙂
One thing I’ve noticed about hotels is that the more you pay, the less you get. Basic Midwest Days’ Inns give you a microwave, mini-fridge, coffee maker, shampoo. Some really high-end places don’t give you much more than soap. 😛
Wait are you an HSP? *high five* My mom, brother, and I are but I don’t know many others so yay!
We were in the MGM when we stayed in Vegas a couple of years ago. Had a walk round the Bellagio though, cause friends of ours were staying there. Loved Vegas! 🙂
WOAH now! I love how you put cookies n’ cream protein powder into your oats. Those oats look like they came out of something unreal; they are so beautiful! So thankful that God made a world with so much beauty.
And that zucchini cake? Does your mom want to share her recipe? PRetty please! 🙂
ahhh I keep meaning to ask you about the dairy thing- dang! #TBT (tomorrow) to the days where you probably ate half of Canada’s Greek yogurt supply.
Thought process of greens at lunch for arvo recipe testing = genius.
Oatmeal is always so much better at home! I feel the same way about salads. I always like mine the best,but that doesn’t stop me from eating them when I’m out.
cookies and cream protein powder in oats sounds SO good! What brand do you use?! 🙂
This one was PlantFusion!
Look at us, being all WIAW-y today. 🙂 Welcome home!!
Glad to hear your skin is feeling (and looking!) better. Sucks that it came down to dairy, but HEY – at least it’s not gluten, right!? I got a celiac test a few weeks ago and rejoiced when it came back negative. HAHA
I don’t do much dairy anymore either. I’m slowly working my way through a container of greek yogurt, but it’s like I’ll add a couple spoonfuls to a smoothie, rather than eating it as a daily snack.
Lol yeah thank goodness it’s not gluten. I can live without dairy since there are so many great alternatives, but wheat would be a little bit harder. And I thought I would miss it a lot more but I barely even notice.
In order for your pancake flipping skills to be improving – it would mean that they needed to improve – and girl, I don’t recall seeing any evidence of that in your prior pancake posts! YES – a stack of pancakes is THE BESTEST way to end the day – and WOA – your f Mom’s chocolate zucchini cake – swoon!
That’s because I never post the evidence 😛 But I’ve had some serious flops in my time! And even with this one, I burnt the last couple of them 😆
Yeah vegas totally makes you spend spend spend. Our in room fridge had weight in itso if you removed something they would automatically charge after 10 seconds or something. I get that – but you also couldn’t keep anything IN the fridge. So no buying booze or food to keep to save money. Next time I’m telling them I have medication that needs refrigeration! 6 bucks a day on crappy black coffee sucks.
Our room had that fridge too. And a little “shelf” that operated on the same principle. They always make me so paranoid!
Amanda, I tried your Banana Oat French Toast Bake for breakfast this morning and there may have been actual tear of joy in my eyes. It was seriously heavenly. I’m genuinely contemplating just making it again for lunch, haha! That chocolate zucchini cake has some SERIOUS fudge factor!!! I need a slice (or three 😉 ) of that in my life right now.
xxMeah
Woohoo! I’m so glad you liked it, Meah 🙂 I do remember that one being pretty darn tasty.
Ugh I feel you on the dairy and skin thing…if I eat a regular amount I break out really badly. This looks like an awesome day of eats. I may have to hunt down some chocolate cake after seeing that picture.
No smoothie- the horror. 😉 I always feel a little off if I miss my morning smoothie.
Okay, isn’t weird how they don’t have coffee pots in the hotel rooms?! Last time I was in Vegas there was no coffee pot, just a fridge full of overpriced soda, haha. I also couldn’t make oatmeal, bummer!
