The sun is shining!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And it’s supposed to for this whole week. Can you tell I have a mild version of the seasonal disorder!? I can only stand one day of clouds and rain at a time. Not 3-4, especially on my vacation!!
Sleeping
I’ve been sleeping from 10:30 to 7:30 every day = 9 hours. That’s a LOT of sleep! I guess I should enjoy it while I can, but honestly my body doesn’t like that much sleep. I like 8 hours – then I feel my best and have the most energy.
So I finally got out of bed at 8, had half a banana and hit the road for our run!
Run
We did about 4.8 miles through the thickest fog you have ever seen! But the good thing is the sun kept breaking through the clouds. It wasn’t my fastest run, but it was steady. 375 kcal burned.
Breakfast
Now for the steel cut oats. Once showered, with hair curled :), I got them simmering. I thought soaking them overnight would help speed up the cooking time, but I’m wondering if I somehow ruined them because this was the SMALLEST portion of oats I’ve ever seen!!!I added a little more PB than usual to compensate 🙂
The husband literally said, “You’ve got to be kidding me. Did you get the portions right?” But I’m sure I did: 1/4 a cup of oats to 1 cup water, right? I put in half a cup of oats with 2 cups water for the two of us. Simmered them for about 25 minutes on a slow boil this morning. (Jenna, any advice!?)
By weight, the steel cuts were the same calories and only 2/3 of the weight of our regular bowls of oats!!
Same bowl (steel cut on the bottom)
Now I liked their chewiness a lot, but the volume and time commitment is a BIG problem. I’ve made these before but I have always done them with strange recipes that call for yogurt and dried fruit, so this was my first time making them like my normal oats.
Also had hot tea:
Breakfast calories: 408 (460 with pre-run banana)
I did enjoy breakfast a lot. We finally sat down at 10:30 and the sun was beautiful and I read a Body + Soul Magazine next to the husband. Fun!
New Year’s Eve
Husband is busy making foccacia bread right now. He had a craving to make bread even though he just did last night. Guess we’ll be eating lots of it this week!
Can’t wait for lunch – I have something interesting planned! No other big plans for the day other than cleaning, as usual 🙂 I’m going to take a load of stuff to Good Will and clean out my closet a bit.
Tonight we’re going out to dinner at a fancy restaurant in town, are watching the movie Babel after dinner, are going to a quick cocktail party, and are spending the night at my mother-in-law’s so we don’t risk being on the road with 1,000 drunk drivers at 12:30 a.m. I might have to wait and post dinner in the morning tomorrow. My goal is to stick to 6 oz of wine. Alcohol is definitely tonight’s biggest danger, so it’s what I’m planning around. I DO NOT want to feel icky tomorrow morning!! We’re planning to workout at my MIL’s gym in her condo, so that should be a good motivator.
Brenda says
Hi Kath! I soak my steel cut oats the night before but I use 1/2 cup oats to 1 1/2 cups water. This makes two portions. I also bulk mine up with pumpkin or applesauce to add volume.
Have a wonderful New Year!
Solange says
Babel? That's actually the most depressing movie ever. It leaves you with a lingering malaise. I don't recommend for a happy new year's eve! Good luck:)
Lacey says
Hi Kath! I am relatively new to your blog and I just wanted to tell you I really appreciate it 🙂 So organized and personable! Thanks so much for being a "real-life" role model. I'm 24 and sort of settling into a life of my own in the Boston area 🙂 Happy New Year to you and your husband!
Kath says
Brenda,
Perhaps it just needed bulking up. But I think I still prefer rolled oats!
Solange,
I don't have a choice!! But it won all kinds of awards so I hope it's at least an interesting movie.
Lacey,
Thanks for reading!! I was born in the Boston area and would love to move there one day.
jenna says
Hmm…I'm trying to think about your little problem. Whenever I make steel cut I make 1/2 cup and then after its done cooking I just divide it in half and put each portion in little tupperwares in the fridge. I've never noticed it being less than regular oats though! maybe because I have been eating steel cut for years…i dont know! I never have weighed them after cooking them and I always add 1 tbsp peanut butter/1 banana, which seems to fill me up for about 3 hours. I never really get more than 3 hours of satiety out of any meal…so that's not any different there. If i were to do one portion it would be 1/4 cup oats to 3/4 cup water. Then in the morning I also add 2 ounces of milk and stir before microwaving. Maybe you should try to add some milk, too? It does make it "bigger" in the bowl, I suppose!!
faith says
hi kath! im fairly new to reading your blog. im not sure where you live but i live in tallahasse florida and today was the first non foggy day i have seen in a while. i went for a long run this morning as well and it was so clear, bright, and crisp here! it makes it so much more enjoyable!! i can completely relate to you with the rainy day situation. 🙂 happy new years eve! your blog is really fun to read by the way
jenna says
Ok, I'm re-reading your post now. You SOAKED them last night or COOKED them last night? I never soak mine…I always just cook them the night before, put in fridge, then add 2 ounces milk in the am and reheat. Maybe your soaking sort of reduced the volume of the oats…..I think?
rebecca says
Oatmeal can be reheated and it is just as yummy. I usually have to add a little more water the following day because they thicken.
Rae says
I hear ya Kath Im a volume eater, too. I thought my oats turned out well, but they have more calories in them I read….150 for 1/4 cup, which is twice as many as regular oats! I think Ill stick with rolled….unless anyone knows what makes steel cut so much better?
Kath says
Rae,
They are double the calories if you keep the volume the same, but you're only supposed to make 1/4 a cup. Trust me, I would never eat them if they were just double the calories in general! Totally not worth it since i love rolled oats in the first place 🙂
K
June Stead says
Hi Kath,
Tried steel cut oats for the first time this morning. Soaked them last night with half the water and cooked them for about 12 minutes this morning with the other half of the liquid (skimmed milk). (One part oats to four and a bit parts liquid).
added a few banana slices while they were cooking.
When cooked, threw in a few small pieces of walnuts and jumbo raisins. Sprinkled with cinnamon, topped with carnation light milk and a teaspoon
of maple syrup. Absolutley delicious and kept my husband who suffers with low blood sugar full up and stable all morning.
I see you enjoy spinning. Have you tried rope jump dancing (we call it skipping here in the uk). I’ve recently discovered it because my knees hurt too much when i run these days).
It is fantastic. Motivational, creative, sexy even(some of the tricks i thought I’d never be able to do i’m now executing with ease) burns up to a 1000 calories an hour, is low impact when done properly and is totally portable. Its completely addictive and i’ve built up the most fantastic butt and legs plus toned and expanded my upper body in as little as 8 weeks. Fantastic training for other sports too. Check out both Ropesport and Buddy Lee on the web.
Has been nice talking to you. Enjoy the oats.
June