Baking Banishes the Bummers

So I wrote two midterms today. I bombed one of them but let?s not talk about that because it bums me out, okay?

Things that didn?t bum me out today:

- Magazine subscriptions campaign that my mom brought home from the school she works at with special deals for staff. In other words I have a few great deal mag subscriptions I?ll be signing up for shortly.
- NO textbook readings.
- http://weheartit.com/
- Baking!

Before all else came some coffee. A lot of coffee. Some of it hot, some of it iced, all of it needed.

Following in its tracks was a hot bowl of pumpkin banana oats, eaten while diligently blog reading instead of last minute cramming for my afternoon midterms. Come on now, I couldn?t wake up immediately to studying, now could I? That?s no way to start a morning off fresh.

Then I diligently studied. A good few hours of note reviewing really didn?t make me feel a whole ton more prepared. Clearly I didn?t devote enough equal study time to the two midterms since I was clearly ill prepared for the one I bombed. Guess I?ll have to learn better balance next time?

In between the end of the oat bowl and the end of the last minute cram session I took a very hot and very needed shower. It was hard getting out of that one.

Once at school, I managed to score a decent parking spot (a rarity) which was a welcome treat amidst the midterm stress and drizzly grey weather.

I wrote Midterm 1 ? Fail.
I headed straight to Midterm 2. While these were getting handed out, one girl walked into the classroom and passed right out, flat onto her face. Not a clue what happened there but she woke up within a few minutes and was taken out. Then in the middle of writing, another girl was headed towards the door and she passed out too! Stress, sickness, something in the air? I?m thinking it?s sickness, it?s everywhere right now. I swear I?ve never heard of so many people being sick at one time, it?s scary. I feel like I need to break out a SARS mask!

Anywho, I finished the midterm pretty early and booked it out of there. I can only assume there were no more fainting spells after I left. I felt pretty good about this one, which slightly alleviated my distress after the first.

I got home, ate yogurt with cereal and jam + peach tea with cocoa powder and then ran my little heart out for an hour on the treadmill. It was a pretty boring run today but I kind of anticipated that before I started. I think I need some new tunes.

By the time I was ran out and showered up I was ready for some fuelling. In need of a giant veggie fix after inadequate vegetable consumption during my studying, I opted for something that excited me a little more than necessary: a hot and cold salad!

The Hot - broccoli, mushrooms, onions and red pepper cooked in balsamic vinegar and chicken broth, spinach lightly steamed in the microwave
The Cold –  cabbage slaw and tomatoes
The Toppings – sweet onion dressing, dollop of sweet relish, dollop of Sabra hummus.

I think this about satisfied the veggie craving and the hunger pit. I was stufffffffed.

Later this evening though, I had a baking craving that I could not ignore. Sifting through the pile of pumpkin-based recipes I had saved to my desktop, I came across these PPK Pumpkin Muffins. The reviews were dandy and I was feeling some dandy muffins so I pulled the cupboards apart and got my bake on.

Big Kahunas and Mini Marvels

My only changes: 1/2 white and 1/2 whole wheat flour, omitted 1/4 cup sugar, omitted ground cloves (didn?t have), almond milk instead of soy, and had to de-veganize with plain (nonsoy) yogurt since that?s what I had.

These smelled so good. Can?t even begin to describe it. Fall scent at its prime.
They?re also delicious but I expected no less. And I have little doubt they?ll be even better tomorrow.

I was going to skip over yesterday?s eats that happened in the midst of the studying strain but there were a few noteworthy foods going on so without further ado?

Just what is going on with that rye cracker?

That would be a whole lotta salsa, butternut squash and hummus going on.
Best way to dress a cracker, hands down.

But who cares about crackers when you?ve got a bowl of the best savoury oats I?ve ever eaten for dinner?

- Oats were first cooked in water, hot sauce, basil, garlic powder and chili powder
- Once mostly cooked, in went some salsa and spinach
- Right towards the end, a generous pour of egg whites and another scoop of salsa, all stirred up and immediately taken off the stove
- Into the bowl with a big spoonful of Sabra hummus and you have creamy delicious oatmeal perfection.

It?s all about the egg white. I?ve only tried egg white in oats once or twice before but I added it in pretty early. Adding it in right towards the end and giving it a good stir gives the oats an amazingly thick, creamy texture. I was literally giggling with glee as the oats were puffing up. My mom thought I was nuts. Who gets excited over oats, really?
I know we all do

And you know Halloween is right around the corner when?

What are you going to be for Halloween? Costume ideas? I?d love to hear em. I need some inspiration, it?s right around the corner!