^^ I’m hoping that is my next title because my camera was just not feelin’ it this AM.
Some days I just can’t get good, crisp photos. Even with good lighting and the same camera and spot in my house as always. Things just look off. Maybe it’s the days I am too excited to eat my oatmeal that I don’t have the patience to troubleshoot!
Thus it was today.
Scottish oats = steel cut going for 2 minutes in the food processor
Made for a lovely backdrop for a mine field of toppings!
The Mix
- 1/4 cup Scottish oats (I realized steel cut have a different volume serving size than flat and spacious rolled oats so I pulled this down from 1/3 cup)
- 3/4 cup water (realized also that steel cut take more water!)
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1/2 banana
- Pinch salt
- 1 tbsp flax, stirred in at end
- Great Harvest jam
- Naturally Nutty Vanilla Almond Butter
- 1 chopped fig
- The crumbles from the bottom of my Cinnamon Almond bag! (Which made a lovely crunchy spread)
Matt went off to an early morning meeting, so I’m here tending to the house and hoping to write another Home Neat Home next!
Another exciting giveaway coming at juice lunch!
laine @ beets, butter and mountaintops says
How to you eat the oatmeal after you photograph it? Are you a stirrer and you mix it all up? Or do you dip daintily and get a little topping and some oats in each spoonful? Or do you eat all the toppings off and then work on the plain oats below?
You don’t know how long this question has plagued me. (Now I need to go ask Caitlin if she stirs together her yogurt/raw oat/fruit bowls or eat them piecemeal.)
KathEats says
I dip daintily and work side to side!
Freya (Brit Chick Runs) says
I have always wanted to ask that question! I never, ever stir – I save the best bits at the side of the bowl and eat them last 😛
Samantha Angela @ Bikini Birthday says
I’m a stirrer! I make it look pretty and then hit it with my spoon with a vigorous stir! How about you?
Tina @ Faith Fitness Fun says
I’m a stirrer too!
And Kath – your photos are still absolutely gorgeous. i would have no clue it wasn’t a stellar photo shoot morning. 😉
Kiran says
I am not a stirrer! I love saving the best for last 😀 And your photos are still absolutely gorgeous!
Amber K says
I definitely don’t stir either. I keep everything separate so that I can enjoy each element on its own.
Christin@purplebirdblog says
I stir for sure! 🙂
Amanda (Eating Up) says
I blame those days on my shaky hand!
Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen) says
I hear ya on the clarity of photos. I swear it reflects my mood sometimes. I think the shots look beautiful. I hope you have a great day Kath!
Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat says
Yum that looks delicious! Scottish oats are still on my to-try list. Can’t wait for another Home Neat Home!
Maryea @ Happy Healthy Mama says
Hey, when you’re hungry, you’re hungry! Your pictures look fine. 🙂
Kate (What Kate is Cooking) says
My camera takes blurry photos too. But that’s because it’s old and cheap 🙂
Stacy @ Every Little Thing says
I have days like that with my camera too. Sometimes it’s just not feeling it!
Freya (Brit Chick Runs) says
I’m going to have to google what steel cut oats look like I think…I THINK I have some (so I can grind, you’ve really made me want to do that :p) but I’m not certain :/ hmph.
Holly @ Couch Potato Athlete says
Well I’m glad I’m not the only one who doesn’t always take nice pictures!
Do you have to use steel cut oats to get this type of texture? Or have you tried using rolled oats ground up?
KathEats says
You can grind up rolled oats too, but then you REALLY increase the surface area and get something like instant oats. It’s still fun to do though, and the nutrition is the same
Stacey (The Home-Cooked Vegan) says
Yay for another Home Neat Home! It’s inspiring for me to read those, makes me want to majorly de-clutter my house 😉 Thanks Kath!
Jen @ keepitsimplefoods.com says
I think your pics look nice. I totally understand though, I just got my Nikon and have been learning about white balance and ISO which seem to really affect how my pics turn out.
Anna @ Newlywed, Newly Veg says
I love the spoon– very elegant!
Kim says
I appreciate your new format with the photos next to the previous headings. I have been so busy in life and haven’t had time to read your blog as much. It is looking great!
Your place mats, did you make all of the ones shown recently? How?
KathEats says
They’re scrapbook paper form Michael’s!
