What I Ate Wednesday #17

I've officially given up on good WIAW title names... For now...
But, anyways! This will be my last WIAW of summer break. Next WIAW will be my first WIAW of the school year! My last high school school year...
Bittersweet? Very.

But, let's get on to the past week's yummy foods, shall we?
Thanks to Jenn for always hosting this event full of delicious foods from around the world! One of my favorite parts of the week!
Keep in mind, I eat double (maybe even triple?) the amount of watermelon each week that a human should. I just don't photograph it. Hehe. (Hey, don't blame me! Blame the food stores for not being able to sell it year-round!! Must get my fix in before it's too late and I have to wait another year!!)

8/23/12 - Breakfast: this is what I do when I want a peanut butter and Fluff sandwich, but know just a sandwich post-workout won’t really fill me; cinnamon roll protein egg white {stovetop} oatmeal with the usual + white chocolate peanut butter & Marshmallow Fluff. As delicious as it looks.

8/23/12 - Lunch: ~recovery win! Used a more calorie-dense, 100% whole wheat bread, which is one of my favorite breads ever... And was also a "fear food" for me for awhile.

But, I'll happily say that is no-more! So proud of myself.

Turkey sandwich with light spread cheese, veggies and spicy mustard! Steamed fresh veggies & grilled chicken with plain Greek yogurt + ranch powder on the side.

So. Good. Nothing better than a delicious sandwich with lots of vegetables and proteins alongside!

8/24/12 - Breakfast: a small bowl of plain Greek yogurt mixed with milk chocolate protein powder + watermelon, banana and grapes + pumpkin flax granola + some cereals + cinnamon + a drizzle of melted Biscoff spread, with a multi-grain sandwich thin topped with Biscoff spread & Dark Chocolate Dreams, banana, cinnamon and pumpkin flax granola on the side!

Love switching up my breakfasts/meals and listening to my body!

8/24/12 - Lunch: the best balance.

 How could I pass up pizza and what not when my mom gets certain ones that she knows I’LL like!? This is my favorite part of a NORMAL healthy lifestyle; not feeling guilty when eating what I truly want!

Chicken carbonara & spinach and feta artisan pizzas, spinach & feta breadstick thingy, and veggies!

8/25/12 - Breakfast: milk chocolate (protein powder!) banana Biscoff/dark chocolate peanut butter omelet (1 whole egg + 1 egg white) stuffed with spinach (yay greens!!) + banana slices + pumpkin flax granola, with a toasted slice of 100% whole wheat bread topped with Biscoff spread & dark chocolate peanut butter, banana and pumpkin flax granola on the side.

Lots of protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs!

8/26/12 - Breakfast: chocolate almond protein egg white oatmeal with pumpkin flax granola + some cereals I love + banana slices + a bit of plain Greek yogurt + cinnamon + melted Biscoff spread.

This... was freaking delicious. I love my weird oatmeal combinations!

8/27/12 - Breakfast: my first ever baked oatmeal!

Baked apple pie protein oatmeal at that.

8/28/12 - Breakfast: um... Heaven.

Cinnamon peanut butter protein egg white {stovetop} oats with pumpkin flax granola + some random cereals + banana slices + a bit of plain Greek yogurt + cinnamon + melted Biscoff spread.

All inside a nearly-empty Dark Chocolate Dreams jar.

I think I'm gonna call OIAJ, HIAJ from now on.

OIAJ = Oats in a Jar... HIAJ = Heaven in a Jar.

I think it fits it well.

8/28/12 - Snack/Afternoon Pick-Me-Up: healthy, easy, homemade {low calorie!} chocolate almond milk protein ice cream for a pre-dinner afternoon pick-me-up!

This was INCREDIBLY yummy! I put it over some plain Greek yogurt and a broken Magic Pop cake (for crunch!), and topped it with banana slices, melted Biscoff spread, deliciously addictive cinnamon Cheerios, and a dash of cinnamon. A random experiment that turned into something DELICIOUS!

8/29/12 - Breakfast/currently devouring: post-workout banana bread & Biscoff (spread) low calorie, flour-less oat pancakes with an egg white scramble alongside!

Oh, and guess what else happened within the past seven days? I started my new job at Aeropostale! I'll admit that it gets quite boring throughout the day, but otherwise, I like it a lot more than my other job already! Plus, the deals I get are incredible! 50% off of every new floor set, on top of my everyday/every month discounts?! Yes, please! ... And, yes, I already bought myself some adorable clothes!

I got my white laced sweater, neon yellow-green hoodie, and blue & purple flannel a size bigger so they fit comfortably. I'm so glad I did.

The lace leggings are SO comfortable, and for $8, they were completely worth it!

(The purple thing is a simple cami!)

Ohhhhhh, and I might as well say that my workouts are here, as always! 

Well, that's all for now, loves! Happy WIAW, Wednesday, and birthday... if it's, you know, your birthday! 

Easy, Fast DIY Fringe Top!

