breakfast in 3! w/ Modern Oats

fall is basically here and it's back to school time, parents!  we are all busy. we are all often scrambling to get ourselves and our kids together and out the door in the mornings. been there!  actually i'm there every day.  now that Chiso has started preschool (no tears from either of us, yay), i make sure he is focused and ready to learn before he leaves the house. how? some brefus! yes, breakfast.  it's incredibly important for everybody, so don't downplay it or sweep it under the rug.  statistics don't lie, peeps.  easy, to-go options in the form of healthy carbs are the way to go, not unhealthy, sugary, prepackaged, instant, frozen junk.  they need good, wholesome, nutrient dense foods that their bodies recognize so they can perform at their very best.  start this with your kiddos NOW!  they will only get busier and busier as each year passes; by the time they are teens and beyond breakfast will be second nature (and hopefully non-negotiable).  parents, we must send our babies off right and set them up for success.

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if ya follow my blog or my Insta account then you'd already know how much Chiso (4 yrs) despises all vegetables.  however, he still loves oatmeal something serious!  so when this very special delivery hit our doorstep,  Chiso went BANANAS and could not wait to crack it open.

'yummy oatmeal, mommy!!!' yep, Modern Oats was officially in the building. look at all the pretty colors and tasty flavor combos!

• 5 Berry
• Mango Blackberry
• Apple Walnut
• Goji Blueberry
• Nuts & Seeds
• Chocolate Cherry

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Chiso is nowhere near as indecisive as i am and chose 5 berry immediately.

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there's an oatmeal cookie recipe on the back of the carton that i'm totally going to try!  anyway, if you don't/can't whip out a pot to boil water, then don't.

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microwave a mug of water (enough to cover the top of the dry oats) until it's pretty darn hot (bout 2.5 min),

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carefully pour it into the carton, put the top on,

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and in 3 minutes you've got a nutritious, power-packed, start to your busy day.

i love that:

• i can pronounce and recognize every single ingredient
• gluten-free & non-GMO
• small & portable w/ a lid
• it's naturally sweetened from the antioxidant rich fruit
• filling & hearty
• incredible flavor combos
• my kids ate it ALL!

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toddler tested, fit mom approved.

and dad!

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i whipped up the apple walnut flavor for Dego.  there were chunks of apple, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, raisins and walnuts in each bite.... delish.  

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aaaand i ate my brekky right along side them. so exciting. lol. if you haven't seen my IG posts, my wedding anniversary is coming up and my hubby hasn't told me exactly what we're doing, but that i should pack a bikini!!!!!  so, i wanted to tighten up a lil' bit these last few weeks and get serious with my nutrition.  sure i eat oat bran and egg whites every morning anyway, but i miss being able to snack in moderation (quest bars, arctic zero, wheat thins, goldfish crackers, fig bars, dark chocolate covered raisins, kettle corn) whenever i please!  maintenance mode (concerning my calorie intake / body fat percentage) is fun and where i belong right now, but i just want to bring my best package to the beach, hahaha.  master trainer and 1/3 of the 6 Pack USA team, Brian Egwuatu quickly drew up a customized meal and workout plan for me that has got me wondering if i ever want to compete in a bikini competition again LOL!  it's been 3 years or so of not having this many restrictions, but hey, the more change you desire, the more restrictions you must make.  it is what it is.  plus i'm working on an outrageous 2 week timeline so just know ya girl is over here STRUGGLIN' for the cause!  once we are done frolicking and celebrating i will happily return to maintenance beast mode. 

i HATE leg extensions!!!!!!!! that is all.

anyway, if you'd like your very own Modern Oats variety pack, you can order them right here via my FFL Store!

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we did a Modern Oats Periscope yesterday too; check it out via katch.me along with all my other past scopes if you're interested.

Q: you're rushing outta the house and have not eaten breakfast yet.... what do you do? be honest!

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sweet toof + we stay ready

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i sent Sonny off right yesterday like i try to do every morning!  his 6 Pack USA lunches were packed and ready to GO.  cause if they aren't i will find Popeye's and Timmy Chan's receipts in the car cup holders.  hey, he's only human and so am i! which is why preparation is so important and never fails us.  unless it's a major holiday, haha.  seriously though, we practice what we preach.  we stay ready.

i whipped up some spicy cashew chicken over steamed broccoli and he made it even spicier by adding Sriracha cause he's crazy!  i used Weber all natural Kick'n Chicken seasoning blend and cooked the chicken breast chunks on high heat in my wok before adding the unsalted cashews pieces.

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  these things are one of my biggest weaknesses.  the food that i must grab a handful of every time i go in the kitchen. so by the end of the day i've had like 3 cups. lol. great source of good fat, but don't over do it.  i get mine at my local Sprouts from the bulk bins.

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welp, we finally had a successful gym trip after two straight fails.  after literally 19 minutes (both times) someone from the child center had to hunt me down because Dego was just not happy.  even when i make sure he's fed and changed immediately before dropping him off, no one else can calm him like mama. when this happened the first time last week i just bit the bullet, drove home, and made that YouTube video out of frustration lol, so something good definitely came out of a 'bad' situation!  Dego likes to reach for things and jump out of my arms these days, especially food and my phone as you can see. he's still immobile, but he will be scooting around the house soon enough.

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aaaagggh, sweet success and no need for plan B.  smiling after a full workout and i even went over time and got a warning for being late to pick up the boys! i was having too much fun. i did my 6 Pack USA leg day routine, some arc trainer for my cardio, and i even did a FIT (Functionally Integrated Training) class.  whoop! then we hit up HEB real quick to get some Quest Bars for these sweet teeth of ours.

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did i mention how much my HEB rocks!? man they always have the goodies we like.  i've been hearing a ton about Quest protein powder (even though i haven't used it in years at home) and i so want to try making protein cheesecake (and everything else i see on @pbeechi's account! love her) i see all across Instagram.  anyway, they got the Quest chips, protein powder, and pretty much every bar flavor available!  wat.  awesome sauce. when i don't eat real fruit, Quest bars are the next best thing to snack on.

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and they had coupons!

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i took advantage and got our two faves:

• DCC (pictured above) (160 cals, 6g fat, 25g carbs, 16g fiber, 20g protein)

• Cookies & Cream (180 cals, 7g fat, 22g carbs, 17g fiber, 21g protein)

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speaking of all natural sweets, we made ice cream using the Ninja blender sunday night!  man. good thing cause i sure planned on buying an ice cream maker soon.  not now!  i don't have room for it anyway.

Tropical Strawberry Ice Cream (dairy-free, all natural)

the stuff:

• 1 lb tropical frozen fruit (i used a bagged strawberry, mango, pineapple combo)

• 1 can full fat coconut milk/cream

• 2-3 packets granulated Stevia or 1/4 tsp liquid Stevia or 2 tbsp light agave nectar / pure maple syrup

• 1 tsp vanilla

do this:

1. throw everything into the Ninja

2. blend until smooth.

3. open lid and throw in 2 or 3 fresh strawberries and PULSE them lightly if you want the real fruit chunks in there!

4. stick in freezer for at least 2 hours...for best results freeze overnight.

wait 'til you see the next flavor i'm workin' on! stick around!

Q: what is your ALL time fave ice cream flavor?

A: the sweet cream at Marble Slab.... bomb.

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