
Yesterday, I thought the tide was turning with my flu. I had a fairly restful sleep Monday night and my symptoms had died down a bit. I was so excited because I thought that I was getting over this thing!
…and then Tuesday evening hit and the symptoms came back with a vengeance. I was up all night coughing up a storm with a tickly throat. Hopefully this thing is on its way out because I feel like I am missing out on my life!
I also did something I thought I would never do…I bought a Neti Pot!

Have you seen these crazy things before?
I first heard about them on Dr. Oz when he was saying how great they are for congestion, post nasal drip, and sinus allergies. I finally went out and got one at Shopper’s Drug Mart. You mix a warm salt water solution and then pour half of the mixture through each nostril (the water slowly pours out of the other nostril!!), while tipping your head to the side and leaning your body a bit forward.
It sounds scary, right?
But, it wasn’t bad at all. I promise…I’m the world’s biggest chicken too. It was oddly soothing in a gross way. My nose has been fairly clear and I can breathe much better when using it 2-3 times per day. I also plan to use this when my allergies kick in later this Spring and Summer.

One thing that really bites about this flu is that I can’t taste anything. Everything I eat tastes incredibly bland and my normally raging appetite is M.I.A. It is such a weird feeling.
I have been eating a lot of Vegan Overnight Oats (with orange) mixed with Strawberry Banana Soft Serve to soothe my throat.

This is always delicious…even with my lack of taste. :)
Since I was feeling a bit better yesterday, I started to get the baking itch. I was craving baked oatmeal because it just sounded so soothing, comforting, and warming on my throat.

Oh She Glows
Fruity Baked Oatmeal with Crunchy Cinnamon Almond Topping
Yield: 4 servings
Baked Oatmeal:
- 1 cup + 1/3 cup regular rolled oats
- 1/4 cup chia seeds
- 1 large banana, chopped
- 1 apple, peeled and chopped
- 1 tbsp raisins
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 1.5-2 cups non-dairy milk (I used 2 cups but you might need less depending on the volume of mix ins)
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
Crunchy Cinnamon Almond Topping:
- 1/4 cup raw almonds
- 2 tbsp regular rolled oats
- 1 tbsp Sucanat (or other dry sugar)
- 1 tsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tbsp non-dairy milk
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 4 cup baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, chia seeds, chopped banana, peeled and chopped apple, raisins, pinch of salt, and cinnamon. Now stir in the milk, maple syrup, and vanilla. Pour into casserole dish and set aside.
3. In a food processor, or by hand, process (or chop) the almonds. Now add in the oats, Sucanat (or sugar), Maple syrup, and milk and process until just combined. Sprinkle this mixture on top of the oatmeal mixture.
4. Bake in the oven for 26-30 minutes at 350F, uncovered. Watch closely during the last few minutes of baking so the topping doesn’t burn. Remove from oven and serve immediately. Drizzle with maple syrup. Will keep in the fridge, covered, for about 3 days. To reheat, simply, place in a bowl and add a splash of milk and heat in the microwave for a minute or so.
When I make baked oatmeal I like to make a large batch so I can enjoy it for a few meals! It is a really quick breakfast that reheats in a flash.


This oatmeal mixture tastes really good and it was hard not to just eat it on the spot!

If you wanted to skip the whole baking thing, you could just leave this overnight in the fridge and have a big batch of VOO on your hands. :)

But baking it is amazing…as is this wonderful crunchy topping…

Sprinkle the cinnamon almond topping on the oatmeal mixture.

Bake for 26-30 minutes and gobble!

This baked oatmeal turned out WONDERFUL!
It is like a hybrid between baked oatmeal and a fruit crisp. The crunchy cinnamon almond topping really made the whole dish. I also highly recommend a drizzle of maple syrup…it tied in all the flavours very well.

In other news, Eric has been helping me with my vegetable garden beds, since I have been out of commission.
We measured our property line to see where we could put the beds.

We placed the beds in a very sunny spot that gets over 6 hours of sunlight a day.


After marking the legs, Eric dug out holes for them.

With a bit of work, we got them to sit flat.

After we got the beds in the ground, we pinned down chicken wire on the bottom layer of the bed (not shown in photo). This will help prevent gophers from digging up into the garden. Or so they say…
The second layer we put down is what you see below. This is a Landscape fabric and it prevents weeds from growing up into the beds. You can find this at most home or garden stores.