Have you ever saw one of those overly-priced fringed tops in a store? But, you didn't buy it because of the insane price? ($30 for a distressed t-shirt... REALLY?! Call me cheap but no thank-you!)

Well, never fear! You can get the same effect on an old shirt (or any shirt you want!) in a short amount of time for FREE! (Well, aside from the shirt itself... Unless you get it from someone!! REUSE AND RECYCLEEEEE!)

This was my first try. I used an XL 30 Seconds To Mars t-shirt I got back in late 2010 (I'm a size small now!), and I absolutely love the result!

Anddddd then, my mom saw my DIY-ed fringe shirt, and loved it! She wanted me to to fringe some of her shirts, so I did!

What You'll Need:

An old shirt (the thinner the material, the better result. As you can see, the striped t-shirt I did has a bit thicker of a fringe because the material was too thick to stretch. Don't use too thin, but don't use too thick, either! Too thin = breakage easily.)
Scissors (use fabric scissors if wanted... I didn't!)
Tape

Directions:

Lay out your shirt super flat.

Cut off the bottom seam of the shirt...

Apply a piece of tape to where you want the fringes to end on the shirt.

Start cutting 1-inch (or whatever size you want) strands up to the piece of tape.

Gently tug at the strands to stretch them out and make them thinner...

And... VOILA!

You have your lovely, cheap, DIY fringed shirt! Be careful with the tugging, though, because if you tug too hard, you may rip off a strand... It happens. 

Baked Apple Pie Oatmeal

So... This morning... Post-workout... I tried something.
Something new (to me).
Something delicious.
Something completely worth the time it consumed.
What was that something, you ask?

Baked apple pie protein oatmeal. Yes.

{Inspiration from the wonderful Ashley!}

Ingredients:

1/4-1/2 cup old fashioned dry oats

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup almond milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 egg whites (or egg substitute, 1 full egg, etc.)

dash of cinnamon

1 packet of Stevia/sweetener

1/4-1/2 scoop cinnamon roll protein powder (optional!)

1/2 apple, diced

granola

cinnamon flavored cereals, crushed (I crushed up Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Churro cereal... Hehe.)

*NOTE: you may need more liquid if you use more oats. I used 1/2 + 1/4 with about 1/3 cup oats, but you can do whatever your lovely little heart desires!

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all of your ingredients, aside from your apple, in a bowl.

When done mixing all ingredients, add in the apple.

Coat the bottom of a glass/oven-safe dish with granola and the crushed cinnamon cereals.

Pour in your oatmeal "batter".

Top your oatmeal with more cinnamon, granola, and cereals.

Bake for 10-20 minutes (depending on how much liquid you end up using!). Mid-cooking,  re-top your oatmeal with more things if you want a crunchier topping!

I also recommend mixing in a spoonful of peanut butter of any flavor. (Also melt some and swirl it on top!)

I will definitely be experimenting with baked oatmeal some more, and hopefully I'll come up with some great recipes myself!

Hope you guys try it out and enjoy! 

What I Ate Wednesday #16 - Peanut Butter & Co. Obsessed

W.T.F! I feel like I JUST wrote up and posted WIAW #15!! These days/weeks are flying by way. too. fast.
Anywaaaaaaays...
I'd like to start off this WIAW saying I haven't obsessively counted calories (nearly at ALL!) in DAYS... I've been eating intuitively, and only when I'm truthfully hungry, and I feel so good about myself. It can only go up from here... Right?

... Let's hope so! 

In the past week, I've overcome some struggles (mostly OCD related), watched tons of YouTube videos, ate tons of yummy foods, and got myself a new job at Aeropostale!

I've also done some shoppin' with my lovely momma, where I got four pairs of skinny jeans which I am obsessed with! (Yay for sales!!)

(I also got two plain t-shirts... which were marked down and buy one, get one free!, a new workout water bottle from Victoria's Secret which I adore, and free panties from VS, as well!)

The mint ones are actually two sizes smaller than my normal size, and they just fit, buuuut I was too obsessed with them to pass them up! (Hey, at least they fit!)
I love back-to-school shopping. And I love that I bought most of my back-to-school clothes myself instead of bothering my mom. It makes me feel good. And responsible!

Oh, and speaking of back-to-school... my last first day of school (aside from college) is in just two weeks from today... So weird. So, so weird.

Okay, let's move on to what you all are really reading this post about; the foodz!
Gracias, Jenn, for hosting WIAW as always! Xo

8/15/12 (and every other night...) Snack: my go-to nighttime snack; lots and lots of popcorn!

I always like to have my popcorn with cut up fruit on the side. I love the salty and sweet combo.

8/16/12 - Breakfast: Biscoff cookie spread & banana protein pancakes with an egg white scramble on the side!

8/16/12 - Snack: this is what happens when you come inside from tanning, feel hungry, and see a bowl of veggies... You make YOURSELF a bowl of veggies while your little sister eats the one you first eyed!

I added in some Chobani plain Greek yogurt & some ranch powder (and garlic salt), and used a broken wheat cake (Magic Pop<3) to eat! This is what I call a quick homemade “chips and dip”. Delicious!