The fridges and the little shelves of stuff drive me nuts. You can’t even touch them or they charge you, and I’m constantly paranoid that I’ll accidentally drop something on them and have to pay for everything 😆
Great to have you back Amanda! I love having breakfast for dinner – can’t WAIT for that pancake recipe on Saturday!! That chocolate zucchini cake looks SO good… *swoon*
Yum! So many pretty colors! I’m sorry to hear you also suffer from eczema, but glad you’re finding some relief. Dairy, for better or worse, turned out not to be one of my triggers—cold weather and stress seem to be the worst culprits for me, but at least the latter (or how I respond to it) is sort of in my control? Good times.
Stress is a pretty big one for me too, so I can definitely relate. That and whenever my hands get too dry.
I cant have dairy either so i feel the struggle. to be honest, ive been dairy free for several years now and its become much easier! Im eating a burrito bowl for lunch today and im already excited for it (it’s 10 am)
It’s definitely not that bad with all the awesome dairy-free alternatives out there! It used to be a little harder back in the day, but they’ve added so many great ice creams, yogurts, and cheeses over the last little while that you can hardly even tell they’re dairy-free.
That breakfast bowl – um, delicious -those blueberries. Memories of childhood searching for them with Mother in the nearby woods where her parents lived. But – cant have them here – so I go on dreaming. Thank you for that alone 🙂 🙂
My undergraduate degree is in psychology and I’m beginning my Masters degree in Counseling Psychology this Fall so I am all too familiar with diagnosing yourself while learning about these disorders! My professors even warned me about it in undergrad! It’s a real thing!! Great looking eats by the way 🙂
It still makes me nuts most of the hotels in Vegas don’t have coffeemakers in the room. Shenanigans.
I’m not sure what I want more: that lunch bowl or those pancakes. Can I have both please.
Sure! Let me know when you’ll be over and I’ll whip some up 😉
What brand of protein powder do you use?
Either PlantFusion, Vega, or Genuine Health!
There’s no coffee maker in the Bellagio?!! Isn’t that supposed to be one of the higher end hotels? I would’ve hit somebody. No way am I staying some place without coffee! [especially because I get up at 5am and my husband sleeps till 8] How am I supposed to survive without coffee for THAT long??
When we stayed in Vegas we were at the Luxor and nope no coffee maker. We rang the front desk and they told us that NO hotel has them as they want you out the room spending money not drinking coffee in your room. I do not like Vegas their all greedy for their share of the pie. Didn’t even find a Starbucks so yeah it was bad!
What no one but me can make? Mash potatoes, fruit cake ( I am British so it counts) large bowls of salad with everything in the fridge thrown in, well fruit and veggies anyway!
That makes sense but it definitely sucks 😕 And there are actually a few Bux’ on The Strip! One is right by Mirage, and the other is in the mall part of Planet Hollywood.
Haha! You’d have to go down to the cafe and buy a cup. I think they just want you to spend more money 😕
I’ve got a “it’s good to be home” post scheduled for tomorrow so laughed when I saw your title!
All of your meals look amazing. I had plain oatmeal (literally just oats & milk) for breakfast this morning because we don’t have any fruit in the house. It was really sad!
Ooh that lunch looks pretty awesome. I’m not at all picky about who’s cooking my food, as long as I don’t have to haha. I do think my baked pasta dishes are better than others and also my breakfast casseroles, but other than that Riley’s more than welcome to do all the cooking for me.
Since Adam’s a psychologist and I was a social worker, we still diagnose each other on a regular basis, in good fun, though. One thing I only like if I make it myself? That’s tough, because it might be everything, lol. Am I that picky now? I have to say I’ve perfected my burger making so that might be it. Getting them out to eat is never the same.
Haha! I’ve been cooking for myself for so long that I kind of feel the same way. But then I’ll have someone else cook for me and realize how nice it is not to have to worry about it all the time.
I always think in the morning that I will make pancakes for dinner but then come dinner I don’t want them. those look delicious though! can’t wait for the recipe. and oh, hotel oatmeal is so expensive! I laugh when I pay like $16 or $20 for a basic bowl!
I’m the same way. It’ll happen every now and again, but usually only when I’m testing recipes for the blog 😆 Otherwise the flipping is too much hands-on work.