U-G-L-Y you ain’t got no alibi….you’re TASTAY!!
Meet the ugliest pancake in the whole wide world. I intended on making mini pancakes but I accidentally dumped all the batter in the pan and it made for difficult flipping! While ugly, it tasted great–just like baked oatmeal hot outta the oven.
Oat Bran Danish Pancakes
- 1/3 cup oat bran
- 1 egg white
- 1/3 cup cottage cheese
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- splash of almond milk
- cinnamon
Topped with Greek yogurt, pears and kumquats (I was trying to cover the ugliness 
).
The ‘pancake’ was crumbly yet soft and cake-like. I essentially cooked a bowl of oat bran!
French press coffee
It was a beautiful day, so I went for a 30 min. walk while reading for my Entrepreneurship class. I have problems focusing when I read indoors. I cannot last more than 10 min. without finding something else to do. However, when I read outside, I can easily read for 30 min. straight.
A Whole New Mind talks about letting your creativity shine by enhancing your right-brain’s functionality. The way most school systems are structured favor left-brain thinking i.e. standardized tests, cutting out music and art classes, grades, etc….Pink believes that utilizing both the left and right hemispheres of your noggin’ is the key to success.
Did your schools emphasize left-brain thinking (sequential, literal, analytical, textual) or right-brain thinking (aesthetic, metaphorical, simultaneous, contextual) or both??
***
For a late lunch, I made a Grilled Pear Salad w/ pecans, almond cheese, and broccoli slaw.
I grilled the pear slices on the panini press:
The pecans MADE the salad.
I planned to go to the gym at night to watch the Duke v. UVA basketball game, so my afternoon munchies came along and were rather fierce!
I calmed them down with some snax: plantain chips, cranberry almond biscotti, and chocolate chips.
Lemon Ginger Green tea latte
While reading (blah), I had a spoonful of Naturally More Almond Butter.
I used to eat almond butter by the jar! I could finish a jar in a mere 4 days. I had to limit the number of jars in my room because they would disappear so fast! Well, at some point I got a hold of that wild addiction and now I have it on english muffins, with my oats, with fruit, or just a spoonful at a time.
Naturally More, however, has super charged my addiction! I love this stuff. I just want to take a spoon to it like a pint of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream .
At the gym, I ellipticalled for 60 min. while we crushed UVA. Wahoo!
I came back and broke out the ugliest banana ever. It’s the shade of my place mat!
I made a protein green smoothie:
- 1 cup spinach
- 1/2 banana
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 1/2 packet of vanilla protein powder
AND I finally got to eat an Ezekiel English Muffin w/ cottage cheese, bananas, and cinnamon.
I swear, I wake up every morning and think about eating an Ezekiel English Muffin. I have to say no sometimes because not only is it boring for the blog, it’s quite pricey.
I continued my post-workout eats with pumpkin ice cream, crumbled Carrot Ginger Muffin and Naturally More almond butter:
Then I chatted with my roommate until 1 AM while eating choco chips. Work? What?
Hope you’re having a great start to the week. It’s in the 50s and sunny today. Too bad it’s supposed to snow tomorrow and Wednesday!…..I’m ready for Spring and Spring Break!!
{ 38 comments… read them below or add one }
I’ve had my share of ugly pancakes
To me its all about the taste
Who wouldve known green monsters could be so classy
also, please send those biscottis and “ugly” pancakes asap!
Hope you are able to have a mindful Monday! (Yes, I’m loving alliterations)
bec xo
Oh my – your grilled pear salad looks awesome! Must try…
Mmm that salad looks delicious! I really want some grilled pears now
That book looks really interesting.. I am jealous you get to read it for class! I read Daniel Pink’s new book (Drive), and I loved it. I really want to read A Whole New Mind now.
My school/major emphasizes left brain thinking.. I really wish it focused more on using the right brain though.
I love all of your creative uses of fruit in this post! Kumquats are so awesome and they look beautiful slices up like that. I usually just pop them into my mouth whole!
I’ve never had a kumquat but I really want to!!! What are they like?!
Your opening line seriously cracked me up- so funny girl!
That pear salad looked amazing- great idea grilling them!
~Christie
Those kumquats are so beautiful! You know, I don’t think I’ve ever had one! Sounds like something I need to try for my March color challenge
Aw that pancake is THAT ugly! It kinda looks good to me! lol
That pancake sounds perfect! Can’t wait to try!
Ugh I am always so jealous of your gorgeous eats! As long as the food tastes good, it doesn’t matter what it looks like
And that salad combination sounds fantastic…I love pears in salads! Have a great day!
