Steel Oats?

Who eats steel oats?  I hear they are very healthy but they just don't look quite as apeeling as a regular bowl of oatmeal.  I mean honestly neither of them are that apeeling to me.  BUT I have been really trying to eat healthy and work out to get into shape so I figured I'd give them a go.  Last night my roommates and I whipped up a new recipe we found.  It was a banana and coconut milk steel cut oats recipe.  It's prepared in a slow cooker and cooks all night and it is DELICIOUS!!!  Here's to making healthy eating good...

Ingredients

•2 medium ripe bananas, sliced (approx. 2 cups)

•2 (14 oz) cans light coconut milk*

•1/2 cup water

•1 cup steel cut oats

•2 tablespoons brown sugar

•1-1/2 tablespoons butter, cut into 5-6 pieces, optional (omit or substitute margarine for lactose-free, vegan)

•1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

•1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

•1/2 teaspoon vanilla

•1 tablespoon ground flax seed

•1/4 teaspoon salt

•Optional garnishes: additional sliced bananas, chopped macadamia nuts or walnuts, toasted coconut, maple syrup, additional brown sugar, additional coconut milk or butter

Directions

Coat inside of 3-1/2 quart (or larger) slow cooker with cooking spray. Add all ingredients (except optional toppings) to slow cooker. Stir, cover, and cook on low for 7 hours. Spoon oatmeal into bowls; add optional toppings, if desired. Store leftovers in refrigerator. Freezes well.

To reheat single servings: Put 1-cup cooked oatmeal in microwave proof bowl. Add 1/3 cup milk or water. Microwave on high for 1 minute; stir. Continue cooking for another minute, or until hot.

Recipe can be doubled in 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Increase cooking time 1 hour.

P.S.  When you wake up in the morning your house smells AMAZING!!!

FEBRUARY: Costa Rica!!!!

Last week I had a couple of free days and my roommates did as well so on a last minute whim we picked up and went to Costa Rica!  We flew for 7 hours, got there, took a half hour bus ride, walked in the rain for 45 minutes to find the next bus station and then rode 4 1/2 hours in another bus to Puerto Viejo.  It was so worth it to stay on the Carribbean side of the island!  It was so beautiful and we pretty much stayed right on the beach!  We rented bikes for $4 a day and rode everywhere.  It's a really small town but there is lots to see and you can see it all on a bike.  The first day we stayed on the beach where we were, ate at the Bread the Chocolate, got street food, shopped at the street vendors (who were highly overpriced), and laid out on the beach the rest of the time!  SO RELAXING!  The second day we rode our bikes to the Jaguar rescue to see all the animals they have saved.  We saw cute sloths and all sorts of animals and got to go in a monkey cage and hold monkeys!!!  Afterwards we went to this chocolate store that's totally authentic.  They grow their own cocoa beans and make their own chocolate.  It was pretty good.  And the rest of the day we laid out on the Punta Uva beach.  It looked like Pirates of the Carribbean!!!!

Here's the top 22 pictures of the trip...

Our make shift neck blankets to keep our heads from flopping on the bus ride!

Our cute beach cruisers and riding around the island

The cute places on the street we stayed on!

Day one: Beach Playa Negra

The BEST BREAKFAST EVER!!!!!!  At the Bread and chocolate Cafe

 The bread and chocolate cafe

Day 2: Punta Uva Beach

Reading our books on the beach

Coconut Milk!!

Amazing street food

Playin cards at the hostel

K this is a trit.  AMAZING!!  it's like an ice cream sandwich with a delicious graham cracker instead of the chocolate on the outside with chocolate swirls through the ice cream.  Seriously to die for!

Our nasty hostel.  My bed had very questionable stains and literally dirt clods on it.  Good thing we stole the Delta blankets from our flight to sleep on

Our hostel room

We may or may not have gotten stuck in the airport on our way home and had to sleep there

Us sleeping.  It was frigid cold so we bundled up and I put my black shorts over my face to darken things up.  Katy is on the bench and I'm on the ground!



JANUARY: Cedar Edge, CO

One of my new years resolutions for this year was that once a month I have to fly somwhere for fun... Besides back home to Utah.  I've been working SO much to save the money I used to move out to Minnesota that I haven't given myself any free time to use the great benefits of my job.  Last month to get things kicked off I took an easy trip out to see my sister and her little family in Colorado.  It was a lot of fun!  She has 3 beautiful little girls.  The oldest has the most beautiful natural blonde hair, the middle has brown hair and the youngest is a spitfire red head.  She's pregnant so I can only assume the next will come out with a glowing head of green hair.  I'll keep you updated.

I think I've been out to their house only once in the last 5? years that they've been there.  It's nice to have the freedom to go more easily now.  It was great to relax, take a drive to the Black Canyon, run errands and kids around to their many activities (Those kids are crazy active. I don't know how my sister does it all), cook ebleskevers and avocado grilled cheese sandwiches, breakfast for dinner, sleep in and just play around the house with the gals. 

I'm still trying to get used to the hours of this job.  I literally went to bed between 9 and 10 at night and would get up at 10 in the morning!  The girls challenge for each other is to see who can sleep in the longest.  Little Aubree even prayed at dinner saying, "Please bless that I will sleep longer than everyone else... Even Lexi".  Sorry child it just can't be done!  Needless to say she lost. 

