Egg, Spinach, Tomato Bowl

On the days I travel into the office to work, which is about three days per week, I typically take my breakfast to eat at my desk.  I drink AG1 every morning when I'm getting ready so I find that after I have that, I am not hungry enough to eat my actual breakfast before I need to leave.  I will bring overnight oats, egg bites, or granola and yoghurt. Yesterday I didn't have any of those things so I boiled up two eggs before I left and this "recipe" was born.  It was so tasty! 

2-3 hard boiled eggs

Baby Spinach

Cherry Tomatoes

Butter

Salt and Pepper

I filled small plastic container (like 2.5 cups or so) with the spinach and dropped a few tomatoes in as well.  Then I added about 1.5 tbsp of butter.  I took it to work along with my already boiled eggs.

Then I dumped the spinach, tomatoes, and butter into a bowl, and put it in the microwave for 45 seconds.  Stirred it up to distribute the now melting butter, and then put it back in for another 30 seconds.  The spinach was nicely wilted and the tomatoes were softened up.  Then I added my eggs, cut them up on top of the vegetables, and seasoned with salt and pepper.  (I did not warm up the eggs, not needed.)

It was so delicious and added a bit of pizzazz to my plain boiled eggs (#protein).  I also always thought I had to sauté spinach in a frying pan, and just realized I could use the microwave to achieve the same thing! 

Recipe - Overnight Oats

I never was really a fan of overnight oats, they always seemed a bit slimy to me.  Then I found a recipe that suggested warming it up before eating, so I tried it and it was delicious.  If I'm warming it up, then why don't I just make it fresh and hot in the morning, you ask? Well, I would say that the overnight oats recipe has lots of yummy stuff that just taste better when they've been able to rest together overnight, plus I can make it ahead of time and just grab a container full to take to work!  Here is the finished product, and below is the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 cup of rolled oats (I used the quick oats but you could use the fuller flakes)

1.5 cups unsweetened plant milk (I use cashew)

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp cinnamon

1.5 tsp vanilla

1 large Honey Crisp apple, unpeeled, finely chopped or grated (about 1 cup)

3 tbsp chia seeds 

Pinch of Ground allspice

Pinch of Ground Ginger

Pinch of Salt

Toppings: raisins, dried cranberries, chopped pecans or walnuts, pumpkin seeds, more apple, more maple syrup

Stir together all of the ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. When ready to eat, portion into bowls (all four of us can usually get a serving).  If desired, warm up in the microwave for 45 seconds, to take the chill off.  Top with preferred toppings.

(This is after I've mixed it up but before it goes into the fridge.)

Yummy and not slimy!

Recipe - Egg Bites

Egg bites are very trendy right now and I am here for it.  We don't get take-out breakfast very often, but I have gotten the Tim Hortons egg bites before and they were pretty good.  I see they also sell them in the freezer aisle at the grocery store, but it really is so much easier to make them yourself.  I've made a few batches of these to take with us in the morning when we go skiing.  

Makes 12 egg bites.

Ingredients

8 eggs

3/4 cup cottage cheese

salt and pepper

3/4 to 1 cup of Additions - ham, bacon bits, sausage, cheese, green onion, mushrooms, red pepper, etc.  (whatever you feel like, I have used shredded cheddar cheese and ham or bacon)

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Use a hand blender/mixer to combine the eggs, cottage cheese, and seasonings, until smooth.

Chop up whatever you're using as additions.

Generously spray a 12 muffin tin with cooking spray (I don't have a silicone pan but I haven't had any issues with them sticking). Divide the additions between the 12 spots. 

Pour in the egg mixture over top of the meat/cheese/vegetables. I try to fill to just over halfway, and then even it out at the end.  Just use a spoon to move the egg liquid from one cup to another if you need to and get them as even as possible.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until set and golden.  They will puff up in the oven.  Cool in the pan for a few minutes before removing to cool on rack (or to eat!), they will shrink down.

Will keep in fridge or freezer.  You can reheat in the microwave. 

Friday Favourites

 

I liked my pretty breakfast in the sun on Monday morning - blueberry Greek yoghurt, granola, and mini-banana.

On Valentine's Day we enjoyed lots of treats.  I added cake pops and a few different hearts and red things in the boys' lunches.

The boys wore their new shirts and they looked so sweet.

A little silly one.

And Q has left...

I had a Valentine's shirt too

Dave made steak frites for supper for us.  So tasty. 

