My weekend on the West coast was practically a dream come true– good friends, wine country, perfect weather, and a food blogging conference. What more could I ask for, right? But, now it’s back to reality. So, hellllooo, Monday!
I woke up so confused this morning (ugh, jet lag), but managed to crawl out of bed and whip-up a delicious bowl of banana oats. (They always seem to make things better!) And a super ripe banana in my fruit bowl was just begging to be made into my breakfast. Those are the best type! 
I topped my banana oats with pumpkin seeds and oven-roasted almond slices.
And, of course, Barney Butter.
I also brewed myself some coffee using my new Bodum mini French press from the BlogHer Food after party. It’s so cool!
I added vanilla soy milk and squirt of agave nectar to sweeten it up. Perfect!
My Best Get-Slim Trick
October hasn’t even started yet, but it’s already been a good month for me! 
My Shape debut was obviously awesome, but now check out my get-slim trick in Health magazine (October issue), page 67!
My tip was about how to turn exercise into a guilty pleasure by planning it around your favorite TV shows. Cool!
Question of the Day
Today’s question of the day is “borrowed” from the Divine Caroline website:
If you had $5,000, how would you use it to enhance your life?
My Learn to Blog seminar at Healthworks is tonight! I’m already really nervous! 
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Lady I am jealous of that french press. To me french pressed coffee just tastes soo much better, although nothing can beat my dunkin donuts iced coffee
I would definitely use 5K to enhance my life! I would probably add it to my quit-my-job-and-be-chef savings account. I would also buy really fun Christmas presents for my friends and family.
Don’t you just adore a french press – I love mine! $5,000 would be great: I’d add a puppy to our family, pay for a fancy hotel for when we head to Nashville for the country music marathon, and add the rest to our “kitchen remodel” fund.
mmm nothing like french press coffee, my mom actually for a while perfered it that way!
i love that you press it, and then you drink it right from there! so cool!
If i had 5000 dollars, i would pay off my bills, and then buy clothes!
Love the tip! And I totally do this on the elliptical.
If I had $5,000, I would first use it to pay for the $1,300 LSAT prep class I want to take. Out of the remaining $3.700, I’d probably put $3,000 in savings to pay for law school and use the other $700 for something fun (wow, ambitious self restraint!).
I would buy a storage space in my building, and a fancy shmancy bicycle. The storage space might seem dumb, but we have NO SPACE and a lot of the things won’t really get used until we buy a house one day. The bicycle because we live in the city and walking sometimes takes too long, and I don’t want to give up my parking spot.
It’s all about the simple needs
I didn’t want the weekend to end and I didn’t even go anywhere! I bet it was hard this morning.
Hubby and I would go to Peter Ragnar’s seminar in November!
You are having a great month!
Hmmm…$5,000 would probably go straight into the kids’ college fund. No fun stuff
$5,000 would pay off a significant chunk of J’s student loans. And unfortunetly that’s a top priority at this time.
Tina I know have “back to lifffeeee, back to reality” stuck in my head. errr thanks. not really.
Hmm, $5k would buy us a nice treadmill and help start remodel our basement, which is in desperate need of an overhaul!
I’ve never had French press coffee, but I hear such good things about it!
If I had $5,000 I would probably put it toward going back to school for something I’d love to do.
Why do weekends go by so quick? I wouldn’t want to come back after spending a fabulous weekend in Cali
Your photos look perfect this morning Miss Tina!
I would definitely use the 5k to help further my education
Welcome home! Isn’t it hard to leave wine country/the West coast?!If I had an extra $5000 I would probably get started in the Masters in Gastronomy at BU. I am thinking about doing it one class at a time, and 5k would definitely allow me to do more!
Welcome back–glad to hear you had so much fun! Sounds like a truly idyllic weekend! How can a person not have fun in wine country? Literally, my trip to Napa was one of the best I’ve ever taken…
Your oatmeal looks delicious this morning. Have you ever had Starbucks perfect oatmeal? I forgot to make a portable breakfast before leaving for spin this morning, so I just bought the Starbucks oatmeal. I must say, I’m pretty impressed! I like that you can control the add-ins, and therefore a fair amount of the nutrition.
The oats look great! I saw your article in SHAPE while in Target the other day and got so excited for you (see pic on my blog) great article, Tina! So excited for you. I hope your inner clock adjusts quick jet lag is no fun!
I think for 5K I’d go on a kick ass back packing trip in Europe!
http://fittipexchange.wordpress.com/
That trick is key for me. Tonight is House while walking on the treadmill to see if my hip will cooperate
I would pay off some credit cards with $5000. I am working slowly to pay them off but that would be a nice dent in them.
So cool to see all you get to do!
How do you get in so many mags?! Do they contact you or vice versa?!
Glad you had a great time in Cali!
I’d use 5000 bucks to pay for grad school.
good luck with your seminar tonight! maybe you can convince one of those people in the “see results” program to blog about it! i always read their recaps they put up at the gym and think they’d make a great blog.
