The Wheatberry & Friends {Breakfast}

Thank you for joining me on my morning date with my new friend, Wheat Berries!!! These are awesome chewy little guys! Very chewy, actually. So if you like chewy + grainy, these are for you!

I followed the instructions on the package and prepared a batch last night to be used throughout the week.

Basic Cooking Instructions: In a saucepan, combine 1-3/4 cups water, 1/2 cup rinsed Soft White Wheat Berries, 1/4 tsp salt. Bring to a rolling boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for one hour or until tender. Drain and set aside to cool or serve immediately. Keeps best refrigerated or frozen.

Final product? CHEWY HEAVEN!

The breakfast details (a.k.a. the deets):

Overnight: 1/4 cup Chobani Strawberry Greek Yogurt + 1 tsp chia seeds + 1/4 cup water + dash of salt

In da mornin': Adorned with 1/4 cup wheat berries, 1/2 banana, dash of cinnamon, and sprinkled with Nature's Path Pumpkin Flax Plus Granola

Eaten with joy.

And here is a warm welcome to yet another new & adorable member of the bowl family!

I'm off to a study date with my bff, N! Have a wonderful day!

The wheels go round and round {potato & bean soup}

Did you know that today is National Homemade Soup Day?! Looks like my family celebrates this holiday nearly everyday, and today was no different!

[P.S. I love John-Bryan's blog, Foodimentary! It's a reminder for us to celebrate and appreciate the art and science of food - cooking, eating, and sharing. every. single. day.]

Lunch was a mixture of the old and the new. New = potato & bean vegetable soup. It reminds me a whole lot of minestrone soup, but instead of pasta we add potato. Old = Shuba salad (herring potato salad we made yestereday).

Post-run (another 4-miler - woo-hoo!), I had white toast with caviar (fancy shmancy, I know, but if we don't eat it, it'll go bad! Or, at least that's the excuse my grandma used to convince me when we sat down for afternoon cup of coffee!)

And here is another peak at the beautiful dishes Stepanka shared with me. The bowl you saw this morning, but look at this adorable plate!

I love the bicycle! 

I think it's an excellent reason not to have breakfast-in-a-bowl tomorrow... Hmmm what shall it be? Pancakes? Toast? We shall see :)

And here is a recap for today's run.

Unfortunately, my foot started hurting half-way through the run... And I can't believe it took me this long to realize the problem!... I need new sneakers!!! DUH! I've had my Reebok flex since August...

And this is where you can really help me. I need sneaker recommendations! The key for me is to have cushioning in the front of the shoe. I don't heel strike, so having cushioned heels does nothing for me. My mid foot and forefoot could really use the soft landing however!

Also, I recently heard about compression tights and am really interested! My shins and knees could surely use them! Has anyone ever tried compression wear?

Please leave a comment or email me with any advice! Many thanks in advance!

Hope your day is going well!

Touched by kindness and generosity {breakfast}

Mornin' sunshines!!! I love Saturday mornings. They may just be my most favorite time of any given week!

Unless I had already prepared next day's breakfast before going to bed, it's typical of me to be thinking "What should I have for breakfast tomorrow?" as I try to fall asleep. Well, last night I quickly realized that it's been a very long time since I've had good ole' cereal, and I kind of missed my mixed-cereal-concoctions!

And so, today's breakfast featured:

Raisin Bran + Life + Cheerios + Nature's Path Pumpkin Flax Plus Granola + Almond Milk + 'nana + cinnamon

[Clearly, I just can't have less than 2 kinds of cereal in my bowl!] It. was. wonderful.

Wasa + MaraNatha Creamy Almond Butter + CocoChia 

And just look at this beauty! Please welcome a new addition to the morning-bowl-of-happiness-dish-family! Isn't she just lovely??

I've been eyeing Stepanka's Etsy shop for a while, hoping to one day give a home to a piece or two. All of her dishes are just so unique, truly one of a kind, and it's clear that they are made with love and passion. A few weeks ago, Stepanka was very kind to share some of her work with me! I was so touched by her generosity. Not only do I have 2 new bowls, I also have 4 larger plates! Each one is different and just lovely!

There is something truly special about enjoying not only the flavors and textures of every meal, but also the aesthetics. It all comes down to taking the moment to appreciate everything before you. For me, it's always about quality, not quantity. The quality of a wholesome, made-with-love meal. The quality of the company. These dishes radiate peace and joy, and that's exactly how I want to feel when I sit down for a meal.

Thank you, Stepanka.

And now I have a big study day ahead! Another exam to prep for. Yay! :)