Aren’t they pretty?
I’m still on the hunt for a good triple mix soil. Whenever I ask a garden centre if they have organic triple mix they give me a weird look and say ‘of course it’s organic…doesn’t get more organic than this!’ I’m not sure if they are green washing me or if it really is organic. I guess I just have to figure out the right questions to ask.
I have located a garden centre that sells certified organic and non-GMO seeds and plants so that is good news. Their plants arrive around May 7th and they are going to call me when the plants arrive. :)

My veggie wish list:
- Onions
- Spring Onions
- Carrots
- Lettuce
- Kale
- Spinach
- Zucchini
- Garlic
- Peas
- Beets
- Tomatoes
- Peppers
- Herbs
I need to figure out where to plant the veggies in the beds. I need to read up on companion planting, perhaps? The most I have figured out is that the tall plants go on the North side (so they don’t cast shade on small plants), plant Marigolds around the beds to keep out pests/animals, and carrots are great to plant next to Spring onions (companion plants).
Other than that I am lost!









{ 136 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m sorry to hear your still not feeling that great!! :-/ sending you feel better vibes asap!
Gardening makes my head spin! :)
I’ve heard great things about Neti pots, I think I need to try one because my sinuses are acting up due to the weather change.
Your veggie beds look AWESOME! I am hoping to make something very similar. Mine probably won’t be as nice, though. hehe :)
That baked oatmeal looks DELICIOUS, especially with that cinnamon almond topping- holy YUM! :D
And I’m so jealous of your veggie garden beds!! I’ve ALWAYS wanted to grow my own veggies!! Can’t wait to see how yours turn out! :)
Aww get better soon Angela!!
Oprah loves the neti pot too. I’ve been too nervous to try that thing…maybe someday.
I am having my bridal party over for a brunch on Sunday and I am definetly going to make this baked oatmeal!!!! Holy YUM!
Enjoy! :)
I love the idea of vegetables fresh from the garden. I live in an apartment but I may try my hand at some cherry tomatoes and herbs this year!
How exciting about your garden!!!
We have a Neti Pot and we love it — it does feel really soothing and I love getting all of that gunk out of my head!
Neti pots are amazing (though admittedly gross). Hope it helps you feel better soon!
Baked oats are awesome comfort food – I just did some with quinoa flakes ad fresh apples this morning.
I started a raised bed garden last summer (a 3′x3′), it was pretty small. All in all, I got most of my plants from Whole Foods, I think I did 4 different types of tomatoes (all organic heirloom), my favorite by far were the white and yellow cherry tomatoes. Looks like you have a great set-up, good job on the beds!
mmm cherry tomatoes sound delicious!
Your crunchy baked oatmeal looks delicious! It would be a great addition to these Apple “Sandwiches” – for when you’re bored with the same old bag lunch. Take an apple, granola (or this oatmeal recipe), nut butter, and raisins. Bon Appletit!
http://bread-n-chocolate.blogspot.com/2011/04/thinking-outside-bread-box.html
This looks great. Hope you feel better soon. Neti pots can be super helpful!
We are building planter boxes this weekend and I can’t wait! Zucchini, onions, an tomatoes here I come!
Ordinary saline solution, slightly warm for better results can also be dripped into the nostrils with pretty much the same results. I’ve been doing it for years and it really helps with sinus or middle ear infections. I’m a bit on the advanced side and use a syringe to shoot the saline solution up the nostrils.
I hope you get better soon, I know how frustrating flu infection can be!
Hugs, coffeeaddict
Wow that is hard core! I was wondering if you could do it without one. I think I’d probably choke it all down my throat or something, lol.
Thanks for your get well wishes :)
I’ve been reading your blog for a long time now and have hardly ever commented. I gotta say I am loving your baked oatmeal, it looks incredibly delicious. And I hope you get better soon :)
Thanks Jenny!
I’ve never used a neti pot before, but the next time I’m stuffy I’ll pick one up and give it a try.
Those neti pots work wonders! However, I usually end up swallowing the gross mixture due to the sheer shock of the feeling of it going up and out my nose & mouth. So weird. I hope you’re feeling better soon! And your vegetable garden sounds a lot like mine. Be prepared for the biggest zucchini you’ve ever seen! I love it, they grow to be about 3-4 pounds and I make the most amazing zucchini parm :D I can’t wait for summer now and all the fresh, homegrown veggies!
Is it completely sappy of me to admit that reading the phrase, ‘companion plants’ brought a smile to my face and my heart. Whoever thought that plants need friends? :)
That netipot sounds similar to getting your ears syringed – not a roundly pleasant experience, but totally worth it in the end!! Hope you continue to feel better!
It is cute, isn’t it? :)
That baked oatmeal looks amazing!! :)
THE CRUNCHY topping is WHERE ITS AT!!! WOW u got gardening down! im not much of a gardner or planter or anything of that sort! FEEL better !!!
WOW! Great progress on the veggie garden – you guys have been hard at work! The oatmeal sounds amazing. I’ll take anything with cinnamon any day! I haven’t tried baked oatmeal yet because on most mornings I don’t have time to switch on the oven but I’ll save this one for a weekend!
