Southern Comfort

After 4 years of nutrition classes, projects, headaches, and stress the day has come. Dietetic internships if you are unaware are competitive to say the least. The process itself is enough to question why you chose to pursue nutrition, but then the wait just about puts you over the edge. I applied to 2 internships which is sparse in the application field of nutrition. Alabama and Ohio were my destinations. The process of actually applying was long enough, but the wait to find out if I got one or not felt just about the same. Since you only find out on ONE website for everyone who applied, which could be in the hundreds precisely at 7PM, it was mission impossible to even reach the webpage. After an excruciating 40 minutes of unloaded pages, my future lay before my eyes. If the title didn't give it away, I was accept in the Alabama State Department of Education internship! They only take 2 interns for their program, which I get paid to do, so i felt pretty damn accomplished! My friend Karen, who also applied got in at New York Presbyterian, so our apartment was filled with tears of joy, countless phone calls and an explosion of champagne. We followed with a celebratory drink which we decided based on where we were accepted. I of course got an Alabama Slammer, which tasted like pure juice, and Karen got a Cosmo to fit her Manhattan future (She actually first got a Manhattan, but after discovering that it tasted like cough syrup decided on a tastier cosmo!)

Celebrating toast!

The reality of spending a year in Alabama, including the 21 hour drive has not quite sunk in yet. I have already begun my search for a place to live, since I would like to avoid having to bring my entire bedroom contents down. So many happenings in so little time. I thought graduation was enough to handle! But life and the rest of my senior year continues.

This morning I tried a combination of 2 oatmeal recipes from Eating Bird Food. I had some leftover pumpkin, so I decided to make my favorite pumpkin pie overnight oats from her blog, but added in some extra fullness power with a scoop of vanilla protein powder. If you don't have protein powder, no biggie, I think I actually prefer it without, but it did fill me up a bit more. A little out of season, yes but I am such a big pumpkin fan that anytime of year is suitable for me!

Protein Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats

serves 1

adapted from Eating Bird Food

1/2 cup rolled oats

1 scoop vanilla protein powder

1/2 T chia seeds

1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

2/3 cup milk

2 T canned pumpkin

Combine the oats, protein powder, chia seeds, and spices in a small bowl. Add the milk and pumpkin, and stir to combine. Let it sit overnight in the fridge, and enjoy in the morning!

I added a blob of homemade pumpkin butter to mine which enhanced the pumpkin pie feel. If you've never heard or seen chia seeds before, they are a newly found nutritional obsession. I see them on countless blogs and websites. They offer a lot of protein, fiber, and healthy fats, and have a "gel-like" capability when put in a liquid, which makes foods (like these oats!) thick and filling. And yes, they are in fact the same thing as the Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia! Pets I think everyone had, or received as a yankee swap gag gift years ago. Do they still sell those? My favorite was the head with hair. Oh the wonder years...

Oh, Hey Blog. It's me!

Sooo haven't had a new post in a while. No excuses, but rather let's get to the recipe! This is in spirit of the upcoming holiday. While I will never give up a slice of apple pie on Thanksgiving, when you crave that similar taste on regular occasions, you can try my 5 minute Apple Pie. It's a simple recipe for a deceptively healthy recipe.

First of all, obtain an apple of your choosing, I really like a Gala or Cortland. And of course the MacIntosh.  Then it needs some liquid to cook in. Instead of using the traditional butter, I use a fruit juice instead. The one pictured is an apple juice concentrate since that's what I had on hand, but I usually use Orange Juice. You'll also need lots of cinnamon, and a little bit of brown sugar. Some special equipment you need is a apple corer or I used a melon baller. Or anything to get the core out.

Next you want to core the apple, using whatever method and put it in a microwave safe bowl. I use a pretty deep bowl to prevent spillage. 

Now you want to add all the good stuff. Start with adding about 3 Tablespoons of the juice or a little less if using juice concentrate. I usually pour it into the middle of the apple. Then I add about a teaspoon of brown sugar in the middle of the apple as well. Then I top the whole thing with about 1/2 a tablespoon of cinnamon. Now I'm a cinnamon fanatic, but if you're not so much feel free to adjust. You can also add other typical apple pie spices such as nutmeg.

Now you want to microwave it for about 1 1/2 minutes. You want the apple to be softened, but not mush. I then flip it over, so that the bottom that was soaking in the sauce is on top, and the other side gets to soak. Now it is ready to eat! Sometimes I add granola to create a apple crisp-ish dish. Also, I sometimes add a drizzle of maple syrup or a dollop of vanilla ice cream/frozen yogurt, but feel free to try new things. And like always enjoy!

Now I know it is not nearly as decadent as the real deal for a similar flavor, you are saving quite the calories! Here's a comparison for fun.

Typical slice of Apple Pie:  300 calories, 15g fat, 2g fiber

5 minute Apple Pie: 130 calories, 0g fat,  3g fiber.

These are estimates, but you get the idea of calories saved.

Hope you enjoy, and plan for another recipe soon!