We had a special delivery of cupcakes so we all enjoyed those too.

And I got a couple of bouquets of flowers.

The boys have been into chess lately, Q even beat me in a game.

Have a great weekend!

Linking up with Andrea and Erika.

Weekend Recap

This cool kid was ready for the second day of school on Friday morning.  With Dave away and an 8:00 am meeting for me, we were out the door shortly after 7:30 to get to the YMCA. E walked to school with the neighbours and left around 8:15.  

Around 11:00 I biked over the advance polling station to cast my vote.  I am usually first in line to vote but I was there mid-day so I had to wait a little while.  No problem though and glad to get it done.

I made a lasagna for supper and realized we had lots to share so I invited some neighbour friends over to join us.  Dave was away and it turned out the dad/husband from their family was also away so it was just the moms and kids. 

We were tired after the first few days at school so I put the kids to bed at a decent time and I read for awhile before going to bed at a good time too.

The next morning was the 20th anniversary of 9/11.  I had coffee out of my New York mug and thought a lot about that day in 2001. I also made some oatmeal and sent some emails before it was time to get to E's baseball game.

E played catcher for two innings.  Q played with his toys.

I left baseball early to take Q to his first gymnastics class.  E went home with one of his teammates after the, so then I picked him up after dropping Q off.  We scurried home, got changed, and then ran to the subway to we could get back to Q for pick up time.  Then we took the (replacement) bus (instead of the normal streetcar) down Roncesvalles to find something for lunch.  Q insisted on a burger so we went to the Gold Standard take out window.

Waiting for our order.

Success!

Then we walked down the street and found a flea market at a church so we picked up a few books. Then we found the ice cream store.

Waiting for the bus back up to the subway station.  Q is holding a bag of ice, he fell on his face outside of a restaurant and the server kindly brought him some ice for his face.  He was fine but we appreciated the gesture.

When we got home, the kids watched some TV and I put on the recorded F1 qualifying race but then fell promptly asleep!  I had just woken up when our neighbours came by to see if we wanted to go to the park, so we did.  

Q wanted to go fishing and I wanted to go for a walk to the river, so I got the kids' fishing rods out and we went down to put them in the water. 

I started watching the 9/11 documentary on Netflix after the kids went to bed.  To this day I still grasp at my chest with my hands and look with disbelief when I watch the planes hit the buildings and then the buildings collapse.  I feel the same way I felt that day.

On Sunday morning we were up fairly early.  I did a 45 minute Peloton ride and then watched the F1 race on my iPhone with my airpods while the kids watched TV.  What a crazy race!  It was over by 10:30 so then I put the church service on the TV and we all watched together (amongst the couch cushion mess).

After church we went to Costco so I could get some mums for the front porch.  Then I suggested we drive downtown to get lunch at the Amsterdam Brewhouse. I love going out for lunch and I know our patio days are numbered so I take whatever opportunity I can get. 

We went for a bike ride by the river before our simple supper of soup and melted cheese on toast.  E and I watched Come From Away on Apple TV.  I have seen it twice in theatre, once in New York and once in Toronto. The TV production is so good and I was reminded how great of a musical it is.  If you get a chance, watch it!

Friday Favourites

We had some warm weather this week (I guess this is Spring of Deception since we are supposed to get snow agin next weekend)...

...but I spotted some signs of spring.  Some white flowers poking up in our front garden on Monday.  I also saw a robin on Thursday morning, first of many I'm sure.

I wrote about our quick stop at the library on the weekend and the books we picked up have been favourites. 

On Wednesday morning the boys took it upon themselves to make smoothie bowls for everyone.  They put it together on their own and managed the blender too (I was working out downstairs and aware of what they were up to but knew they were fine, Dave was still sleeping).  Q got a photo of E as proof of their work.

They even got the perfect swirl.  And they cleaned everything up before I came back upstairs. 

So yummy!

We have been enjoying the curling at the Brier this week.  There are so many great teams this year, and lots of fun to watch.  I have a few favourites, but especially glad to see Wayne Middaugh curling so well (he's the ripe old age of 53, hah!).

Another highlight of this week has certainly been the fallout from the Meghan and Harry interview with Oprah.  I am fascinated by it all. I wrote about why I love the Royal Family here.  I feel like they have an opportunity here (one they did not take advantage of when they should have) and I do hope it turns out for the best.  

Yesterday I looked back over the past year of the pandemic. What a year it has been!

Linking up with Andrea and Erika