Tuesday Talk Time: Creamy goodness of oatmeal
I have discovered the joy of eating old-fashion oatmeal…again. That sounds kind of weird I know, but allow me to explain. We like preparing our oatmeal with milk. The problem is I am lactose intolerant.
Oatmeal fixed with water is tasteless, even with sweetener. I can’t do without the creamy goodness of milk in my oatmeal. I do like pre-packaged instant flavored oatmeal with hot water, but this alternative has too many unnecessary calories.
Recently, I found preparing old-fashion oatmeal with almond milk works well. To jazz up plain oatmeal, I add cinnamon and to keep the calorie count down I sweeten my oats with Splenda. I now have that creamy goodness in my oats again with fewer calories.
Did you know that a cup of unsweetened, original Diamond almond milk only has 30 calories where a cup of skim milk has 90 calories?
Now, look at the breakdown of calories for a typical morning meal of oatmeal:
½ c. old fashion oats = 150 calories
1 c. whole milk = 150 calories, skim milk = 90, or almond milk = 30
1 piece of whole wheat toast = 100 calories
Total calorie serving = 400 w/whole milk, 340 w/skim milk, or 280 w/almond milk
Honestly, ½ cup of oats is a bit for me to eat. I am able to reduce the serving by half making my calories 90 plus the toast. This makes for a very satisfying breakfast all under 200 calories. I usually am not hungry again until lunch, and after all isn’t that what we want – to stave off those in-between munchies?
Remember, if you can shave off as few as 500 calories per/day then in a week’s time you will lose a pound. Trust me, it is easy for many of us to find ways to cut 500 calories from our diet. I look for small ways to make up the difference. Reader’s Digest offers 15 Ways to Cut 50 Calories from the foods we eat, which is an excellent way to start.
We all know it is easier to slash your calorie intake than it is to work off those extra calories. I exercise routinely, but if you’re like me you would rather be doing other things. Depending on what type of aerobic activity you do, it can take anywhere from 40-minutes to 2-hours to shed 500 calories. That being said, I am making a more conscious decision to cut calories whenever possible. However, if you need some activity ideas to speed up the burn, then check out Fitness Blender lists of 50 Ways to Burn 500 Calories.
Now, grab a hot cup of coffee and follow me over to Time Out For Mom.
Les’ prompt for us this morning is The Rule of Three. Things come in 3s. What’s your favorite list of Three Things?
It’s funny when I think of things that come in 3s, I usually equate them with disasters of some sort. Tragedies wouldn’t fall under my list of favorites period. That being said, I have to refocus my way of thinking. Hmmm, my favorite list of three things would be…
- DH, myself, and 1-special day
- My kids – DD#1, DD#2. & DS
- and, finally chocolate cake, hot fudge sauce, and vanilla ice cream!
I am a creature of comfort. Naturally, I am gonna think of those who warm my soul first and then something that soothes me emotionally, like chocolate. This morning presents the perfect excuse for a cup of hot chocolate. Naturally made with almond milk and sweetened with Splenda. That’s only a mere 55 calories, but the big question is do I really want to work those extra unwanted calories off?
Nah, not today! Well…I could go for it and burn off those calories fairly easy. It’s so bone-chilling cold this morning and I have one more hop, so what the hey! Join me, as I head over to Patrice’s for Chats on the farmhouse porch questions this week are:
1. Have you tried any DIY cleaning products or skin care products from the many recipes on the internet? A few years back, I tried making automatic dishwasher detergent. It worked pretty well, but it clumped up really bad. In fact, I still have some of it left over. Somewhere on my blog, I have the recipe but I can’t find it. If you’re interested, then you may want to check out this version that I found at Made From Pinterest.
2. Do you like to enter sweepstakes, giveaways, or prize drawings? I use to but haven’t in many, many years. They got to be too much trouble and aggregation. I may look into trying the PCH online again. I would so love to win the grand prize. Yeah, I know that’s all wishful thinking. It doesn’t hurt a gal to dream a little, does it?
3. How often do you visit your local library? Do you have a local library? Never. Oh yeah, there is a library just down the road from our house. My biggest reading source is the net.
4. Do you have a simple mobile phone or one that does lots of things? I have an iPhone 5s. I got my first smartphone in 2010, an iPhone 4. I had no idea just how much I would love it! It’s so nice to have at my fingertips access to the internet. I can look up phone numbers, locate or navigate to a new business using Google or Apple maps, search Amazon to see if I can buy something cheaper, and more!