Angela! I use the neti pot ALLLLLL the time. It is a life saver. I am using it even now because I was hit by a bad cold and cough. It is great when you can breathe. Also try some steam inhalations with eucaluptus and peppermint leaves or you can use essential oils too. It works wonders!
mmm that does sound soothing :)
Can’t wait to make that oatmeal — mm! Looks like your gardening adventure is off to a great start :)
I love my neti pot. I remember reading about them for the first time YEARS ago and thinking, yeah, right. NO WAY! But a few years ago, I found out a coworker used one regularly; after talking to someone in real life that used one nad liked it, I decided to go for it. No regrets and no going back:)
I hope you feel better soon!
I am loving reaping these gardening tips from your research/hard work. We recently had to have a tree in our backyard cut down and now it’s sunny enough that I can plant a garden! I haven’t started anything though. One question: what are those pipe-looking things on the insides of the boxes?
My boyfriend and I are doing raised bed gardening this year too. What garden centre did you find? We’re in Toronto but willing to make a drive to find the right plants.
It’s called Taylor Nursery in Milton :) http://www.taylornursery.ca/ If you call them they can put you on a call notification list!
Thanks so much! We’ve also looked into organic soil and the best advice that I can give is check the bag and make sure it has an OMRI certification label. A little more pricey but such a great start to your garden!
You come up with the best oatmeal combos!!! I have a fear of the netti pot..ewww lol too afraid to use it ;) reading this makes me realize I need to start working on my garden!
That oatmeal look awfully good, although I would be tempted to just leave it a huge batch of VOOs :) So excited to see how your vegetable garden comes out!
Neti pots are the best invention ever! I used to have sinus infections ALL the time and I haven’t had even one since I started using a neti pot several years ago. I can’t recommend it enough.
Feel better.
Me too! Once I started using a Neti pot, all my sinus problems seems to have gone away!
My boyfriend’s parents have a huge garden– and this year they decided to grow strawberries and corn! They have five pomegranate trees, and every year have tons of tomatoes. One day, we hope to have the same size of garden– once we stop living in apartments of course!
A good friend of mine had a HUGE garden and had a lot of luck with companion planting. About the soil…maybe ask if it’s ‘certified’ organic? The bake looks delicious!! So sorry about how sick you’re feeling. The flu completely knocked me out this year. I had a 101* fever for 5 days. My body aches were so bad it hurt to sit on the couch. Hope you’re feeling a little better soon!!! Oh…I have that neti pot ;)
I am offended that onions are at the top of that list ;)
I will save you the biggest ones!! bahah
Love those raised garden beds! Eric did a great job!
Looks delicious!
Angela, do you have any suggestions/recipes for a fun royal wedding breakfast? Something somewhat traditional/British but also healthy & vegan?
Thanks!!
PS – Neti pots are the best =)
I have a couple ideas up my sleeve! Im thinking scones or biscuits but I’ll have to see what I can whip up. :)
Oh and I’m SO watching!!!
My husband and I recently put in 3 huge veggie beds too! We did not do any research, but almost everything we planted is growing. We are now impatiently waiting to eat them! We are going to have kale coming out of our ears, so excited!
This oatmeal looks amazing! I think it’s the perfect breakie for this weekend; especially if this gray rainy weather continues!
How exciting about your gardens. Everything looks like it is off to a good start!
I’ve never made baked oatmeal before, but would love to try it. I just need to get a few ramekins or one-serving size Pyrex dishes.
Your garden beds look beautiful. We just have a plain fence, and don’t use raised beds. Are you planning to have any kind of fencing around the garden to prevent creatures from getting to the veggies and herbs?
Yup! We’re going to put up chicken wire around the beds once all the planting is in place.
This looks wonderful for breakfast OR dessert!
OMG.. NETTI POTS! They are my absolute savior when I am congested. You are right.. it does sound scary and gross when you first hear of what they are.. but once you try it.. it is like you have seen the light! It clears out your sinuses so quick – and it is such a relief to have clear breathing pathways.
I for one cannot STAND when I am forced to breath out of my mouth – and only my mouth. It is so uncomfortable. So I am a strong supported of Netti!
haha I can only laugh, I made almost the exact oatmeal dish yesterday. I love your topping though, I can’t wait to try it too.
You are making GREAT progress on the garden. I am so envious— I again have dogs that love veggies and digging so I think I would be out of luck. :) Let’s hope Sketchie stays far away!
:)
You don’t sound lost at all, your garden sounds right on track! The neti pot really will help, I think it makes my colds go away faster. Hopefully you will feel better soon!
Hope you feel better soon!
I love the vegetable gardens! That is definitely a goal of mine when we get our house. :-)