Instead of listing a day’s worth of eats, let’s talk about the products I’ve been eating a lot of lately. I’ve been loving the following for a variety of reasons — whether it be for my health, because my taste buds jump for joy when I eat them, or because they are the lesser of other evils that could be lurking in my pantry. Regardless, these guys have become staples in the IHABL household.
Quaker Steel Cut Oats
In what can only be described as the weirdest turn of events, I’ve started craving oatmeal now that the temps are climbing. Didn’t have a single bowl all winter, no, but these days it’s a different story. I’m pretty high-maintenance about my oatmeal, however. I can make an easy single-serving bowl with quick oats, but for the most part, I don’t really like steel cut oats. I haven’t had any luck with them. I typically make my oatmeal in the microwave, and that doesn’t cut it for the steel cut type. At the beginning of the week I decided to give them one last shot and threw them in the slow cooker. What a WORLD of a difference. It tasted like that oatmeal you get from the hotel buffet because god knows what’s actually in those “egg patties.” I made a big batch of it to have on hand all week and I’ve been loving it — I cooked them in water with chia seeds, millet, cinnamon, and some sea salt, so that each day I have a blank canvas to add whatever toppings I feel like having. Today was brown sugar and banana, and I’m not sure if I’ll be switching it up. Why mess with perfection?
Coconut La Croix
Let me tell you a little story about my water intake — it’s virtually non-existant. I ran seven miles last night before dinner just to walk in the door and realize that I hadn’t had a single drop of water all day. How I manage to run on those fumes is beyond me. So, while I know that pure H2O is what’s best, at the end of the day I rely on La Croix and my good friend Crystal Light to keep me from my inevitable death by dehydration. And none of that phony fruit-flavored stuff. Coconut is where it’s at.
Trader Joe’s Chile Lime Chicken Burgers
They’re thin, they cook in under ten minutes, and they’re just 150 calories with 19 grams of protein. Paired with a whole wheat burger bun, some classic burger fixins’ (including the high fructose corn syrup-laden Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce — sorry there just isn’t any competition there), and a side of veggies that I pull out of my freezer last minute, this has been my go-to healthy dinner option as of late. And I’m not stopping anytime soon.
Chobani Greek Yogurt
I usually only eat plain greek yogurt — but while I know that that’s the better choice for 90% of my snacks, sometimes, at the end of the day, you want something more dessert-like. That’s where these guys come in. The vanilla isn’t even my favorite…it’s, you guessed it, coconut, but I don’t have any left right now. Mixed with some slivered almonds or chocolate chips, sweetened yogurt is a perfectly pre-portioned dessert.
Kodiak Cakes
These hearty little guys are like breakfast gold. They make you feel like you’re indulging in a giant pancake breakfast, when really you’re making a pretty decent choice, as they’re 100% whole grain. The best part is that they’re so easy to make and taste great! I’ve even gotten my family turned on to them, and they usually scoff at my healthy purchases (in their defense, though, I go through phases — so one healthy product can be 75% used up but then the remaining 25% will be left in our pantry for the better half of a decade….) I always add lots of mixins to my pancake batter, usually bananas, cinnamon, millet, nuts, or chia seeds (or all of it!) My brother has made them quite a few times with chocolate chips and I never refuse those either. You really can’t mess this one up: one cup batter, one cup water, mix, cook, done. And they actually keep me full for more than an hour, unlike most pancakes.
Questions:
- What’s been your favorite food buy lately?
- Do you go through food phases, or do you have a few stand-bys that you’ve loved forever?
i had a big lunch 
I love Chobani greek yogurt as well. They are perfect for on the go. I use to eat oatmeal all the time. But since traveling so much for work and having that be the only quick option, I have gotten so sick of it and haven’t had it in forever.
They’re so easy to just throw in your bag and have on hand when you get hungry. I love the extra protein punch — I haven’t been in the mood for oatmeal in forever but all of a sudden it’s back!
I LOVED the La Croix coconut drink when I tried it at Whole Foods, but didn’t realise it was fizzy. Also…this is the second recipe surprise you’ll like.. 😉
Heck yes! Can’t wait!
Glad to hear Trader Joe’s chicken burgers are in fact good. I buy their turkey burgers all the time and have wondered about those exact chicken burgers… definitely getting them next time!
They’re really wonderful! i’ll have to try the turkey burgers too sometime. I just loved the chicken ones because they’re thin so there’s no question of “is this done?” I’m weird about meat like that sometimes!
That La Croix looks great! I love coconut flavour and sparkling water – is it really all natural? We don’t have anything similar here – we do have flavoured sparkling water but they are full of nasty sweeteners! Yuck!
David and I do have similar foods week in week out but it’s everything we enjoy so I don’t mind at all! I might do this on my blog next week if that’s ok – was a fun read! Oh and the first thing on my list would be eggs – could not live without them!! Ever!!
La Croix doesn’t have any sweetener! It honestly tastes like sparkling water with just a hint of coconut. I love eggs!!! I’m sure someone somewhere out there thinks I eat way too many but who cares — nothing better than a big serving of eggs! Morning noon or night haha
la Croix Coconut is amazing. So is the apricot, ps. I used to eat oats so much, but now I am less inclined to, and I don’t know why. It has nothing to do with the weather! I made a copycat version of those burgers on my site long ago–they are so good!
YOU’RE the one who likes the apricot La Croix! I knew one of my friends did but I couldn’t figure it out! haha. Oats are such a hit or miss. You either love them or the thought makes you want to gag, depending on that day.
I have never tried La Croix Coconut, but it looks great! What is it sweetened with? I get plenty of water, but a sweet substitute is always a good supplement!
