I’ve worked on this paper all day today and I’ve pretty much gotten NO where. Humph! Okay not no where, I’ve got 300 non-sensical words out of 1500-2000 (!!!!) but it’s due Thursday and tomorrow and Wednesday are going to be jam-packed-I-can’t-breathe busy. Today was my day off and I didn’t take full advantage of it! I’m really not sure why it’s taking me so long to write. I think I’m just going to have to pull an all-nighter on Wednesday and let the deadline pressure me into writing. Not ideal, but sometimes that’s the only way I can get work done.
Throughout the morning + afternoon I had a series of bowls because I couldn’t decide on one main dish.
Bowl #1: This morning I made my version of Kath’s SIAB (smoothie in a bowl). In truth, my Green Monster was a little thick so I poured it into a bowl 
I combined berries with chocolate again–so good!
- Kefir
- Frozen Berries
- Frozen Spinach
- Chocolate Amazing Grass
- Cocoa Powder
- Almond milk
Bowl #2: The combo that never fails to impress my taste buds
- kefir
- Greek yogurt
- TJ’s Twigs, Flakes, and Clusters Cereal
- banana slices
- dried cranberries
- pecan pieces
Bowl #3: OAT BRAN (a first!!!) with pumpkin pie spice, almond milk, stevia, pecan pieces, coconut butter, and butternut squash
I am proud to announce that I am no longer an oat bran virgin! Dang, de-virginizing twice this past week! First tempeh, now oat bran. I liked the creamy consistency and how quick it was to prepare! Now, I know you’re wondering what that white blob is…
White blob=Coconut butter!! I finally got my hands on some (Thanks, Caroline for the tip on where to find it). Woot woot. I opened it last night and realized I had to warm it up to stir in the [SOLID] coconut oil sitting on top. I’m still having some difficulty getting it to fully mix–it’s not as easy as nut butters!
It is bursting with a delicious coconut flavor!! I’m definitely looking forward to baking with it
Throughout the afternoon I had some random eats (classic can’t-write-this-paper snacking behavior):
- 1/2 banana w/ almond butter
- a couple of crackers
- a handful of cereal
- and almonds + apricots (below)
I was back and forth about going to the gym because I knew it would lead to an unproductive night--I am ALWAYS so unproductive after going to the gym at night. However, I needed a break from the paper and seeing as how I had already spent 6 hours on it and got barely any words out, I figured it wouldn’t matter. So I went to a Body Tone class!!
This class is the one with the intense instructor that includes strength training, abs, and crazy cardio bursts. It kicked my bootay big time. Hopefully now I can sit down and crank some words out.
I was going to wait to put dinner in this post but it’s going to be extremely boring and ugly so I decided I’d spare you all!
Instead, I’ll leave you with THIS:
This is precisely how I feel about how my paper is coming along. And NO, it’s not Halloween, I have a face mask on
Quirky Q’s:
1) What’s your favorite way to prepare oat bran?
2) Do you have any good tips for writing papers in a relatively short window of time?
Good night bloggies! I hope you don’t get nightmares from my scary masked face!
EDITED TO ADD: My boring din din
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I just purchased my first jar of coconut butter!! I’ll be trying it tomorrow
1.) can’t eat oatbran, due to gluten contaimination.
2.) start with an outline and build the paper from there. good luck!
Good luck on your paper! YOU CAN DO IT.
Your boring dinner > my boring dinner from the loop.
Also, bodytone kicked my ass as well and when she was like, “last cardio burst” I was like, “nuh uh, not happening” and then of course she comes to stand in front of me. AHHH! hahahaha
1) With a dash of salt + banana + cinnamon and a drizzle of soy milk. Usually I have 1/4-1/3 of a cup of oat bran, 3/4c water, 1/2 a banana, dash of salt, cinnamon, and a ~1/4 cup of milk (can be less). I like to add chia seeds or nut butter too
2)I am definitely not a writer–sorry no tips from me :X Writing takes me forever!