8/17/12 - Breakfast: my first time trying out stovetop oatmeal... It's amazing how much better it tastes made on the stovetop rather than in the microwave!

Chocolate peanut butter protein egg white oatmeal with granola + random cerealz I was craving + a mini banana (LOVE them! Haha) + plain Greek yogurt + cinnamon + melted Biscoff spread & white chocolate peanut butter on top... all inside the bestest mug of all time!

8/17/12 - Lunch: balanced, healthy, mindful lunch.

Sometimes, pizza happens. And sometimes... AKA anytime... That's okay! Food is food, and ALL food has SOME source of energy! Plus, my momma bought this grilled chicken and tomato (and I THINK bacon?!) pizza, with intentions that I'd love it, so how could I pass that up!? Oh, and the cheesy bread that she got had spinach and feta (and some other cheese?) inside it, and again, she bought it with intentions that I'd like it, too! And... It's safe to say I did. Hehe. (She was also really proud of me for actually branching out and eating something different and "unhealthy". Love her.)

8/18/12 - Breakfast: ah, this breakfast was perfect for the rainy, breezy, fall-like summer morning.

Stovetop apple cinnamon protein egg white oatmeal with pumpkin flax granola + cinnamon cerealz + apple slices + plain Greek yogurt + cinnamon + melted Biscoff cookie spread. (That spread melts PERFECTLY!)

8/19/12 - Breakfast: one of my best ideas yet; oats in a Marshmallow Fluff jar!

  Chocolate banana & strawberry protein egg white stovetop oatmeal with pumpkin flax granola + a few Cinnamon Toast Crunch squares + banana & strawberry slices + cinnamon + melted Biscoff spread (and the tiniest bit of dark chocolate peanut butter).

The warm oats melted the marshmallow and made it all gooey and delicious. I recommend ya'll trying this out for yourself to see what I mean! (Even adding 1-2 tbsp to your warm oats will give you a same-ish effect... Do. It.)

8/20/12 - Breakfast: the smallest pancakes ever! Haha.

Cinnamon raisin swirl & banana oat healthy protein pancakes with a strawberry & banana white chocolate peanut butter egg white scramble on the side! (I love sweet eggs!)

So glad I finally found Cinnamon Raisin Swirl peanut butter! 160 calories for 2 tbsp, and freakin' amazing!

P.S. I'm literally obsessed with Peanut Butter & Co. I. Need. More. Flavors!

Craft of the Day...!? 8/20/12

I've been wanting to try to fringe my own shirts for forever now, and I finally worked up the courage to try... And I think I did pretty well, no?! I used my old XL 30 Seconds To Mars shirt (I'm a size small now, and this shirt is nearly two years old), and I really like the result of it! My mom loves it, too, and she really wants me to make more! Haha. So simple and fun... I love it! (I'll post a DIY post dedicated to this soon!) 

8/21/12 - Breakfast: literally one of the greatest things to ever enter my body.

 Yes, again, OIAJ! BUT, keep in mind I share my peanut butters with my whole family, and my mom and sister use a lot of it when they do have it! (And they have at least one serving a day each, haha.) So, all of these empty jars are not only my doing!! I promise I’m not THAT addicted...! Hehe.

Banana bread egg white stovetop #oatmeal with pumpkin flax granola + some delicious ass random cerealz + banana slices + a bit of plain Greek yogurt + cinnamon + melted Biscoff spread, all inside a nearly-empty White Chocolate Wonderful jar. Heaven in a jar.

8/21/12 - Lunch: my sandwich was too pretty to not photograph, so I just HAD to do so! Haha.

Multi-grain sandwich thin containing light cheese spread + spinach + the BEST deli turkey + pickles + tomato + yellow pepper + spicy mustard + lettuce.

On the side, I had a mini bowl of mixed veggies with garlic salt, some grilled chicken, and steamed fresh veggies with plain Greek yogurt + ranch powder!

Kept me full for nearly 5 hours! Nom nooooooooom!

8/22/12 - Breakfast: OIAJ day 2... Again, all of these empty jars are not just my doing!! I promise! Haha. My little sister is even more addicted to Biscoff spread than I am, and she's been having a lot more than me!

But, I gladly took the jar for my post-workout breakfast this morning... 

Chocolate almond protein egg white {stovetop} oats with pumpkin flax granola + super yummy random cerealz + banana slices + a bit of plain Greek yogurt + cinnamon + a tiny bit of melted white chocolate peanut butter... All inside a lovely, nearly-empty Biscoff cookie spread jar.

{Currently nommin' this at the moment!}

Oh, and I forgot to say what beautiful creation I found at Big Lots for only $2.50...

Yes. You read that right.

Pumpkin flax granola.

The serving? 1/2 cup for 220 calories. (Which is A LOT of granola! I don't even use that much! Haha.)

All natural.

All delicious.

And most importantly: all for $2.50!

Workouts can be found here, as usual! And, in the meantime... You should all follow me on Instagram since I'm quite obsessed and post way too often! 

Happy WIAW... and Wednesday in general!