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.
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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.
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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!
Oh my G-d, the Neti Pot is AMAZING. I’ve always been terrified to try it, but I get REALLY bad spring allergies and I’m pregnant right now, so I can’t take my usual arsenol of decongestants. The NP has saved me from wanting to die. I was so afraid I would feel like I was drowning, and while I did feel like the for a second the first time I used it, it’s not bad at all. I’ve been singing the NP’s praises to everyone I know.
Oh, and the oats look good, too. ;-)
I love crunchy topping on my grains! Now that I can have oats again, I have to give this a try! I usually use almonds, pecans, or walnuts… this looks SO good.
Your garden is coming together! It’s great that you were able to find a center that sells organic + non-GMO seeds. That’s so hard to find.
I too have a neti pot, and have been using it for about 3 years now, it was my mom who introduced my family to it, she has really bad allergies, and we mix up sea salt, warm water, a touch of baking soda, and a teaspoon of glycerin, which helps keep your sinuses from drying out, and it works absolutely fantastic! even my son and hubby use it and it helps relieve congestion with colds !!
I can’t wait to follow your garden progress!
Hope you feel better soon. Your oats look amazing, as usual.
I hope you get feeling better!!!
What kind of wood did you use to build the beds? And what were the dimensions?
I do hope you feel better soon! That cinnamon almond topping looks so good! I have to tell you, I was staunchly anti-oatmeal until I read your recipe for VOO. Wow, I’m completely transformed into a oat loving maniac. I seriously can not get enough. I love it!!!
I hope you feel better soon! It’s really taking a long time, you poor thing…
That oatmeal seems great though.
vegetable garden beds look great…I can see Eric is hard at work. Better him than you :) Can’t wait to see what you guys plant and how things go!
Neti pots. Yes, life changing. Husband’s chronic sinus infections and issue, gone after a lifetime 30+ yrs of issues after regular neti pot use. And then he stopped doing the neti for 6 mos and it all came back. So yes, they work. A little gross and weird at first, but worth it I think!
And the baked crunchy topping.. That’s where it’s at for me. That’s really all I need. Perfection right there!
Here’s a great tip for planting carrots: plant radishes mixed in with them, even if you don’t really want them. Radishes grow much faster, repel pests naturally, and ‘loosen’ the soil for the slower and more delicate carrots. You’ll be pulling out radishes right when the carrots are old enough to survive on their own.
Also, try to get ‘pelleted’ carrot seeds. They seem more expensive at first, but since the seeds are so miniscule you’ll waste far, far fewer of them, and they come in their own little balls of fertilizer as well. :)
Email me anytime for veggie garden tips!
My Mom insists the marigold thing is a myth. I think it works! Good luck on your garden and hope you feel better soon!
i just bought the same neti pot last week. it has helped tremendously… except for today. i am so congested the water wont even go through – ew :(
good luck with the garden beds! it looks like youre off to a great start!
Have you checked out the Square Foot Gardening book by Mel Bartholomew? It is a great way to get started with raised beds. My husband and I just finished making ours and I planted the seeds just a week or so ago and things are already sprouting. I think it will help you a lot. Good Luck.
I bought my first neti pot dealie with my last cold, and while I wouldn’t say I enjoy using it, it’s better than a hot poker in the eye. Not that that’s a good cold remedy solution.
Either way, I hope you feel better soon. This has gone on long enough!!!
Your veggie beds look great! Hope they’ll provide you with plenty of organic vegetables.
I am so jealous of your upcoming garden! I want one so much…and hope to have when soon when I get out of apartment living.
Did you check out any organic nonGMO online seed stores. I’ve ordered my seeds, but still missing some green kale and fennel. Everyone’s out of fennel :’-(
You always make me want to eat oatmeal :) and from a fellow Neti pot user….it does help out quite nicely during allergy season. Garden is looking good :)
I have a netty pot too lol! I have never even met any one else who knew what they were! I use it all the time when I’m sick! Like you said…its kind of gross and takes a little time to get used to but it WORKS! :)
Veggie patch looks good! My mum spent last weekend planting spring onions, peppers, beetroot,garlic, courgettes and tomatoes, so hopefully we’ll be getting our own veg too!