Yummy coconut butter! I never had a mixing problem for some reason. Maybe I will when I open my new jar (which should be sometime soon…you know what that means–oats in a jar!)
LOL! I adorable face mask look…I wear this look in the evening a lot too– my family don’t freak anymore when they see me!
Allie I’ve just been loving your blog! Beautiful pic of the smoothie in a bowl with the frozen berries. I’ve been curious to try coconut butter. I’ve been using coconut oil for awhile now-just made some chocolate chip bars with it, and I keep a separate jar in the bathroom as moisturizer. When I felt major writer’s block I would try doing just a the first few sentences for my different paragraphs, which I guess was kind of an outline. I also like writing webs with the thesis or main idea in the middle and branching out from there. Try having some rewards too, like one page done, you can read some blogs.
I also broke up my long paper writing with short bursts of physical activity-totally helps! Get down and do push ups, crunches, etc. Drink lots of water. You can do it!!! P.S. Your mask pic is too funny and your salad looks yummy, not boring!
you’re so cute!!!
love your pic with the mask, you just remind me that I need to do a facial ASAP! 
oh…… you’re sooooooo cute!!!!
love those bowl meals! fav oat bran = green oat bran, oat bran with spinach and nut butter!
tips to write the paper? begin soon!!!
Love your garnish on the SIAB–you’re such an arteest!
Yay for trying oat bran–delicious, no? My favorite way to eat it is with bananas, blueberries, & a little almond butter. I also used it a lot in my “Alphabet Oats” challenge last summer, if you want more ideas:)
SO glad you picked up some coconut butter! Trick: microwave it for about 15 seconds, then stir. It’s a lot easier that way.
Good luck on the paper writing!
I have no real words of wisdom about paper writing other than to just do it…go nike! Just write whatever comes to mind…you can always edit it later. That’s what worked for me.
hey girl! i just love your blog! my nicknames ally too!
and i agree bout the unproductive after gym thing.. although im unrpoductive before gym too :X
i always just cram everything ie a whole 2000 word essay the NIGHT/MORNING before its due..and even then i’d go on a hour long run that night. i actually workout MORE during deadlines than when im free. when im free i’d just chill and bum around, shop, eat out etc and basically do anything but exercise
so nasty =(
ahh! I want coconut butta! Oat bran is my favorite thing ever for breakfast and I love it with Nature’s Path granola and a large dollop of almond butta!
Those frozen little berries on top of your SIAB are almost as cute as you! I love your face mask and you could never be scary. I was always the biggest deadline under pressure girl when I was in school. I don’t know why? I just couldn’t get anything done unless I was under the gun. Good luck with the paper! But I know you’re a smart girl so you really don’t need luck at all. Have a good rest of your week!
I usually have to isolate myself for hours the night before my paper is due. I sometimes start a draft a few days prior but not as much as I should.
Good luck with your paper, YOU CAN DO IT! Your smoothie looked like chocolate pudding!
I love putting tons of cinnamon and yogurt with my oatbran with a few choco chips
I suck at writing papers whether I have a month or one day to write them so I am not your girl but just free write lots then put it together and EDIT, EDIT EDIT!
My best advice would be to make a plan and stick to it. Figure out what you are writing about and break it down. That always helped me.
Cute pic, too!
‘Let the deadline pressure me into writing’, I must admit: that sounds familiar to me;)
I really like to tru that coconut butter too! Another thing they don’t sell here… Nice that you tried the oat bran, I also love it just ‘plain’. Boring, but good…
Good luck with the paper!
xxx Julia (Taste of Living)
I’m one of those people who waits for the deadline when it comes to papers or projects at work. It’s horrible, but I feel like I perform better under pressure.
Love the mask!
woah baby that is sure one long paper :\ geez!! I’m sure you will ace it though!!
yay for trying oat bran. While i love m oatmeal more, oatbran is more comforting! I really need to try some of that coconut bliss stuff.
good luck with everything
Awww, you poor thing! I am sending you positive and creative vibes so that you can finish this paper and put it behind you! Then you can really enjoy the rest of your week.
