Good morning! I sure had a hazelnutty breakfast this morning:

I had:

• Hazelnut coffee with half and half
• Oatmeal with Hazelnut "Non-Dairy Beverage" and topped with crunchy raw hazelnuts

My oatmeal was ah-maz-ing.  It contained:

• 1/2 cup dry oatmeal
• 1/2 cup hazelnut milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 sliced banana
• Toppings: 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and a bunch of raw hazelnuts

The magical ingredient:

Now, this is my first time trying ANY non-dairy milk (can you believe?).  I was really impressed! This added an extra layer of creaminess and complexity to my bowl of oatmeal with just a hint of hazelnut.  I LOVE all of the Pacific Natural Foods line, so I’m not surprised I like this so much!

Ingredients:  Roasted hazelnut base (filtered water, ground roasted hazelnuts), brown rice sweetener (filtered water, brown rice), tricalcioum phosphate, sea salt, guar gum, xanthan gum, carrageenan, carob bean gum, riobflavin b2, vitamin a palmitate, vitamin d2.

Here’s the nutritional information:

(I’M WATCHING TUESDAY’S "The Biggest Loser" RIGHT NOW, AND VICKY IS SUCH A BIIIIITCH!!! I want to throw my cup of coffee at the TV. I love Phillip, by the way.  He is such a strong person and is so assertive in a healthy way.  Vicky is HATEFUL! I hope she’s disgusted by her behavior when she sees this show.)

Questions and Answers from Oprah

Question: I do Bikram Yoga twice a week, and I struggle with what foods to eat, and when, before I work out.  My goal is to have lots of energy during the workout but not to feel as if I’m still digesting in class.

Answer:  Sessions of challenging and intense Bikram yoga lasts 90 minutes, usually burning 800 to 1,000 calories.  To sustain your energy, I recommended whole grains and lean protein such as eggs and nuts.  The grains will provide carbohydrates that your body can readily convert to energy.  And the protein can be used to repair and build new muscle following your workout, while the high-calorie but healthy fats in the nuts will fill you up quickly with less bulk.

Some options include: a small bowl of whole grain cereal with skim milk an hour before your workout; a hard-boiled egg; a cup of NF yogurt with some nuts and fruit mixed in.  Or make a fruit and yogurt smoothie.

How well your body performs during an AM workout depends in part on a balanced in part on a balanced diet the day prior, which provides the liver and muscles with the glucose they need to make glycogen, the primary energy store you’ll burn in your cardio sessions. 

Question: For a year and a half I’ve been craving green olives, usually eating four to six 7-ounce jars a day.  My doctor and my nutritionist both think it’s because I’m lacking something nutritionally.  What do you think? 

Answer: Its tempting to believe that a craving is a message from the body, but I don’t buy it.  Our bodies require much more physical activity that we typically get, for example, but that hasn’t translated into widespread exercise binges.

Your craving is likely salt-based, but at least it isn’t without redeeming qualities:  Olives are nutritious, providing a concentrated dose of healthy monounsaturated fat, along with decent amount of fiber, calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin E, and antioxidants.  But a 7-ounce jar of olives contain nearly 300 calories, which means six jars can deliver a whole day’s worth of calories.  And it only takes one jar to go over your daily limit of sodium. So at the very least, this obsession may lead to weight gain and high blood pressure.

To start weaning yourself off the olives, try mixing in something with a vaguely similar texture, like a diced cucumber or mushrooms.  Then, little by little, shift the proportion from mostly olives or mostly cucumbers or mushrooms.  Once you get down to a reasonable portion a day, the snack habit can be maintained permanently, if you want to work it into your balanced diet.

Have a great day!