Day 20- Sa-weet!

Today was another day at home for me, but a much better day by far!  I was hit by a virus according to the doc!  Not the flu, since I didn't have a fever, but just like it in every other way!  Fire-up!  I'm feeling 89% better, though (that's like a solid A-), which is a vast improvement.  ;)

I even ventured out this morning.  I drove the littles to school and to the sitter.  I may have slightly frightened the sitter, as her eyes widened when I walked in.  I'm pretty sure that if I'd have offered her a mask, she'd have gratefully wrapped it around her head!  It didn't help that I hadn't showered since SATURDAY!  WOW- that is not pretty!  Spoiler alert- I did shower later in the day...

Anyway, I did my usual with the MNS packet today.  Yesterday I felt so crummy that I didn't take the last half of the pack.  :(  Today I was determined to get my nutrition on.  So, I did my normal routine with my Spark and my pre-breakfast pack.  I drank a vanilla shake and took Omegaplex.  For snack I had blackberries and bananas (my fav) and some nuts.  I took a rest shortly after that.  I was still really weak and my trip to the sitter didn't help matters.  I decided to shower- which was against my better judgement (just kidding) and that took forever!  I did feel so much better after, but seriously exhausted!  After a grueling session of What Not to Wear, I heated up some of the barley soup from the night before (delish).  I rested for a bit longer and then decided I had to do SOMETHING.  I dried my hair and headed to the kitchen.  It was a hot mess!  I cleaned it up and didn't collapse!  That's progress!

Blah, blah, blah- the afternoon went on in this boring fashion and I decided that I really wanted something sweet.  I haven't had anything really sweet since this process began and today I was craving something!  Typically, I enjoy baking.  I've been trying so hard to make good meals, I've not made time.  I started scouring the bloggersphere for some clean sweet treats.  As luck would have it, there are plenty out there.  The one I found most appealing was the strawberry oatmeal breakfast cookie.  I linked to it from a very interesting article about how our children are eating too many sweets.  You can read that article here. 

I picked up my peeps and we headed to Whole Foods Market to get the goods for these cute little cookies!  I went all organic.  We headed home to get started.  Molly was official strawberry masher.  That little four year old did an outstanding job!  She also helped mix the dry ingredients and then continued to eat the oats as I finished up.  See the recipe below, and make some soon.  They are really great!  I ate three after my dinner of leftover pork chop and wilted spinach.  I took my second round of MNS w/dinner because I forgot to do it at lunch...  That shower really threw me off!  :)

STRAWBERRY OATMEAL BREAKFAST COOKIES

from http://foodlets.com/ 

Adapted from The Sneaky Chef to the Rescue

These freeze perfectly and individually, so just pull out a few in the morning for an easy on-the-go breakfast

Try to use organic oats, strawberries and jam if you can find them

For an even easier baking process, use a mini-muffin pan instead of baking sheets-I did!

ingredients

• 6 tablespoons butter at room temperature
• 2/3 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup wheatgerm
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups old fashioned oats
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons real vanilla extract
• 1 cup mashed strawberries including their juice plus 1 teaspoon water
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup strawberry jam

instructions
With the oven on at 350 degrees, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick baking sheets. (If you’re using a mini-muffin pan, grease the cups.)
In a medium sized bowl whisk the dry ingredients: flour, wheat germ, baking soda, salt and oats.
Using another larger bowl, whisk together eggs and butter. Add vanilla, mashed strawberries, sugar and honey, mixing until fully combined.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet and mix until just combined. Don’t over-mix.
Drop tablespoons or small cookie scoops onto a baking sheet (or fill mini-muffin cups). Press your thumb into the middle and fill with a pinch of strawberry jam. Not too much or the jam will overflow during the baking process.
Bake for 20-24  minutes. Let cool on a rack. Store cookies in airtight container in the fridge for one week or freeze them in a plastic bag for two months.

So, that's it.  Not a really exciting day, but better than the two that preceded it!  Looking forward to tomorrow.  I'm ready to see my students and ready to make it great!
See you then.