Hang in there darling, you will find that motivation and soon it will be finished and you will feel great!
Take care love!
Sorry to hear things are so crazy busy! Good luck with the writing. Your SIAB looks out of control delicious. The oat bran looks good too- I need to pick some more up. I have a jar of coconut butter I have still not opened! Love the face mask. That dinner is NOT lame- it contains brussels which are incredible
Everything looks scrumptious… the coconut butter especially! YUM!! I still can’t find any Pumpkin Pie spice…
Where do you get yours at? Not that i’ll have the same store here in Ontario, Canada, but i’m desperate to try some! lol!
No tips on writing a paper for you, sorry! But i’m sure you’ll do awesome! Cute pic with the mask on… LOL!!
Ok- Love the pic with your face mask! You’ll get your paper done! Don’t worry! I am the worst paper writer ever, so unforunately I don’t have any tips. Sorry! And I’ve never tried oat bran before – lame. Good luck! The weekend will be here before you know it!
I’m so glad I’m done with school realted stuff….until my kid’s need help, that is!
That pic of you is way cute. LOL!
Coconut butter is still on my “to try” list…
one of the things i loath in life… papers fo sheeze. i would rather test my way through college, thank you!
way to do the damn thang and de-virgin-atized yourslef with oat bran! i just have recently been aquainted with that gem. favorite way to jazz it up, probably savory oats… with a morning star pattie, cheese and hotsauce. however, the classic banana and almond butta combo always treats the tum right!
enjoy your day m’dear
You’ve never had oat bran before!!?? OH the horrors! I’m glad you decided to give it a whirl. It is one of my favorites! I just made a huge batch (featured on the blog!) and used apples, raisins, almond milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin pie spice. So fall-ish! I also enjoy the regular banana and almond butter combo; blueberries and any other berry. I’ve yet to try the savory oats, which seems much more lunch-ish to me. Yours looks super good!
And re: papers. My best advice to students that I work with now is to just write in bullet format first, to get your answers to the questions down on paper, and then go backwards. Get your main points out, elaborate, go back and edit. Leave your intro until last because that’s often the hardest thing to write when you’re actually trying to start the paper! If you’re super, super stuck, just start writing stream of consciousness on the paper. Literally, like, “Hey this paper is about accounting and I have no idea what I’m writing about. We’re supposed to answer this question/prompt and all I can remember is…” It sounds lame but it really helps to stimulate your brain and might spark something up there!
And brussel sprouts are never boring!! That looks soooo good.
I always write so much in response to your questions! Sorry for hogging your blog
Can you just put that photo in your paper and hope your prof has a sense of humour?
What’s the difference between coconut butter and coconut oil? They *look* the same but I don’t think coconut oil can be used the same way…it’s too…oily (oh, my brilliance is a burden 
)
I have never tried oat bran! I want to, but am waiting until I finish my oats. Though maybe should get it anyway since I use my oats for baking a lot…hmm. So many foods, so little time (I mean, I’m not planning on giving up food or anything but every day is new things I want to try!)
Studying…hot tea and buckle down. Often I just write a lot of rubbish and once I am in a groove, it’s easy to go back and edit and make changes.
(though I can’t blog tonight because I have major writer’s block so don’t take my advice!)
Oh, dear, I KNOW what you mean about that dreaded writer’s block…The best advice. Just STOP. Do whatever you need to do, but meanwhile, keep the subject at the back of your mind, and suddenly you might get a flash of inspiration. And I don’t really recommned spending a little amount of time on writing. Writing is just one of those things that you need to revise over and over. Make a mess of things, and then glue those together into coherent sentences and thoughts. MAkes sense? lol.
Good luck! >,<
Oh, I like oat bran cooked with rolled oats, half milk half water, with green tea powder! :d
I haven’t tried oat bran yet, it’s on my list! Is it like oatmeal, but smoother?
oh that is the saddest sad face eva. breats my little heart! but that coconut butter looks amazing, i LOVE coconut, i need to track that down. and the SIAB looks really artsy!
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