I love that you use your panini press for so much more than just sandwiches!
I wish I had a panini press just so I could make grilled pears. Enjoy your 1 day of sunshine!
Awh you’re so cruel about your food – it can’t help being ugly!! Although I for one think it’s beautiful on the inside, and that’s what counts right :p
there must be a method to it which I haven’t cottoned onto ….
Love the look of panini pressed pears – I must try that idea!
I can’t read and walk – if I try, I just trip over my own big feet
I’m the same with almond butter its to dangerous to keep in my cupboard! x x
Your salad looks like it’s from a fancy schmancy restaurant! Love the addition of grilled pears. Good thinkin’.
Boo to the snow.
I disagree. I don’t think that pancake was ugly at all. You should see some of mine! They really look gross. But I feel the grosser, the better tasting! ANd besides, you made up for it by making such a beautiful grilled pear salad. What a great idea! And pear with pecan is such an awesome combo!
Ever since we went to Butternut Squash, I’ve been quite infatuated with grilled pears on salads–yours looks phenom!
oh it’s not that ugly.. it actually looks super tasty!! i can’t flip pancakes at all, so mine always come out pretty ugly looking too!
those grilled pears on your salad look so good too! i’ve never tried grilled pears, but i do love grilled peaches topped with some greek yogurt and cinnamon! SO GOOD!
what a beautiful breakfast!
I’m soooooo ready for Spring Break!! I’m heading to Miami on Saturday so it better be warm there! haha
xo
Jocelyn
ugly pancakes are the BEST KIND!
I definitely read better when I move, too! When I’m studying for exams I make flashcards and then pace while I read them over and over; it’s the only way to get the info to stick.
I love your idea to use a panini press to grill pear and add it to a salad with walnuts – inspirationally creative!
Also – I regularly knock back jars of nut butter in four days. Four days is good for me. When I was on my Peanut Butter and Co. kick I killed ‘em in two. Not. Healthy. (May or may not have contributed to a 20lb weight gain summer to winter of 2009?) Cinnamon Raisin Swirl is outlawed in my house now.
girl i LOVE the use of your panini maker!! grilling the pears is a FABULOUS idea!!! it looks so delicious on top of your ensaladaaaa
sometimes ugly foods are the BEST foods
I love how well you utilize the panini press! Mine only gets used for, well, paninis! I think my schools have utilized both sides, but unfortunately, the standardized tests and funding that’s based on them are a big prob for so many students. I saw your almond thins today at Costco but I ended up getting these omega 3 energy “cookies.” They’re in a big tub and are sooo good and the ingredient list is actually pretty stellar!
I LOVE your blog, but I don’t generally comment (why? not quite sure… need to fix that!) but I just had to let you know that I bought some Kefir today and I’m in LOVE! Girl, that stuff is so freaking good. Like a mix between yogurt and milk. But you inspired me to try that, so thank you!!!
I’ve been wanting to buy Ezekial muffins for forever but haven’t because of the price… I might have to break down. They look so good!
I love the ugly pancakes! You can’t possibly make a pancake look ugly.
Girl, when is your Birthday? I know it’s soon!!!
What a good idea to grill the pears on the panini press!
Your eats look delish!
I am sooooo ready for SB too girl! I have been in the same place for so long and would LOVE a change of scenery! That pancake looks awesome! I might just have to try making that for Chad and I one morning
I have an addiction to Naturally More too!!
I love Ezequiel English muffins too! I have yet to try the cinn-raisin ones. I will next time!
Your oatbran pancakes look awesome, I love the addition of kumquats, too cute!
You are so inventive! Who would have thought of grilling peaches?? I think the ugliest bananas taste the best, by the way
Did you eat the kumquats? I’ve tried to like them, but I just can’t get over the taste of the peel … :/
i swear- your pictures make the ugliest food look good
love all your eats!!
I used to get through a jar of PB in a week – I would eat it straight out the jar! I have been know to throw jars away **shock** so I wouldn’t eat them! Luckily I’ve curbed this habit and can now have a jar in the cupboard for a while! Your eats looked yummy! Helen x
My uncle gave me a Whole New Mind a few years ago to read. I thought it was really interesting. I’m definitely more right-brained then left though, so maybe I was a little biased.
Just came across your blog today. Love it! Your food all looks delicious!
If there is ANYTHING I have learned from eating the food combos that I love, it’s that they are usually not pretty, but the ugliest things are usually the tastiest! And bananas…I will eat them no matter what “stage” of ripeness they are
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