I definitely go through phases! It’s usually with nuts…One week I can’t get enough raw almonds, the next week I don’t touch them and I am obsessing over raw cashews! The same thing goes for fruit…I’m a weirdo, I eat something like crazy, then leave it in the pantry!
The flavors in La Croix come from the oils extracted from the named fruit. There are no sugars or artificial ingredients! I really like them. Just not the fruity flavors. Nothing good to me about fruit “essence” haha. That’s so funny you’re that way with fruit! Never heard that one before!
I’m totally a creature of habit. I actually have a “what I always buy at the grocery store” draft in my archives that I’ve been meaning to post forever… maybe one day soon I will. You’ve inspired me!
Hahaha but sometimes being a creature of habit helps you stick to your goals. That being said, you can always throw something new in the rotation and see what happens 🙂 I’d recommend those chicken burgers…they’re killer!
Those chicken burgers are so good! They’re really good with some avocado on top. Mmmm.
I definitely go through phases. Right now I’m in my eggs/toast phase for 3 weeks running. I’m also in a lemon water phase. I used to think that pizza was just a phase, but I’ve since realized it’s not.
The box shows a burger with avocado on it and i’ve always wondered if that was really good — good to know! I should never have doubted that avocado on ANYTHING would be anything less than extraordinary haha. Pizza is NOT a phase that’s for sure!
Yummm…. give me everything. I love steel cut oats!!!
I’m definitely glad I gave them another chance! The crockpot made such a difference in their texture!
La Croix coconut is so goooood. i generally stock up on Chobanis as well (fave Greek yogurt for sure), but i’m trying to do low dairy right now, so they’ve been out. lately it’s been eggs, eggs, eggs…and Medifast bars/shakes. oh, and Brussels sprouts. and a banana every day, bc they’re my fave food. no jokes needed. 🙂
Oh girl you bad. Eggs are one of my eternal food loves. Bananas too! Glad I started buying them again — even if they go bad you can throw them in the freezer and make so many delicious treats with them!
I just can’t make myself like oatmeal but I really wish I could! This warm weather has had me craving berries lately!
Yes, berries! Spring is here (almost)!
I like your spin on WIAW! I’ve been all about the steel cut oats this winter. Like, sometimes twice a day (shh) there’s just something so delicious and satisfying about them. But speaking of phases, I haven’t had them in like a week (!?) I’m not sure if it’s a phase, I’ll probably be back to them soon 🙂
I’m telling you, it’s a phase thing! You can eat the crap out of something for weeks and then one day **poof** the craving is gone! Weird how our bodies/taste buds are like that.
I definitely go through phases. Right now I am making a lot of weird egg white omlettes that always have ricotta cheese. 🙂 I’m checking the store next time I go for Kodiak Cakes though! They sound like something my whole family would eat. And YES to those Chile Lime Chicken burgers! I am WAY overdue for a trip to visit Trader Joe!
Definitely try Kodiak Cakes! Your family will love them — they don’t taste “too healthy” 🙂
I totally go through food phases and will talk about something nonstop and then you won’t see it again. Probably every meal I eat has been a phase at some point. I was recently talking about Perfect Bars every other day and now I have only had like one this week. They’re still delicious, I just think I go overboard until I don’t want something anymore. It’ll always come back though after a brief hiatus.
Those bars look pretty good! I haven’t found a good bar in awhile.
I’m a big fan of Chobani’s new Simply 100s. I still love love love their regular Greek yogurt as well, but this has a substantially lower sugar content (since it’s sweetened with stevia and monk root), so it makes me feel better about my life choices haha.
I actually just won a Kodiak Cakes giveaway and got my boxes of mix in the mail yesterday! I’m really excited to try them out once Lent is over (I’m not eating any sweets at all during Lent — which I’ve done for the past few years, but I always cheat and am all, “Well, pancakes don’t *really* count…” Uh, yeah they do. Haha. Simply 100s and orange juice are as much sugar as I’ll consume from now until Easter, so no Kodiak Cakes for the moment. But soon! Halfway there!)
I didn’t know that about Chobani’s Simply 100s! I thought they were 100 calories because they took some of the good stuff out and added even more additives to drive down the calorie count. Thanks for telling me! I can’t wait for you to try Kodiak Cakes. I’d hardly call them “sweet” haha but I totally catch your drift and can see how that would be a slippery slope lol
I always have chicken sausages on hand for a quick fix! Super clean ingredients and good prices. Trader Joe’s has some great options!
I just hopped on the chicken sausage bandwagon a month or so ago and I haven’t look back! So, so good!! TJ’s has everything 🙂
Yes! SO convenient!
I love La Croix but cannot stand the coconut (even though I love all things coconut). So strange! Lately I’ve been loving dates in smoothies, yum!
Everyone has their La Croix preference, that’s for sure! Some I gag while drinking, others I love. It’s odd!! Dates in smoothies is supposed to be really good…I have to invest in a good enough blender to actually blend them though! Haha. What do you use?
I have been super snacky during studying so dark chocolate covered blueberries and mocha almonds are my go to : ) I love La Croix! I’ve never tried coconut but I should!
Those are some serious snacks! My main study snacks are Smartfood popcorn or semisweet chocolate chips 🙂 keep on trucking with studying you’re almost there!
Those chicken burgers sound amazing. I wish we got ready made burgers like that over here!
You could probably, no, definitely, recreate them 🙂 and I bet they’d be even better
Coconut La Croix is my favorite!! And I also love those burgers- I’ve cooked them and crumbled them up in scrambled eggs and it’s great!
Oooo that sounds good too! I’m always looking to find new ways to make eggs!
Love La Croix, but haven’t tried the coconut yet! I’m loving cheese, lately…whoops….
Cheese is king during the winter months! I’m hoping I start to crave fresher foods now that the weather is heating up 🙂