Katelyn @ Chef Katelyn says
Oh, what I would do for fresh figs!! Girl you are so lucky. I have those camera problems too, but as long as it tastes delicious I could care less that my picture looks fugly:)
Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table says
Your “bad” photos still look good enough to eat!
Looking forward to the give away! Those who can’t chew NEED a juicer. 😉
KathEats says
Thanks y’all 🙂
Hope says
I think your photos look beautiful! I’m looking forward to your Home Neat Home post and giveaway!! 🙂
Justeen @ Blissful Baking says
Your “bad” photos are still 100 times better than my best! Your oatmeal always looks delicious!
Emily says
Glad the cameras back. Your breakfasts always look so epic! Do you just use regular milk?
KathEats says
yup. I prefer it
Valerie @ City|Life|Eats says
Is it bad I am crossing my fingers for a juicer giveaway. I have been debating buying a juicer lately, but cannot decide at all on one.
Christine @ Merf In Progress says
I’ve been eating steel cut oats lately, and I really like how hearty they are, but it took me a while to get the ratios right. Now I’m at 1/3 cup oats and 1.25 cups of water/milk. The texture of them is so much more fun to eat than rolled oats. But I’m almost out, then I have to break into my Costco container of rolled oats, so I won’t be eating anymore steel cut for quite a while.
lynn @ the actor's diet says
your pix still look gorgeous to moi!
Leigh says
Hi Kath – I noticed that (new reader) you’re a fan of Almond butter. I have never tried it (new to eating healthy) and I’m curious as to where you purchase it and what it is good with? I don’t have a Whole Foods nearby so I hope it’s not there 🙂 Thanks for the inspiration!!
KathEats says
Hey Leigh! You should be able to find it in most grocery stores these days next to the peanut butters. I really like Maranathas line, Barney Butter, or see if your store has a brand that’s just almonds and salt (Harris Teeter does, I believe). It’s good on everything you’d put peanut butter on!
Leigh says
Thanks Kath! I did a search and found some at my local grocery store!
Heather (heathers dish) says
The photos are still beautiful since the subject is awesome!
Quisha says
That looks scrumptious! I never thought to add jelly. The pics looks great nonetheless!
J3nn (Jenn's Menu and Lifestyle Blog) says
I have the same trouble with my Rebel! Some days it just doesn’t want to take great photos. I feel like I can’t get the lighting or focus right no matter what I do on these days. Frustrating!
Love the crumbles on the oats, looks major YUM!
Amy at TheSceneFromMe says
I had dark chocolate oatmeal this morning with chia seeds in it too! So good, love the addition of chia seeds!
Looking forward to the giveaway!
So do you eat your breakfast at the table or do you eat in the living room or sitting at your desk?
KathEats says
I usually eat on the couch, cross legged, watching House Hunters 🙂
Anne @ butter and bear says
I think your photos always look amazing, today too!
Lee @ Fit Foodie Finds says
Kath! Yet another fabulous bowl of oats! I just had a splendid idea: You should make a coffee table book of oatmeal. You have so many gorgeous photos and so many varieties of oats. I’d buy it…
KathEats says
Oh I’d love to!
Shannon @ A Better Me says
Yummy looking as alway 😀 LOVE those placemats! Where did you get them? So cute!
KathEats says
Scrapbook paper!
Shannon @ A Better Me says
Really?! Awesome! Thanks! 😀
Katie says
Hope you saw this column! http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/08/is-eat-real-food-unthinkable/?hp
It is worth checking out!
KathEats says
I saw it!! He’s just missing the K!
Nancy~The Wife of a Dairyman says
Photography can be so tricky sometimes! I bought a macro lens for my Canon and that has helped a ton:)
Katy (The Singing Runner) says
These pictures are bad? These make my good pictures look pathetic! 😉
Have a great day!
Natalia - a side of simple says
Your pictures have been especially vibrant and crisp lately, so don’t let one bad shoot get you down 🙂
Jessica says
You should make a KERF guide to oatmeal e-book! I’d totally buy one:)
I get super confused with all the different kinds (steel cut, scottish, rolled) and all the different water/milk ratios and cook times.
Caitlyn (A Spoonful of Life) says
Beautiful pictures! I love the mine field of toppings. Everything goes in my book! It’s the toppings that make oatmeal so fun to eat and give it some character!
Emily @ Savory and Savage says
I agree – the photos still look gorgeous.
Ooooh, another give away? Woot!
