Well hello there! 
I had a fun, albeit a bit stressful, weekend. I am, let’s juts say, a bit of a worrier. Ok, a bit is putting it mildly. Since I start a new course every 7 weeks with my Master’s program, things move pretty fast. Coming up is already week 3. I have to complete my reading, a paper, discussion post, and midterm all in the same week. In order for me to not freak out (and help with my stress), I tried to be super productive Saturday and worked on a few things. Ahh..much better! Well, a bit better, but I’ll take it. 
After working most the Saturday, I met my friends and swanky sister for dinner at a new place called Greens and Proteins.
The restaurant had a fun atmosphere with hints of green popping up all over. Too cute!
Their menu was every (health) foodie’s dream.
They have vegetarian and vegan options which was just perfect for my sister and I. Also, some different choices like ostrich and bison. Pretty neat!
My sister’s friend ordered the hummus and pita platter to share. I really enjoyed the flavor of the artichoke hummus!
I ordered the Grilled Vegetable wrap with tofu fries.
Beans, squash, zucchini, roasted peppers, pine nut cilantro pesto.
The wrap was just delicious. All the different vegetables were super yum.
The fries were also really tasty. I passed a few around and everyone raved about the crisp outer coating. And we all LOVED the dipping sauce that accompanied the fries. Want to try and recreate these fries at home.
I am looking forward to going back there soon!
Sunday morning swanky boyfriend came over for breakfast. He’s been out of town the last couple weekends so we wanted to spend the whole day together. After going through a few different recipes, I knew just the one to make.
Baked Oatmeal with Apple and Cranberries from Prevention RD
Ingredients:
- 3 cups old-fashioned oats
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 4 cups skim milk
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup
agave nectarsugar - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 2 apples, peeled, cored and rough chopped
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix oats, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside. In a large bowl, mix together applesauce, milk, egg, vanilla, and agave sugar. Combine wet and dry and fold in apples, cranberries, and nuts.
Pour oatmeal mixture into a greased 9×13 baking dish and bake for 45 minutes.
Note: Dish can be ahead ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator overnight before baking in the morning. Makes 8 generous helpings.
This baked oatmeal was incredible!
The oats had a slightly creamy texture and tasted so rich, although it’s a healthy dish overall.
I decided to add in a few golden raisins in the mix. I think any dried fruit would taste pretty delicious.
Served with a sweet and refreshing mimosa. What better way to start off the Sunday!
And selfishly, making this big batch I figured I could eat the leftovers during the week. Score!!
Other Swanky Scoop:
Stay tuned for a ‘berry’ good giveaway in my next post!
How was your weekend? What is your favorite oatmeal recipe? Feel free to leave a link.
{ 43 comments… read them below or add one }
My weekend was fabulous! Thanks for asking
I made a last minute trip to Columbus to meet up with some of my best friends from college (that I miss tons).
I’m also a huge worrier. I always find something to worry about, but working ahead always helps! Good luck with all your school work this week
Haha! I am definitely the same way. If it wasn’t school, I know I’d be worried about something else!
Thanks Amy!
That restaurant looks right up my alley…awesome!!! I’m always down for a mimosa…great way to start a Sunday.
xoxo from Trinidad
Ah! You are a busy girl! I love fast paced classes…after they’re over! ha! That recipe looks delicious! I’ve never baked oatmeal before – I’m dying to try it now!
I am in New Jersey for my nephew’s 3rd birthday party and am already dreading the tons of homework I will have to do tomorrow.
I love baked oatmeal – I made one a few weeks ago with strawberries, bananas and chocolate that was divine: http://runleangreen.com/baked-oatmeal-with-strawberries-bananas-and-chocolate/
I feel you on the doing work all weekend. Welcome back to school! Hope you are enjoying the courses you are taking though!
School always used to stress me out. I think that is part of the reason I have yet to make the jump back. I would always get so anxious when my to-do list piled up. That oatmeal bake looks so good! I am sure your bf is loving the fact that you cook so often!
I love baked oats. I love pumpkin baked oats the most. With chocolate chips. And champagne. not in the oats.
Swanky boyfriend likes baked oatmeal? CLEARLY he is a keeper! I may have to try that restaurant in April when I’m in town…it sounds awesome!
He did!! Went back for seconds! Ok, I did too!
Yeah, it was a neat idea! Everyone loved their food.
Thanks for the fab recipe.
As I was reading about the baked oatmeal I thought “oh yum, what a good thing to wake up to allll week!” I will be thinking of you with a hint of jealousy as I eat my breakfast this week
Haha..that’a a lot of the reason I made it. I have been super bored with my breakfasts!
Love the baked oats idea, I have slow cooked them (good too).
Ohhh, you know I am “berry” excited for that giveaway
Your school schedule sounds crazy! Keep it up – it sounds like you are doing awesome, getting everything done on a Saturday!
Oh wow, that is a fast master’s program. Probably good though, just get it done and over with right? Um, kind of jealous of that restaurant. Tofu Fries? Very intrigued.
The program is a short 18 months! I am hoping the time passes before I know it!
Yeah, I should have asked how they were cooked! They were delicious!
Oh my word I am drooling over the baked oatmeal! I would absolutely love to recreate this in my own kitchen.
Love how he went from “the boy” to swanky boyfriend =) awww!
I just tried tofu last week for the first time and it was just like your tofu fries. Here is the recipe I used, from Cook’s Illustrated:
Crispy Tofu with Sweet Chili Sauce (Tianla Cuipi Doufu)
Serves 4 as a First Course, or 2 as a Main Course. From The Best International Recipe.
