Shrimp, Spice, and Everything Nice!

I was SOOO excited to find that I had finished my peanut butter jar yesterday because that meant I could make my favorite Overnight Oats!  I tweaked the recipe since I was out of cottage cheese and used greek yogurt instead.  I was pleasantly surprised to find there was no sour taste from the yogurt and it was REAL thick and creamy, using only about 1/4 cup yogurt (or less!).  Perhaps the flavor depends on the brand of yogurt?  I used plain low-fat chobani.  Anyway, best batch yet!

Today, I bought more peanut butter to replace my last jar, and realized I bought Honey Roasted peanut butter!!! UGH!  I am a firm believer that added sugar in the diet is a detriment to everyone's health and is a main contributer in health and heart issues.  Having extra sugar in my PB stinks, but I decided I will use it in my homemade granola and take out most of the sugar in the recipe.  Normally, I use a store brand of natural PB, which only uses nuts and oil.  

After a tough boot camp and spin class combo today, I was hungry!  I always drink some protein after my hard workouts, and then I made myself a serving of shrimp and left-over delicata squash from last night's dindin!  Yum!  I chose to sprinkle the shrimp in my favorite spice blend from Savory Spice Shop, Red Cloud Peak seasoning.  I swear by more expensive and creative blends in spices!  It makes EVERYTHING taste so much better, and this one was shrimp-tastic!

** (cherry tomatoes on the side not shown)

Tomorrow I hope to talk about one of my favorite fitness authors, Timothy Ferriss.  His book 4 Hour Body, is a great HUGE book on everything you need to know to be fit and healthy with the least amount of effort or money spent.  To be continued...

Happy Tuesday!

A Day of Favorites

Thursdays are days off in my schedule...which means lots of fun things to do!

I started off the day with my favorite oatmeal recipe, overnight oats, a la katheats.com.  She loves her oatmeal, which is one reason why I started following her :)  Usually, this recipe is for a leftover peanut butter jar, but I wanted it this morning and didn't have a used jar...and boy, does it make a difference!  There is something about the oats being soaked in peanut butter scrapings (the stuff your spoon can't get to)!  Also, I add cottage cheese instead of yogurt.  To me, the tart yogurt flavor is weird and over-powering.  Cottage cheese does the trick and adds great protein too...with a Colorado peach and coffee!

I know it doesn't look appetizing, but it has the BEST texture ever.  Don't knock it 'til you try it!

Overnight Oats

1/4 cup Oats

1/4 cup plain greek yogurt OR cottage cheese

1/3-1/2 cup water or milk (depending on how thick you want it)

2 T chia seeds

1 mostly empty jar of PB!  (or scoop 1-2 T into a jar...)

Mix it all together and put it in the fridge overnight.  Wake up to the best cold oats ever!  

**if cold oats really freak you out, you can warm it in the micro :)

Rushed out the door to go on my favorite trail run- Mt. Falcon.  Just south of Morrison, this is a great mountain biking trail and a hiking trail.  Fastest time yet and perfect weather!

For my own record-keeping:  45mins up, 28 down.  This was one of those runs where I had an inner smile pushing me onward...I was LOVING the fact that my body was pain-free and able to carry me to such beauty!  This trail is awesome with a great meadow and historical castle ruin to see.  It may be on the longer side, about three miles up, but it is so worth it.  Put this one on your to-do list!


I then went to meet my dear friend Sara for lunch at Cafe 180--first time for me, finally!  This is a great place.  Wonderful and fresh food from local farmers, and it's all based off of donations.  You can donate money or time cleaning in the kitchen and you decide how much the food is worth.  I highly recommend it!  There was a huge bowl of produce from their own garden, so I took a cucumber.

Fun cuke colors!  Hopefully it will taste fun too!

Off to read Cesar Millan's book, How to Raise the Perfect Dog.  Why, you might ask?  I am preparing for motherhood, to raise my own trail-seeking pup!

Happy Thursday!