Good morning!
The birds are out again. 
I can’t tell you how heart warming it is to hear them singing away in the mornings after a long, cold winter. What can I say, I’m a sap. It’s genetic, my Dad’s the same way! 
Did anybody watch the closing ceremonies of the Olympics last night? This might be un-patriotic to say, but I’m glad the Canadians won the gold medal hockey game. Well, not glad, but happy for them! I think the tone of the ceremonies might have been a bit overcast if they had just lost, know what I mean? Would you rather go to the winter, or summer Olympics? I’d go to either one, if I had tickets, but I HEART the summer Olympics! I could watch gymnastics all day. 
At any rate, breakfast was soooo great today. Refreshing and flavorful – Raspberry Banana Overnight Oats!
In the mix:
- Blueberry Buckle fat-free yogurt
- 1/4 cup old fashioned oats (uncooked)
- 1/2 Tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 banana
- frozen raspberries
- sliced almonds
Gosh, how much do I love frozen raspberries? They’re one of the only fruits that I can eat “mushy“. I don’t know what it is about them, but fresh, frozen, saucy, squishy – I’ll eat them anyway I can get them!
Oh, be sure to look at the ingredient list on your frozen fruit. Sometimes they can be sweetened with added sugar. Not these bad boys – they’re sweet enough on their own. Just like me..,right?!
The raspberries thawed overnight which gave me a little extra liquid to work with, which is nice since those chia seeds soak up moisture like little sponges. Sluuuuurp!
AWESOME. Repeater.
Last night’s dinner was so good, I repeated it, too! A delectable Kitchen Sink Salad.
Same fixins’ as yesterday – romaine lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, broccoli, dried cranberries and peanuts! Trust me, you’ll love ‘em in there. Oh, I packed some Italian dressing with splash of balsamic vinegar, too.
And a Pink Lady, natch.
Oooo, look what came in the mail last week! I won a David Rio Tea Giveaway on Mina & Alex’s blog, and this Mint Chocolate Infusion Tea was included in the package. Doesn’t that sound yum? I’ll be sipping on a hot mug of this goodness at work, cause it’s friggin’ freezing today! 
The aforementioned Mina & Alex don’t have to worry about cold weather where they’re at…because they’re traveling through South Africa at the moment, where it’s currently 77 degrees (I checked!)
Yep, these newlyweds quit their jobs, sold their house and are now traveling the world. TRAVELING THE WORLD! Can you imagine?! You’ve got to check out their blog and read along. What an adventure!
Off to day dream…
Happy Monday!
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Is there anywhere in the world that you DON’T want to go? Or have been, but wouldn’t want to go back?
For some reason, I have no desire to go to Russia or Australia (I know I’ll get some heat about that one!) Actually, I must see the Great Barrier Reef before my end of days, so ok, Australia’s back in.
your raspberry oats look delicious!
i have no desire to go to antarctica. brrrrr…..
I’m cool with Canada winning, too – especially since I love Crosby and live in Pittsburgh!
Mint chocolate tea..that sounds lovely!
Summer olympics all the way, it’s where the equestrian stuff is! And it’s in London 2012, HOORAY!
I would never go back to Rome – very dirty and, I felt, overrated. I don’t want to go to war-torn places either, ie the Middle East…I’d be too scared!
I loved Rome! Maybe because I didn’t have high expectations (I don’t usually like big cities) so everything seemed awesome. It was amazing to be walking along and then be like “holy tamole, that’s the colosseum.”
I’m a huge raspberry fan too… i love them in most forms! I love the birds in the morning; i almost feel like there’s some hope that winter might end sometime soon.
I have NO desire to go to the Middle East. Maybe if there’s a time where there’s no war there, then maybe…
Those oats look delicious even though I’m not a huge raspberry fan. Well I love the taste of them but the seeds? Not so much.
I’d LOVE to go to the summer olympics. I also really like watching gymnastics. Maybe because I SUCK at that myself. Ha.
I wouldn’t want to go to the Middle East either… or South America.
I went to Taiwan on a business trip with my hub 2 years ago and you couldn’t pay me to go back! No thanks!
Gorgeous overnight oats!
I’m happy for Canada too. USA put up a good fight, but hey, Canada deserved it. I would have loved to go to Vancouver too – what a beautiful city, it seems.
I think I would rather go to the Winter Olympics to see a hockey game.
I have no desire to go to Australia either really. (New Zealand is a different story.) Also, I’ve been there, done that with England & the Bahamas… no desire to go back. Pretty much every other place though? Antartica, South America, Middle East, Russia… sign me up!
I do NOT want to go to Africa or the Middle East. I’ve barley been anywhere though (I grew up on an island). I would go with the summer olympics too, gymnastics are the best!
Mexico and Hawaii both rank low on my list of places to travel. Maybe it’s because everyone goes there, LoL.
I have gone to Russia…what a life-changing experience. It was intense and I have no desire to go back, but I am glad I went.
I honestly cannot think of anywhere that I hands down would not want to go to! Unless there was imminent danger there. That would not be cool. But I can’t think of any other good reason – we can learn something from everywhere and everyone that’s different to us!
Also: the birds were singing in Minneapolis this morning too – love it!
I don’t really have a desire to go to China. I’m sure some parts would be interesting, but so much of it is underdeveloped. It’d be eye opening, for sure, but not exactly what I’d consider a “vacation”. Know what I’m sayin’?
