Oatmeal Blueberry Lemon…Crepes?

I am sure most foodies who read food blogs come across a blog, see a recipe and think “I need to make that – like soon!”  Then you think you have all the ingredients to make it, then realize you don’t, but you still want to go ahead and make it.

When I saw Jacky’s Oatmeal Lemon Ricotta Pancakes I wanted to make them.  Like now. Except I didn’t have ricotta – I had cottage cheese.  And I love the blueberry and lemon combo and decided to add those too.  I also added 2 tablespoons of sugar to the batter.

I’ve never made pancakes so thin before – not as thin as a crepe but not as thick as a pancake – maybe because I subbed in the cottage cheese, but my batter was thin.  They were almost too hard to flip, so I ended up cooking them quite a bit on once side before flipping them.

Turns out they didn’t look as pretty as Jacky’s, but I hoped the flavor was there, as this was one of my bosses breakfasts. 

This made exactly six pancakes – two pancakes were a serving:  217 calories, 3 fat, 33 carbs, 3.4 fiber and 13 protein.

Because they were thin, I decided to roll them up cigar like.  And to offset the sweetness, I put a slice of deli ham in the middle for a nice salty/sweet combo.  I realize it looks like poo on a plate with syrup over the top, but my boss and I both loved these.  Light, delicate almost.  Just enough sweetness and I liked the salty kick of the ham.

I ended up swimming again at lunch – while near 100, in the water its absolutely delightful.  My view from the pool!  And in case you are wondering, I ended my swim down the slide.

My lunch was leftover chicken lemon orzo soup – and on the side, some pita chips and hummus and half an apple.

I bought these pita chips because they were on sale.

Of course, I didn’t read the nutritional label until I bought them – who the hell eats just six crackers for a serving??!!

My first job was a sales clerk at a Dress Barn.  It was okay unpacking clothes and organizing stuff, but I loved being on the register!  So after being there only about two months, I checked the schedule and I was going to be on the register the whole week!  Yes!

I walked to work.  Got to the door and something was amiss.  Huh.  There was newspaper in the windows and a sign that said “location closed.”  WTF.  I walked all the way home and called my manager and she said “I knew I forgot to call someone, yep, the store closed and we’ll mail you your last check.”  Rats.

After I hung up the phone I got our local paper and searched the help wanted ads.  I found an ad for a bus person at a high end restaurant.  Looked interesting.  Instead of calling ahead, I decided to walk there and just introduce myself.   As luck would have it, the operating manager was there, and when I told him I wanted to apply for the bus person position, he said “we’ve never hired a girl for that position before.”

I convinced him to give me a try for one month, and that if I couldn’t hack it, he could fire me.  Well, I ended up working for the restaurant from the age of 16 through my early 20s – first as a bus person, then as a server and when I got back from college as a bartender at their sister location.

What does this possibly have to do with anything about this post?  Well, I made my version of pasta primavera for dinner.   Whenever we offered a vegetarian option, other than fish, the only other option that these restaurants provided was pasta primavera.  I remember thinking “it would suck to be a vegetarian because all you get to eat is fish and pasta primavera!”

I have no idea if this is even remotely close to it – and I know I cheated because I added sausage to mine, but I am calling it Biz’s Non-Vegetarian Pasta Primavera.

Biz’s Non-Vegetarian Sausage Pasta Primavera

Makes Two Servings:  390 calories, 27 aft, 16 carbs, .6 fiber and 18 protein

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces cooked pasta
• 6 ounces cooked Italian sausage, sliced
• 2 tablespoons flour
• ¼ cup flour
• Pinch of black pepper
• Pinch of salt
• Dash of cayenne pepper
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• ½ cup artichoke hearts, chopped
• 4 ounces mixed cheese (I used cheddar, mozzarella and Parmesan)

I added ½ a cup of broccoli, one carrot and ½ a cup of green beans to my dish – which added 45 more calories and bumped up the fiber to 5.2 grams.

Cook pasta according to package directions.  This would work out perfect for leftover pasta – I think I am the Queen of making too much cooked pasta, every single time.  Set aside pasta.

Cook sausage until cooked.  Cool slightly, then slice.

In a large sauce pan melt the butter.  Add the flour and cook for one minute.  Slowly add the unsweetened almond milk until it starts to get thick.  Add seasonings.  Remove from heat and stir in the cheeses.  Once those have melted, toss in the cooked pasta, sausage, artichoke hearts (and more veggies for me!) and stir until combined.  Garnish with more grated Parm if you want.  Yummers..

I couldn’t even finish the whole thing, but this was delicious and Tony gave it two thumbs up.  He liked the addition of the artichokes, and so did I. 

I didn’t realize until I looked at my Insanity calendar that it was a recovery day yesterday – not to say that it wasn’t hard, because it was.  Core Cardio and Balance – I do have to say that I am way more flexible then when I started and my balance on my left side has gotten better too.

I put this on Facebook and Instagram, saying that I like to match my Gatorade color to my sports bra!

A friend of mine from high school posted that I should do Asylum after Insanity – crazy!  (Kim, I am looking at you too!)

And flashback Friday – it was a year ago today that Tony surprised me with my gym membership next to my office.  Thanks again honey – and thanks for being the best cheerleader a wife could ever ask for.

Stats for the Day:

• 1814 calories, 81 fat, 182 carb, 24 fiber, 92 protein
• 40% calories from carbs, 40% from fat and 20% from protein
• 30 minute swim at lunch
• 43 minute Insanity core cardio and balance

Happy Friday – make it a great day!