carrot cake oatmeal

The temperature is supposed to be in the 100's here all through the weekend. Indian Summer whaaat! Even though I have an outdoor job, I eat oatmeal for breakfast year-round (addicted) and assuming that your September is feeling a little bit cooler than here, I'll share my latest recipe.

I am always looking for ways to sneak veggies into breakfast, because it makes me feel soooo healthy and virtuous for the rest of the day. I like sweet breakfasts over savory, so this is sometimes tricky (and usually involves green smoothies), but this oatmeal is pretty good too.

Carrot Cake Oatmeal

Serves 1

Approx. time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

-one carrot

-1 cup water

-sprinkle of salt

-1/2 cup old-fashioned oats (NOT instant)

-a pinch of spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, cloves

-mix-ins and toppings such as golden raisins, chopped/canned pineapple, coconut, hazelnuts, walnuts, etc.

Bring the water and a pinch of salt to a boil in a small pot. While the water is heating, grate/shred the carrot and add to the pot. When the water reaches a boil, stir in the oats, spices, and raisins (if adding). Let the oats cook for about 5 minutes, until all the water is absorbed. Add the rest of your fruit/nut mix-ins, top with milk (almond milk is good on oats), and eat with coffee.

 

crater lake adventures

Little tent in the Big Woods

Old-growth Douglas fir

Chicken sausages, homemade pita bread, and grilled veggies with thyme. I am a camp food chef

Misty views off the Rim Road around Crater Lake

The lake: deepest in the US

Benanna

Endless forest

View from Mt. Scott

We climbed a mountain

Fire lookout. (Or watchtower of Rohan?)

Indian Paintbrush

Twisty whitebark pines

Dr. Seuss flowers

So happy

Our first official Oregon Adventure together was a raging and beautiful success. I am getting sad that fall weather is hinting more and more. Send me more endlessly sunny and warm days for camping!

This last week of August has been exciting in good and bad ways. The highlights include the death and resurrection of our fridge, and Ben snagging his first little Oregon job. An impressive feat considering the super crappy job market and economy here. Yay!

Ben has been here in Oregon for almost a week, and the only pictures I've taken in that week are of some trees, apparently. Typical.

My life feels a lot more real and complete. The kitchen has twice as many dishes and pieces of equipment, the empty apartment has six pieces of furniture instead of four (we are living with a small donated table and two mismatched chairs, a teeny tiny dresser, $15 garage sale desk, and a bookshelf. Need: a bed. Want: a couch), and Ben's incredible file organization system has blown me away. (Finally, a place for all those random appliance instruction manuals!)

So happy to have him here. 

p.s. There was an earthquake in Virginia. Did any of you feel it? I think it is highly ironic that my grandma was worried about me moving to the proximity of CA because of the earthquakes, but the minute I leave the east they have one out there. I know you're reading this, Grammy....