Why this recipe works:
Before we developed our crispy tofu recipe, we would have guessed that extra-firm tofu would be best for frying, but we were proven wrong when our tasters preferred medium-firm and soft tofu. A coating of cornstarch and cornmeal gave the tofu a golden, crispy exterior and a soft and creamy interior. With only five ingredients, the sauce for our crispy tofu recipe came together with relative ease. We used rice vinegar for tanginess, sugar for sweetness, Asian chile paste for heat, and water to help temper the pungency, and thickened it with cornstarch so that it had the perfect consistency to cling to the pieces of fried tofu.
We prefer the softer, creamier texture of medium-firm or soft tofu here; firm or extra-firm tofu will also work, however, they will taste drier. Be sure to handle the tofu gently and thoroughly pat it dry before seasoning and coating.
Ingredients
Sauce
3tablespoons sugar
1/4cup water
1/4cup rice vinegar
2teaspoons cornstarch
1tablespoon Indonesian chile paste , such as sambal oelek
Tofu
1(14-ounce) block medium-firm or soft tofu (see note), sliced crosswise into 1-inch-thick slabs, each slab sliced into two 1-inch-wide fingers
3/4cup cornstarch
1/4cup cornmeal
Salt and ground black pepper
3/4cup vegetable oil
Instructions
1. FOR THE SAUCE: Whisk all of the ingredients together in a small saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until the sauce is hot and thickened, about 4 minutes. Cover and set aside to keep warm.
2. FOR THE TOFU: Meanwhile, spread the tofu out over several layers of paper towels and let sit for 20 minutes to drain slightly. While the tofu drains, adjust an oven rack to the middle position, place a paper towel-lined plate on the rack, and heat the oven to 200 degrees.
3. Place a wire rack over a baking sheet and set aside. Toss the cornstarch and cornmeal together in a wide, shallow dish. Season the tofu with salt and pepper. Working with a few pieces of tofu at a time, coat them thoroughly with the cornstarch mixture, pressing on the coating to adhere, then transfer to the wire rack.
4. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Carefully lay half of the tofu in the skillet and cook, turning the pieces occasionally with a spatula, until crisp and lightly golden on all sides, about 4 minutes. Using a spatula, gently lift the tofu from the oil, letting any excess oil drip back into the pan, and transfer to the prepared plate in the oven. Repeat with the remaining tofu pieces and let them drain briefly on the prepared plate before serving with the warm sauce.
I used way less oil when frying, just enough to coat the pan. So good!!
Thanks for this recipe, Katie!!
The dipping sauce sounds amazing as well.
I can’t wait to try it!
That restaurant looks awesome! Those tofu fries look so good. I have come to love tofu- let me know if you find a similar recipe!
What an adorable cafe! I, too know the pain of being in a crazy masters program and not feeling like you can keep up. I am doing something similar and it feels like it’s constantly killing me. We can do this. We can do this. repeat.
Thanks for your comment!
Yes, we can do this!!!
Your baked oat look delicious! Perfect for a lazy weekend.
Thanks Kim! Yes, it was the perfect reward after working hard Saturday.
That menu looks fantastic!!
I need a place like that near me =)
School can be so stressful! I can definitely relate. It’s good to get things done in any free time that you have. I got so bad with procrastinating which of course does not help
That place does look delish, let me know if you go again. That oatmeal looks wonderful too. Can’t wait to see you this weekend!
Roomie! I’m glad you had a good weekend! Having Friday off threw my schedule for a loop and I completely forgot about dinner on Saturday
Looks like greens and proteins is fabulous! And the oatmeal looks tasty too. Can’t wait to check out the berry giveaway!
No worries! It was super low key!! We will have to go again.
I’m a huge fan of baked banana oatmeal. Having said that, I like all type of oatmeal so I’m really not that hard to please.
Love your website! The recipe looks delish! =)
Thanks Wendy!
So glad you stopped by!
What a fun restaurant!!! I love the little plants too! Des Moines is lacking in great fresh restaurants like this.. that cilantro pesto sounds fabulous!!
I love raisins in oatmeal too…like a nice warm oatmeal raisin cookie!
(:
Your oatmeal looks rich, hearty and wholesome! I want picks of Swanky BF!!!!
I told him that everyone is going to want to see him soon!
I will try and get some pics this weekend!
Hello! I just wanted to say it was Lisa who got the Hummus to share. She is the sweetest. Talk to you later.
that restaurant looks great! I wish there were more Health nut places like that where I live!
That restaurant looks super cute! Love their green theme!
Everything looks delicious Kristen! I especially need to try the baked oatmeal. Just pinned it
Yes, it is delicious! And super filling!
Oh Mimosas…the best thing about Sundays
That restaurant looks INCREDIBLE! I love to see a variety of healthy foods!
And I always love seeing that leopard bowl in your blog!
Isn’t it strange that the more we think, the more plugged in we get and the busier the more we worry? I think it is NOT internal, but a product of being TOO connected…overstimulation! and this makes us MORE worried, and more active when we should be resting….
Ha! What a cycle! Peace to you!
Thanks! I know, I wish I could just stop my mind sometimes. Oh well!
The baked oatmeal recipe looks wonderful and a great way to pre-plan breakfast for a few days. I completed my master degree in the same manner. Every 6 – 7 weeks a new course with a ton of work. Plus I was working full-time. I found that planning and using my time wisely was the key. I also allowed myself one-hour to read a novel on Sunday. I really enjoyed that hour to disconnect from everything. Best wishes with your master’s program! Thanks for the recipe!
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