Fingernails Don't Belong Here

This whole eating better and getting off our butts thing has been working out pretty well...much better than I would have thought originally.  We are still trying to get used to some things.  For me that includes still having energy at the end of a more active day and eating things that I know are better, but that I'm not a huge fan of.

Yesterday and today have been filled with trying to fix the exterior of our new house.  We've finally have the front yard sprinklers working...only had to dig up half of them.  Luckily none of the pipes underground have broken.  But I've been pretty drained of energy by the end of it all.  I know that with time that will lessen, but it's a pretty big hurdle to overcome - because some days I'm still just looking for an excuse to stop.

Last night for dinner we had Roasted Tomato and Basil Casserole and I am anything but a tomato person...it's mostly a texture thing, but I also have a bit of an issue with the flavor.  I wanted to try it because I am extremely fascinated by the spaghetti squash, but I had to talk myself into it because of the tomatoes.  It was a bit of a struggle, but I figured the worst thing was that I didn't like it (Kurt, of course, will eat most things) and I just make something else.  It was a good thing though - I very much enjoyed it.  I still had a little difficulty getting past the skins and the sliminess but it's something that I would eat again.

With healthy eating comes new experiences.

If I had to complain about one thing though...it would be fingernails.  After 30 years on this planet and the conscious ones of biting my fingernails, I had finally given it it.  They were growing out and actually looking great.  Between mixing and kneading dough, continuous chopping of vegetables, grating garlic and cheese and working in the yard, I decided that fingernails don't belong here.  See...and you thought I was going to complain about all the food I'm "missing". :)

If you haven't seen it already, check out our breakfast this morning...Baked Banana Oatmeal.  It was super yummy!!

Excited for dinner tonight...making BBQ chicken pizza pockets with homemade barbecue sauce.  Will keep you updated!!

Baked Banana Oatmeal

It's taken me years to really be ok with the flavor but mostly texture of oatmeal...and while I still have a little bit of a problem with the texture, I find that a little bit of sweetness in oatmeal can go a long way.

From www.katheats.com (slightly altered to my liking)

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1-2 bananas
• 1 - 1/2 cups milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon and nutmeg

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375*F
2. Combine the dry ingredients
3. In a separate bowl, mash 1 banana.  Add wet ingredients to banana
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well
5. Line an +/- 8" pan with parchment paper or grease (the parchment paper works wonderfully to reduces sticking and removing in one piece)
6. Pour batter in the pan
7. If desired, slice another banana on top (if you prefer, you can also slice another banana at the bottom prior to pouring the batter in)
8. Bake for 26 minutes
9. Just before it is finished, heat honey (on the stove or in the microwave) and add pumpkin pie spice (or cinnamon and nutmeg)
10. When done, turn oven to broil and pour honey mixture on top of the baked batter
11. Broil for 3-4 minutes
12. Serve immediately