thishomemadelife | 2012 January

My boys are early risers, crazy early. Somewhere along the line of things they didn’t get the memo that sleeping in is okay, even a good thing. Thanks to them, I get to see the sunrise each morning while popping bread in the toaster. Starting our day this early means breakfast needs to be filling enough to stay with them through the morning. To do this, we generally stay away from sugary cereals and pastries that will have them hungry within an hour of eating. Oatmeal and whole wheat toast are our breakfast staples during the week, not too exciting, but we mix them up a bit each day by how we choose to top them off. Most days our toppings of choice include fruit, nuts, nut butter and homemade jam. Here are a couple of our favorite ways to enjoy the first meal of the day… Top your bagel or toast with fresh fruit… Thin slices of fresh fruit or mashed berries make a great topper to the nut butter on your toast or the cream cheese on your bagel. We just choose whatever is in season. This time of year pears are always a favorite. They are just sweet enough to make you forget all about the jam. A bowl of oats… For me, how I eat my oatmeal changes with the seasons. In the summer I like it raw, soaked in almond milk, topped with summer berries and a drizzle of maple syrup. In the winter, I like it warm topped with the comforting flavors of cinnamon, apples, pears and nuts, almost like eating a fruit crisp for breakfast. Other breakfast favorites… Fruit smoothies Yogurt Granola with vanilla almond/soy milk topped with fruit Saturday morning pancakes Bagels [...]

Winter Weekend

January 23, 2012

Our weekend… Soccer, soccer and more soccer Snuggling in for a movie… Working on our first 1,000 piece puzzle… Just Dance 3 competitions…can I just say, all those dance lessons as a child, have finally paid off? The playoffs…a certain 10 year old fan is proudly sporting his Patriot gear today… It’s a blustery Monday. Cold temperatures, a dusting of snow, trees swaying gracefully against the gray sky. Recovering from a weekend full of work and play means picking up around the house and refilling the pantry with snacks. A couple batches of granola, cookies and maybe even some zucchini bread are on my to-do list. So is a little book time with my current, light read. It’s providing some good motivation for the half marathon program I’ll be starting in just a few weeks. In the winter, a little extra motivation never hurts, especially if it means logging time on the treadmill. Hope your Monday is a good one! Alison

Rustic Bean Soup

January 20, 2012

Frozen Whipped Cream Dollops

January 18, 2012

Refried Bean Enchiladas

Breakfast Anyone?

Winter Weekend

Rustic Bean Soup

Frozen Whipped Cream Dollops

Stay in touch

Subscribe by Email

Instagram