Homemade Oatmeal with Fruit

I make my own oatmeal because it's one less packaged food I'm eating. It's healthier and cheaper than those packets.

Easiest Oatmeal
1/2c Old fashioned rolled oats (not quick or instant)
1/2c Water
1/2c Frozen fruit such as blueberries, mango, strawberries, cherries, or peaches
cinnamon and or nutmeg to taste
With blueberries 189 cal, 3.5g fat, 6g fiber, 5g protein, 3 pts

Optional:
1 small banana 90 cal
1Tbsp almonds (chopped or slivers) 84 cal
1 packet all natural sweetner (such as Sun Crystals or Stevia)
1Tbsp All natural fruit preserves (no added sugar or artificial sweetners) approx 35 cal

Microwave fruit to defrost to room temperature.
Microwave oats with water according to package
(Tip: Most packages will call for 1 cup of water which makes it REALLY soupy. I usually only use 2/3c)
Once oatmeal is at desired consistency, add the fruit, cinnamon and any other optional ingredients. Stir and then microwave about 30sec.

Cherry Almond Protein Oatmeal
I like this one after a workout

1/2c Old fashioned oats
1/2c Unsweetened vanilla almond milk (Or sub soy or rice milk)
8-10 Frozen cherries
1 Tbsp Slivered almonds
1 Tbsp Vanilla Protein Powder
1 packet of all natural sweetener (Or sub 1 Tbsp fruit preserves)
Cinnamon to taste

Defrost cherries to room temperature.
Mix oats, protein powder, sweetener, cinnamon, and almond milk in a bowl.
Stir and microwave 1min to 1min 30sec. Stirring once halfway through and adding more milk if needed.
Add cherries and microwave 30sec, then top with almonds.'

Oatmeal to Go - Blueberry Mango
This one of my favorite combinations that I like to bring to work

1/2 cup - Old fashioned oats
1/4 cup - Frozen blueberries
1/2 cup - Frozen mango chunks (about 7-8 chunks)
1 Tbsp - All natural fruit preserves (any berry flavor)*
1 tsp - Cinnamon

Prep at home
Place the oats and cinnamon in a small tupperware container.
Place the blueberries and mango in another tupperware container and then the fruit preserves. The frozen fruit will thaw and then preserves will blend in to sweeten it. (I've found that 1-1.5 hours is good between prepping and eating)

At work
Place oats in a bowl or large soup mug and then add cold water. I never have a measuring cup so I just start with a little especially since the juices from the fruit will add more liquid.
Microwave for 1 min. Add fruit, stir and microwave another 45 sec - 1 min.

The Alternative Bagel - 110 calories

I'm hooked Western Bagel's Alternative Bagel! I make sandwiches with these almost everyday. I use the onion bagel because it adds a little extra flavor. These are a good size, taste great, and have fiber and protein so they fill you up for little calories. 110cal, .5g fat, 8g fiber, 7g protein, 1.5 points

In LA I have seen these in Whole Foods and Ralphs or use the store locator. You can also order these online. Just make sure to get the ALTERNATIVE bagel because Western Bagel makes other larger bagels that are higher in calories.

They also have an Alternative Pita and English Muffin.

PS - I was a little upset to find that these bagels aren't "all natural" -- they have Sucralose in them but at least it's the very last ingredient.

Granola Swaps

Kashi GoLean Crunch! cereal makes an awesome granola for less calories. It's a perfect for adding to yogurt, oatmeal, ice cream, or fruit. They list stats for a 1cup serving but as a topping you only need 1/4cup - 48cal, 1g fat, 2g fiber, 2g proteinThey also came out with a new Honey Almond Flax flavor that I will be trying soon!

You may not want to keep a big box of cereal around because in "single girl" world that means either A. It will go bad or worse B. You randomly take handfuls out of the box and realize you demolished it 2 days (ouch). So I would also recommend these Kashi Crunchy Granola Bars for those who prefer individually packaged. If you crush these up it's just like granola. They come in a pack of two and since they're higher in calories I would use 1 bar and save the other (it's called willpower).

1 bar (Honey Toasted 7-Grain) - 90 cal, 3g fat, 1g fiber, 3g protein

Tortilla Chips

Guiltless Gourmet - The best baked tortilla chip!!! Waaaay better than the cardboard-like Baked Tostitos. These are made with organic corn, no preservatives and are so delicious I never miss the "unbaked" tortilla chips.

For 18 chips 120 calories, 3g fat, 2g fiber, 2 points

So far I've tried...

Blue Corn - The best for salsa and dips

Yellow Corn - Runner up

Mucho Nacho - Just like Doritos

Chipotle - Like a spicy barbeque tortilla chip

Spicy Black Bean - Pretty tasty

They sell them at Whole Foods or use the store locator

If you can't find them I would say the next best thing is Tostitos NATURAL Yellow Corn. They're slightly higher in calories and fat but they only contain 3 ingredients (same as Guiltless Gourmet). When it comes to ingredients on packaged foods, less is always more.

Yoga Month and Yoga on a budget

I just found out that September happens to be Yoga Month. There are festivals in several cities but some took place already. Luckily, the Los Angeles Festival happens to be this weekend in West LA! FREE Admission but you have to pay for the workshops.

Yoga on a budget:

1. Yoga Works (LA & NY) has specials for new students FREE Introductory Class and also $30 for 2 weeks unlimited classes. Many studios offer specials like this to entice prospective clients so I recommend checking several studios in your area for deals, then make the rounds.

2. http://www.meetup.com/ Search yoga groups in your area. You may find informal groups that get together to do yoga on a regular basis and it could be free.

3. DVD's and podcasts. I'll admit this isn't the same as taking a class. I see the dvd's as a nice supplement to the occasional class and you can do it on your own time.

4. Fit TV - If you don't want to buy a dvd I would check out this channel from Discovery. I just recently discovered it and dvr'd a yoga routine. They may even have this stuff on OnDemand as well.

5. Yoga Journal's Sequence Builder to build your own routine.