Olivia is the oldest and such a smart kid.  Poor girl had to do homework most of the time while we were playing but she gets a lot of great opportunities to go to gymnastics, violin, piano, voice lessons, girl scouts, skiing, play with friends, and probably like 6 other things she's involved in that I missed.  TALENTED!

Maddy is the youngest and quite hilarious.  We hung out at home one morning while the others were out running errands.  We were in the basement and it was cold so I suggested we go upstairs.  She said no and sometimes it's fine if I'm cold.  Ha ha well okay then.  We were playing dolls and everytime I was doing something with mine that she wanted she would find an excuse to take it from me.  Ex. That is Aubrees favorite doll so I should probably have it cuz she doesn't want other people to play with it.  After a couple of times of this I said, "You're not very fun to play with".  To which she replied, "Sometimes you get what you get and you don't throw a fit".  See what I'm talking about when I said spitfire?  We ran to Walmart the second day I was there and the girls all got to pick out a treat.  On the drive home Maddy said Lexi you can have 2 m&m's if you play with me when we get home.  Of course I said yes and when I asked her to pay up she said, "mmm you can have them after you play with me".  Ha ha the girl has learned! 

All in all it was a great trip!  Just nice to see the fam and my nieces and relax.  Here are some pictures of the few days I was there. 

First stop was the car wash..  Sprayed purple and blue soap all over our car!

Kalie was quick to become obsessed.  What was a quick stop to try the free vacuums ended up to be a half hour stay washing all the mats and vacuuming out the entire car!

Black Canyon

Our ABC puzzle

 Dance time!

(I don't favor these two.. Olivia was doing homework. Surprise surprise!)

GREEN SMOOTHIES

I have a new obsession... Green smoothies.  I have heard so many times that spinach is crazy good for you but I'm not a huge fan of spinach salads or just spinach in general.  I also have another obsession.. Pinterest.   Well on one of my daily sessions of pinterest I found a great recipe for Green smoothies.  I drink them every day!!  I've been trying to eat super healthy lately and these are like my little treat for the day.  It feels like I'm cheating but really I'm doing my body a huge favor.  Here's the recipe...

2 C. Spinach (More or less, whatever you prefer)
1/2 C. Vanilla Greek Yogurt
1 Frozen Banana
1Tbsp. Peanut Butter 
Almond Milk
I put everything in and then fill the rest of my magic bullet with Almond Milk.  I use Almond breeze.  So good!  I also add Flax Seed to the mix.  Not the greatest tasting but you can't really taste it much in the smoothie and it's really good for you.

I want to try adding Kale as well.  I've heard GREAT things about Kale but I have yet to try it and I don't know where to get it.  Anyone know?

I did a little research and these are the reasons I've found that these healthy greens are SO good for you

• Improved digestion
• Fewer cravings for sweets and processed foods
• More positive, stable moods
• Improvement in skin tone
• Weight loss
• Increased desire to exercise
• Decreased stress level
• Blood sugar stabilization
• Shinier hair and smoother skin
• More energy

DRINK UP!

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS

So I've been having not a great day AT ALL.  Not a great past couple of days for that matter.  I've been feeling super sorry for myself, been mopey, and just in a bad mood.  My famous quote for the past 2 days is, "I hate my life". I'm thinking maybe it's time to count my blessings.  So here are a few things I am grateful for...

• My parents and their examples
• Close relationships with my siblings
• Nieces and nephews.  I'm convinced mine are the best
• Work and my opportunity to travel the world
• Loyal friends
• Random people who keep coming into my life for a definite reason.. 
• The BOM
• Being born and raised in the church
• FOOD
• Harriet (my car)
• The internet
• ...Internet shopping.  It's like a mini christmas when you come home and there's a box on your porch with your name on it
• Broccoli cheese soup from panera bread
• Warm showers
• Wind shield wipers
• A good book
• The magic bullet
• Fireplaces
• Fresh flowers
• My health

There are lots more but we will stop there.  Don't forget to count your blessings too!  Someone once said to me, "What if you woke up tomorrow and all you had were the blessings you thanked the lord for in your prayers last night?"

Should I?

I'm kind of very broke but I came across these shoes online, at lulus.com, and I am in love!  They are only $50, which I don't consider too bad.  Among the two sizes they have left miraculously one of them is mine.  I feel as though it is a sign.  Should I??

THE BOXCAR CHILDREN

It's really not too often that I have kids on my flights but when I do, parents are always prepared with D.S's, IPods, Ipads, Small handheld video games, or whatever electronic device they have with them to keep their children entertained.  The other day there was the cutest little boy on my plane.  He was in seat 1C, front row, right in front of me.  Instead of playing video games or something similar he was reading.  He was SO cute!  And he was reading none other than The Boxcar Children.  This book is a personal favorite of my families.  When we were little my mother had bought every book in the edition and I can still remember reading them at night before going to bed.  A couple of years ago my mom got all of her children together to divy out all the books we'd collected on her shelves over the years.  Unfortunately the books went to another sibling but I was so happy to see that they are still out there and thought it was only appropriate to dedicate a post to them!  So here's to you, Gertrude Chandler Warner, and your books, The Boxcar Children, that filled our home and sat at the bedsides of at least 5 children :)