Love Alex and Mina’s blog! It’s so fun to watch their adventure unfold!
I have to say, I have no desire to go to India, China or Japan…basically anywhere that is highly populated and doesn’t speak english. I don’t like crowds and the thought of not being able to communicate on top of it totally freaks me out!
I love the birds in early spring too!!! And Summer…definitely summer. For the gymnastics, of course
I am in love with frozen raspberries too. They are soo good with bananas. YUM!
I have no desire to go to Baghdad really.
I remember having to go to North Carolina to look at furniture on our way to Georgia to see friends. SO not fun
I just have to say that every time you say “natch” I mentally put an “s” in front of it. Dirty, dirty mind!
I’ve been to Mexico so many times that I’m pretty much over it. Plus it’s such a pain having to worry about the water and clean food sources. The last time we were there the whole group got food poisoning at Cabo Wabo. I guess I’d just rather go places I haven’t been before….
oh no! you HAVE to go to australia. i spend last spring studying abroad in sydney and had the time of my life!! you will not regret it, i promise
plus, theres awesome food there, and tons of fresh, local markets to get incredible produce!
arent pink lady’s the BEST?!!? and oh myyy does that rasberry and banana dish look DELICIOUS!!!! great photos too!
I’m sooo happy Canada won! I’m a Canadian, though, so maybe that has something to do with it?
Love those oats – they look delicious! I love frozen raspberries, too. I froze a whole bunch in the summer and should really be eating them more often!
If I could travel anywhere, I would go to Europe … like one of those month-long cruises or something where you can stop and stay in the cities. I’ve never been before, but my parents have gone a few times and they always have a great time!
K
Sad that USA lost to Canada – my hubby played hockey in college so he was pretty bummed.
I have no desire to go back to Mexico (have been 3 times) its just as expensive as Hawaii & 10x less pretty & more dirty. Got sick 2 out of the 3 times I’ve been. Also no interest in going to anywhere in the Middle East, China, Russia, or India.
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I can’t think of anywhere I wouldn’t want to go. Except for maybe Antartica, because what’s there? A bunch of ice? No thanks! Anywhere else though I would probably be game.
I so wish I could travel more!
And I prefer the summer Olympics. Gymnastics has my heart!
I went to the Summer Olympics back in 1996 when they were in Atlanta. I saw a baseball game, which was kinda random, but the whole experience/set up at centennial olympic park was awesome. I’m glad I got the chance to even go. So I guess now I’d have to say I’d love to go to the winter Olympics since I’ve never been! (plus I love watching the snowboarding and hockey!)
I was lucky enough to go to the Olympics in Atlanta in 1996. I was a gymnast and was SO psyched to see the men’s and women’s gymnastics All-Around Finals. It was so much fun!!!
I don’t have a lot of desire to go to Africa. I love seeing photos of safaris and the landscape, but it’s not one of my top vacation spots.
Hi-
I’ve been reading your blog for a few weeks now and I notice you make the kitchen sink salad pretty often, but am curious where the name came from?? Do tell
Thanks for all the good tips/recipes, keep em coming!
I agree with you a little bit on the Olympics thing. I was happy for the Canandians too, and I felt like maybe they wanted it just a little bit more (at least the fans…)
Don’t agree at all about Australia though. I studied abroad there and I loved it! So many cool different things to see in one country. I don’t really want to go to the middle east…or Russia really, not sure why haha. Most places I’d like to go though!
Your food looks so fresh and photogenic today! Beautiful! I never wanted to go to Kenya but decided to study abroad there anyways… 3 and a half years later, I still think it is the best thing I ever did! I would have never met Sebastian otherwise!
Despite the fact that I’m not an overnight oats fan, your brex looks scrumptious! I’d just eat all the toppings =]
My first trip to Europe was to Rome, and I wasn’t very impressed. Very dirty!
I also have no desire to go to the Middle East, or to China…
I never had the desire to go to Australia, but live here now. The only place worth visiting is Queensland (the state with the Great Barrier Reef, great beaches and sunshine all year round). I find Australians quite rude and a lot of them dislike Americans quite a bit for some reason. We’ll move back to good old Europe as soon as my husband’s work so allows.
I went to the Middle East and it was awesome – the people were extremely friendly and I always felt safe – even in the West Bank (I was in Israel, Jordan, Egypt). I think it is funny how people think Rome was dirty after being in the Middle East though – I went to Rome afterwards and I felt like it was the cleanest place on earth compared to the places I’d been.
I wouldn’t go to places that would put my life in jeopardy – Sudan, Rwanda, etc.
Breakfast is beautiful!! I like raspberries every way EXCEPT cooked. Blah!
I would love to see a summer Olympics. I love swimming and running events
I’m willing to travel almost anywhere. I went to Poland in the winter and probably wouldn’t go back when it’s so bleak and cold, but I’m sure it’s beautiful in the spring.
I don’t care for really “touristy” places that have lots of advertisments & billboards & commercialization & such. I’d much rather take the back roads & hit all the small town antique & junk shops & dine at little cafe’s & greasy spoons. Although I think everyone should go to Las Vegas just once in their lives…just to see the spectacular architecture of the hotels. And the Hoover Dam!
I have no desire to go to Mongolia. Most other places I’d love to go.