Sweet Potato Oatmeal with Honey Toasted Walnuts

I love love sweet potatoes. You all may have noticed that from my some of my blogposts.
While checking out some healthy recipes out on www.Shape.com, I came across Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal from the Oh She Glows blog. It looked so delicious and beautiful I had to pin on Pinterest to try later.

Speaking of Pinterest- anyone else addicted to that site? I've tried so many crafts and decorating ideas from there. Not mention, the dinner I cooked last night were from pins I found there.

Anyway, back to the oatmeal. I changed a few things about this recipe to make to my own taste and it was great. It takes maybe 15 minutes to put together. However, I would use pecans over walnuts as pecans has a mellower flavor than the robust walnuts. It was still very good and not overly sweet. Perfect. If you don't like sweet potatoes, use canned pumpkin or pureed roasted pumpkin. Hope y'all try this :)


Sweet Potato Oatmeal 
Inspired by Oh She Glows
Serves 3-4 depending on your appetite!

Ingredients
1/3 cup regular oats
1 cup 1% milk
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/3-1/2 cup sweet potatoes (steamed in microwave or roasted)
1 tablespoon flax seeds (optional)

3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon course salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg

For toppings:
1/4 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
1 tablespoon honey

Pinch of salt
Pinch of cinnamon

Directions:

Wash and dry a sweet potato, then prick all over with a fork. Then microwave uncovered for five minutes. If it's not soft by then, microwave 1 minute, check; if it's not soft, microwave* a minute at a time until it's done. Allow to cool slightly, scoop out the flesh, mash in a bowl until smooth.

*Alternatively, you can roast on 350 F for about an hour. Preferably the night before, you want something quick in the morning!

You can toast the walnuts in a dry skillet for about 5 minutes on medium. Remove from heat and stir in walnuts and honey. If you don't want to toast, just mix in a small bowl!

In the meantime, in a medium sized pot, heat the oats and milk over medium heat until it comes to a low boil. Stir in the sweet potato and flax seeds (if using) . Heat over low-medium heat for about 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently. Add in the salt, sugar, spices, and vanilla, then heat for about 4 minutes more, stirring frequently.  

Add topping and if you want, add a little honey or maple syrup on top.

ENJOY!!!

Late Sunday Ramblings- Brussels, Belgium and More

Hey all!

My son playing my daughter's leap pad and my youngest playing his brother's DS. I definitely have to buy my youngest a kiddie tablet- he loves to steal play with his siblings'.

2012 has been an interesting one so far.  It's only the end of January, but so much has happened!

My theme of the year and the rest of my life is "DO NOT GET DISCOURAGED." Saying something so so simple has brought me more courage than I've ever felt in my 28 years of living. I have a lot of new things planned and I actually plan to do them. You can't rise without falling...sometimes you will fall many times, but you will rise!

One of the most amazing things that's happened to me this month is spending nearly 3 days alone with my husband. It's the first time we've done so since we got married 4.5 years ago. We went to the gorgeous city Brussels in Belgium. One of the perks of living in Europe is visiting the surrounding countries. In the past I feared travelling because I have small children, but now that our youngest is nearly 3, the thought isn't so scary. I've done a good amount of travelling around Germany in 2011 alone with my 3, so I am ready for more exotic places further away. Plus it was comforting to know that my daughter really loves planes and does quite well on them! So where next? Stick around and find out!

Some photos:

Late night waffle snack? Of course!

Food Lion in Belgium- well the logos are very similar!

OMG. Nuff Said.

Loved this Lobster Soup on our first night there!

Light Lunch the next day

Waffle Truck!

After lunch we indulged and indulged on chocolate. I haven't eaten chocolate since....well I did make chocolate chunk cookies Friday. Two weeks later!

To keep the overindulgence going, we helped ourselves many times to this lovely Cherry Beer from Chimay. OMG. I haven't drank anything alcoholic since.

This statue is quite famous here. A lost child was found here peeing many years ago. As we were pissed (as our english speaking friends across the pond says for drunk), it was only natural we'd take a picture in front of it. Oh, I am soooo cultured ;)

A lil overdressed for breakfast, but I rarely get such an opportunity to dress up. The patrons were wondering who *I* was lol. Happens often here in Europe. Especially I am already tall and was wearing 4 inch heels. :)

Beautiful Ending at the Palace!

Thanks for reading! I have a recipe, yes a RECIPE to share with you all tomorrow. I hope you enjoy. Also look out for my favorite things from January this week. One of my favorite things has a lot to do with why I am blogging again! 

Hope you all have a wonderful week!

Late Night Ramblings From a Unintentional Lucy Wannabe

NYE 2011 I found my new-ish laptop's hard drive failed. I knew this almost immediately after my computer refused to reset and I had to manually reset it. How would I know that? Well, the same thing happened this summer to another computer I owned. I only had this computer for a month, a gift to me from husband who is so used to my gadget/technology klutzery. He expects us me to go through at least 2 laptops a year. Don't get me started on the other little gadgets around the house that my black index fingers touched (black index fingers are the black thumbs of technology....i made that up like I made up klutzery. *crickets* moving on). My husband laughs, a creepy laugh, but at least he's laughing?? Well, shortly after my laptop died, his laptop charger died....it wasn't me... OK it was. Sigh. BUT BUT. I found a solution, as both laptops are from the same company, I used my new laptop's charger for his. That should make up for me breaking my iphone's glass on my run today. WTF is wrong with me? Seriously..

I have a problem. Or is it? I'll let you all decide. When someone asks me, "How are you?" I answer honestly. I mean I TELL YOU. Lately I start tearing up, sometimes I go on laughing at my own lame jokes, or tell them about how I have to scrub the downstairs bathroom more than twice a day since my 2 year old son was potty-trained. I get smiles sometimes, others I get looks of utter shock. Why do people ask you, 'how are you' if they really don't want to know? Or do I am I just a mom who lack adult interaction? Either way, something's gotta give!

I am obsessed with Watch The Throne from Jay-Z and Kanye. I love it even more since I started running. Sometimes while I am running, I sing/rap (badly) along and start dancing. It's dangerous for me as a tall, black woman running at night drop kicking out of no where because Kanye says "i'm kicking ####### out like Pam, #####!" I can't be the only one having way too much fun on her runs?

Christmas crafts were fun(ish) with the kids and I've done my first of the year- a 3d picture frame 'drawing' with my daughter. I'll have to do a tutorial when I do one with my sons. Well if I don't break another laptop/iphone/camera before the end of the month. I probably will.

Looks like a  4 year-old did the cutting....not that would be me....I always got Cs in art.

Thanks for reading the randomness. 

Happy 2012!

Hope everyone has a great year and a great time bring it in! I'll be stuffing my face with grapes and screaming loud. Yes, I get incredibly superstitious new year's eve!

In the morning, I'm going for a run, may take family photos if time permits, and cooking and eating.

Our food traditions are black eyed peas and homemade donuts for breakfast, but will have more than that- stay tuned :)

Happy New Year to you and yours!!!

Some photos from today! This blogpost is from my iPhone. My laptop's hard drive failed yesterday, boo. Looking forward to seeing you all in the new year! I am serious about blogging more often! :)