up bright & early!

Goooood morning!

My alarm went off at 5:30 this morning, and by 5:35 I was brushing my teeth and getting ready for MORNING SPIN CLASS!  I have never done a morning spin class before, but I know this semester is going to be hectic, so I wanted to try to get my exercise in first thing.  With running, that's great... 7:00 or 7:30 depending on my/M's schedules isn't so bad.  But spin class starts at 6:15.  Crazy.  Luckily, I had a date with my new friend J, so I was motivated to actually show up.

It was the first time I had been to spinning in probably 3 months - and it felt sooo good to be back on the bike!  I can definitely tell that the running has help my cardiovascular system - I wasn't gasping for air nearly as much as I used to.  But, spinning works different muscles and I'm feeling it already.  Hurts so good!

I came home this morning pumped up, and decided it was time to try something I have been fearful of for approximately 20 years: oatmeal.  Many of the blogs I read regularly feature oatmeal for breakfast, and it always looks so nice: you can add nut butter, fruit, pretty much anything!  I can imagine how nutritious and delicious it would be to have bowls of oatmeal for breakfast.  But, to be honest: oatmeal grosses me out.  It looks gross.  The texture is gross.  I haven't had oatmeal since I was approximately 4 years old, when I put it on the "gross things I refuse to eat" list.  But after 20 years and watching ya'll eat oatmeal every day, I decided it was time to try it.

I borrowed and then adapted a recipe from Kath, and made myself S'More flavored oatmeal. I figured I should start with flavors/toppings I love.  And if graham crackers, peanut butter, chocolate chips, and marshmallows can't do the trick, nothing can.  I followed the instructions on the oatmeal box, and microwaved my oats for 2 minutes.  They still seemed pretty watery, so I put them back in for another 30 seconds.  At first,  the texture seemed just right.  Kind of creamy, but the graham crackers added a nice crunch.  But soon I felt like I was eating mud.  I added some more milk to make it soupier, but I never really found the right consistency.

So, they didn't taste bad, but the texture was hard to overcome... which was the same complaint my four year old self had.  The oats were chewy, the mix was a muddy/sticky mess, and I couldn't handle it.  Partly because I was getting full and partly because of the texture, I only finished half a bowl.  Ah well, at least I tried!  Any reader suggestions for making oatmeal? How can I get the oats to be less chewy, but the overall texture to not be too thick?  Does that even make sense? Any comments would be much appreciated!