5. Tell me something new or interesting. Please:) I have a cold sore. The first one in many years. Did you know that cold sores are from being coming in contact (kissing, sharing eating utensils, saliva, …) with someone with the herpes simplex virus? Once you have it, it’s with you for life. There is no cure. Stress, colds or the flu can trigger an outbreak. Avoid touching the infected area and wash your hands frequently to keep from spreading to other parts of your body. I knew I should Never have started kissing boys! lol You know, I was really bad for drinking and eating after friends when I was young. There is no telling how I picked it up and I bet the same can be said for most people who suffer from cold sores.
Stacy Uncorked is taking a blogging hiatus. You may recall, she and her family moved back to her home state of Washington last summer. For the past several months, they have lived in Stacy’s parents’ basement. So, when they finally settled on a new home recently, it thrilled them to begin their last leg of their journey. Stacy promises me to return to Blogosphere in March. All of her loyal friends, including myself are looking forward to seeing her soon. Until then, I continue doing what I always do… visit my other buds!
Have a terrific Tuesday!
14 Comments
Patrice
I love oatmeal. It is so warming. Stay warm!
Claudia Willison
I used to love porridge (or oatmeal), but somehow it is always a struggle to have breakfast. And that is not because of time, but – I am just not hungry early in the morning. I’ll have a coffee and then late morning my breakfast is a fruity green smoothies. I really came to love those last year when I started watching calories more and trying to find healthy alternatives.
Your 3s are adorable, Cathy.
Cathy Kennedy
Girl, eat breakfast! Did you know people who eat breakfast live longer? I want you around for a loooong time, so start your day off each morn by breaking that fast! 😉
Becky G
I love oatmeal! I’m also lactose intolerant, but I take Digestive Advantage Lactose Defense supplements, which allow me to drink milk with no discomfort.
I haven’t been to the library in years. I have too many books on my Kindle.
I also get cold sores, but I get mine in my nose. They were passed to me deliberately by an ex boyfriend who wanted to make sure I never forgot him.
Cathy Kennedy
It’s hard to imagine someone who would be so mean to do something as deliberate as pass on the cold sore virus, but there are people out there like that, though. 🙁
Terri D.
I don’t care for oatmeal, however it is made, though I will eat it if I have to. I enjoyed reading all your answers and your three things x three!!
Clairity
I thought I was the only one who never goes to the library. I do my reading on the internet.
retired not tired
I am not a big oatmeal fan except for making apple crisp or my chocolate macaroons however I love cream of wheat.
Rory Bore
I love having oatmeal — or porridge as we usual call it – especially on cold winter mornings. I may add a bit of cream to cool it down, but not much and we might add a touch of maple syrup or brown sugar. But mostly, I like cinnamon too.
I’ve also dressed mine up by adding diced apples, almonds and dried cranberries — delicious! My mom has added peaches and almonds too.
Hot fudge sundaes are my favourite!! that’s what I normally get if we go to Dairy Queen in the summer. just a small hot fudge sundae — it’s just the right amount for a chocolate craving.
Cathy Kennedy
I haven’t been to DQ in forever. DH & I would go there when we were dating. I always got a banana split and he would get the Peanut Buster Parfait. 🙂
Lisa M. (aka. Lisa @ Farm Fresh)
I have started making soaked oatmeal every morning for breakfast on Monday. My husband has started going into work late on Monday so he gets to eat with us. He says that when he does eat oats that day, he doesn’t even get hungry again until after dinnertime! And he loves my new recipe. I do an overnight soaked oatmeal which really helps breakdown the oats to maximize their nutrition.
HOOTIN ANNI
My son [adult] swears by almond milk!! I bet it IS great when cooking oatmeal.
Suzanne McClendon
Good morning, Cathy. 🙂
There are lots of ways that we can cut calories in or increase calories out. There is a water drinking formula for weight loss that I learned a long time ago. It does work, but I just can’t stand drinking lots of water. Diet Coke is my downfall. Anyway, we’re supposed to drink 64 ounces of water a day minimum, more if the weather is hot or we’re very active. AND for every 25 pounds overweight we are, we should drink another 8 ounces. Until your body is used to the increase, you’ll be the in “the room” every two seconds (well, it seems like every two seconds!), but it eases off after awhile.
I found various “state of the weight” calculators online a few days ago and figured out the BMI, BMR, and percent body fat for everyone in our household. David and I have some serious work to do. The rude little thing told me that I was in danger of death. We already knew this, as well as the fact that David has diabetes to start with. We want to go all vegan, or at least vegetarian, but too much is fighting us on that right now. One of these days!
Best wishes to you as you work to be in the best health that you can be.
Phoebes World
I have oatmeal every morning..it seems to fill me til lunchtime. Ive never tried almond milk..but Im going to give it a try
Im sorry you have a cold sore..I suffer from them dreadfully..in fact I have just got rid of one..and did a post about remedies….I was told of one where you use a coffee paste…and guess what..it worked
Loved your answers
Thank you for sharing
Phoebe x