I’ve had one of those tiny bodum presses for years now and LOVE it. I hate having to make a huge pot of french pressed coffee because I’m the only one that drinks it! Good luck tonight and congrats on the Health mag tip!
If I had an extra $5k, I would put half of it in savings as an Emergency Fund and half towards some debt. Yep, I’m rational like that.
I saw your name in Health and totally recognized it.
Great tip. Hope your Monday goes well!
Oh and if I had an extra $5K, I’d pay off a significant portion of my credit card debt and do a happy dance for HOURS afterwards.
ENJOY the speech tonight… You are highly educated on the topic, well-spoken, and so likeable– A winning combination Tina. I teach high school English and I love the subject, and though teenagers are nothing like peers, presenting something you love and are passionate about can be a breeze and quite exhilarating if you take a deep breath, relax, and enjoy. Good luck lady.
Girl, you are just showing up all over the place! Congrats
Yummy breakfast too, I agree that ripe bananas are really the best.
I could use 5K right now. My car is a clunker. I’d love to trade it in and buy a smaller, more reliable car.
Tina – If you have a minute, could you please tell me how you make your banana oats? I can’t get the consistency right on mine. Thanks!
I would love to say quit my job but 5K isn’t enough for that so I would start talking yoga classes and buy a few new healthy cookbooks and then go on a fitness inspired vacation.
I’d probably use half to pay off my car (snooze), but I’d use the other half to go and visit my best friend who has been living in Argentina for two years!
we’re scheduling gym time to coincide with football at my house-my fiance said he wouldn’t mind working out so much if he can watch football while he does it!
Wow, Tina, you’re all over the place this (next) month! Cool!
Looks like you had a blast in Cali.. If I had $5,000 I would give it to my parents.. My parents are really struggling right now (my mom has cancer and my dad is on disability) and they could really use the money. It hurts me to see them struggle and I wish I could help them more than I do!
If I had $5000, I would probably buy a new camera lens or tattoo and give the rest to my friend and his family, who need the money more than I do.
I’d like to say I’d put that $5k in savings like all the smart, sensible women above, but I have to be honest and say I’d swath myself in material goods instead. My apartment right now is an amalgam of hand-me-downs and dumpster dives. First I’d toss out the ratty couch with the hole in the arm, the chair the cat has torn to shreds, the 1980s dryer that makes the whole place quake, and the 10-year-old mattress, and get some decent quality replacements. Then I’d buy a small dining table set (I currently don’t have one, and eat all my meals on my lap or the bed!) and an ice cream maker. I’ve always wanted an ice cream maker
I would put it toward a down payment on a house.
You’re getting some awesome press this month!
i saw your tip in my health mag! love it!
i like watching the biggest loser while working out (talk about motivation)! as for what i would do w/ $5,000 – put it into savings – crazy, i know! 
) i’m a wild child. i’d also spend some of it on a fun vacation w/ my boyfriend & friends.
If I was given $5K today I would put it right towards my “career change fund” and put in my 2 weeks notice at work asap! Anyone care to give me $5K??
Hi Tina,
Glad you’re getting back in the groove. As a momento from your trip, I found the recipe for those Tomato Soup cupcakes! Enjoy!
TOMATO SOUP CUPCAKES
Serves: 24
Ingredients:
1 box (about 18 ounces) spice cake mix
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell’s® Condensed Tomato Soup (Regular or Healthy Request®)
1/2 cup water
2 eggs
Cream Cheese Frosting
Directions:
Heat the oven to 350°F. Place liners into 24 (2 1/2-inch) muffin-pan cups.
Combine the cake mix, soup, water and eggs in a large bowl and mix according to the package directions. Spoon the batter into the muffin-pan cups.
Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
Let the cupcakes cool in the pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pans and let cool completely.
Frost with your favorite cream cheese frosting.
Tip: After frosting, you can sprinkle the cupcakes with toasted chopped pecans or walnuts
Awesome! I saw your tip too, it was great! What would i do with 5000k?? Depends on if i was supposed to just spend it…if i was supposed to just spend it all, i’d buy a bunch of clothes, and go on a vacation!!
What a tough question!! I would do one of a few things…. save part of it (or pay off student loans)… and then with the rest of it either take an exciting vacation or take some culinary classes!
Loved reading all your posts from Blogher – looked like a great time!
That’s cool that you were featured in Health
With $5000 I would pay off debts and take a nice vacation.
Love the mini french press, so cute.
dang girl you are in all the magazines lately!! im so impressed!
id put half to the mortgage, every little bit helps right?!, and then use some to go stay at a nice relaxing hotel. and buy a pair of expensive, nice running shoes.
that little french press is so cool! I’m glad you got back safe
Hmm…I would use it so we could travel everywhere we want to go.
I would put some towards decorating our new home, but the majority I would put towards the trip we are planning to Italy for 2010! Travel is the best investment.
If I had $5000…wow, that is tough to answer! I would love to take a vacation to Italy with my boyfriend, but I would also love to redo my closet! If it were better organized it would make getting ready much easier! I think I would have some left over, so then maybe a weekend to San Diego instead!
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