Salah@myhealthiestlifestyle says
hahaha your bad pictures make my good pictures look awful! lol
Angela (Oh She Glows) says
I have the same problem with ‘off’ photoshoots. Sometimes the stars align and sometimes they don’t.
I use a tripod and I find that helps with shaking a lot (and fuzziness), but it is a pain in the butt.
Tracey says
I think your photos still look great!
Katie (The Boston Marathoner) says
They took your acronym! Well, part of it – check out the last line: http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/08/is-eat-real-food-unthinkable/?ref=opinion&nl=opinion&emc=tya1
Mary (What's Cookin' with Mary) says
I know what you mean about not being able to get a crisp shot ?! Sometimes it just gets too frustrating and you want to just eat the food! lol I use a tripod and I think that help to at least stabalize the camera (obv), but sometimes a clear shot just isn’t in the cards… not entirely sure why that happens, but I can’t claim to know much about how my camera works. All I know is some days are better than others!
I read your comment about how you eat your oatmeal… I am a non-stirrer (is that a word HA!). I enjoy slowly eating the blob of pb rather than mixing it all in. I feel like I can taste it better that way bc when it’s mixed in I find it dissappears into the big bowl of oats.
PS The pics still looks good!
Katie @ The Content Life says
I’m Scottish and I have never heard of Scottish oats (how could this be?!) – I can’t wait to try them!
Rebecca says
Your oats always look so good, but for some reason I can’t eat them first thing in the morning. I do find that piling other goodies on top helps me with the texture a bit.
Kelly says
My photos are the same way some time! It’s so frustrating. At least you have good lighting. It is super de duper dark when I eat breakfast, but I think that is changing soon. 😉
Vivi @ mybeautifulair says
The NYT is using your slogan!
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/08/is-eat-real-food-unthinkable/?hp
Michelle says
I deeefinitely get too impatient sometimes. Plus, you don’t want it to get cold before you eat it!
Amanda-The Nutritionist Reviews says
Can’t wait to see your next edition of the home series!
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert says
The photos are terrific. And I’m excited about the next home series photos too. Makes me want to clean house – but I still have a husband who has stuff – how do you get your hubby to be so tidy?
stephanie says
did you see the end of mark bittman’s opinion piece yesterday in the ny times? a shout out to “eat real food.” i thought it would make you smile:)
Eliz@The Sweet Life says
I love knowing how you eat your oatmeal!!
chelsey @ clean eating chelsey says
I hate when my camera gives me trouble too – was the lighting any different today than normal?
Fancy says
I am so looking forward to another Home Neat Home! I LOVE THEM!
Diana @ frontyardfoodie says
That is SUCH a good idea putting the oats in the food processor!
I’m gonna have to do that next time.
Namaste Gurl says
I’ve been on the grains kick for breakfast recently. I love not only grinding steel cut, but barley, buckwheat and quinoa, too. So nutritious and easy for on the go meals!
Allison @ Happy Tales says
Yesss can’t wait for the a new “Home Neat Home” post!
Jil @ Big City, Lil Kitchen says
I’m lovin all these scottish oats – I need to try this.
Hannah says
Your photos are still far lovelier than most! I’m struggling with my camera at the moment; I think it might be getting a bit old (5 years of constant photo taking…)
Shannon says
You seem to have self-taught your photo skills. I was wondering if you have used any books or websites as reference.
KathEats says
I’m pretty much self taught. I’ve read some things online, but my camera’s manual was by far the most helpful!
Chris says
Hi Kath,
I’ve been following your posts for over two years now. I love your blog and wish you and Matt all the best with the launch of your new business.
Chris (from Toronto)
KathEats says
Thanks Chris!
Kimberly_S says
Hey Kath! I’ve been a longtime reader and I’m finally de-lurking. Love your blog! I had to comment because I took advantage of the Hues & Brews deal you recently offered on OpenSky and, I swear, we pick the same colored mug everyday! It’s hilarious. Great minds think alike- I suppose especially when it comes to their coffee mug. 😉 Cheers!
KathEats says
Thanks for de-lurking!! Hilarious about the mugs. Glad you like ’em!
Stephani says
Kath,
your pictures look amazing. What kind of camera do you have? I am looking to purchase a new one!
KathEats says
Canon XSI DSLR Rebel with Canon 35 mm f/2.0 lens!