We had a fantastic time in New York City! We left late Thursday night and I returned home on Sunday. To say it was a quick trip is an understatement. The food show started on Sunday, so Donny stayed out there a few more days and I returned home. I will get some pictures together and post about the trip later! Let’s just say it was a trip full of shrimp cocktail, hot dogs, lots of seafood, gigantic porterhouse steaks, and pizza! Not too shabby…..
So I am on the hunt for a new laptop. Donny has been telling me for a while now that I should get a new one. I just wasn’t ready to part with this one yet. I kept telling myself that “I haven’t had this very long… I got it when I was a freshman in college”. Then I started doing the math… that means I have had this for 9 years now! It got me through four years of college and then sat around for a while, not being used too much. I think it is alright if we part ways now.
Here is the only problem: I have no idea what to look for in a laptop! I need it for basic functions. I don’t do any gaming and I do very little streaming (occasional YouTube videos), but I would like to be able to edit pictures on it and write blog posts without it taking ffoorreevveerr…….any suggestions?
Also, I am thinking about biting the bullet and (while my wallet is open) investing in some photo editing software. Woah, I know, getting crazy here! I have my eye on Lightroom 6. I have been doing a little research to find out which photo editing software is the most user friendly and, from what I have read, Lightroom is easier to use than Photoshop (if you don’t have basic knowledge of photoshop already).
Moving on to more important things: overnight oats. Have you tried overnight oats yet?!? They are all over Pinterest these days. I’ve been making them for a while now and I love them. They are really quick and easy to make plus, the protein and fiber from the chia and oatmeal keep me full for quite a while! I like to make overnight oats for one of my midday meals or snacks. If you are in a hurry in the morning, then these would make a great choice. You can make several different varieties at once (or all the same variety) and keep them in the fridge to quickly grab all week!
The basic ingredients for overnight oats include rolled oats (not quick-cooking oats), chia seed, milk, and greek yogurt. I have made overnight oats without yogurt before, but I like the thick, creamy result that you get when adding the Greek yogurt. Play around with your proportions to see what you prefer.
When I first tried overnight oats (it was a couple years ago), I was completely thrown off by eating cold oatmeal. Oatmeal is suppose to be hot! I was used to eating oatmeal heated up my entire life. Eating them chilled was a very different experience. Fast forward two years and I am not only used to it being cold, I sometimes prefer it! One benefit to overnight oats is that you can enjoy oatmeal in the summer without having to eat it hot. I don’t know if you are like me, but if it is really hot out, then I do not want hot food. If you are like me, then overnight oats can be your solution!
The flavor combinations for overnight oats is endless. I mean endless! Mix and match your favorite fruits and nuts, try peanut butter, jam/jellies, chocolate, etc. Some of my favorites are blueberry & banana, peanut butter & jelly, PB & banana, and of course, pistachio & cherry!
I use one tablespoon of protein powder (or more depending on the day) in my overnight oats mostly for flavor and a touch of sweetness. Greek yogurt is tart by itself, so I mix protein powder in to help offset that tartness. If you do not have protein powder or don’t want to use it, then you could add honey or a sweetener of choice to help balance out the yogurt.
You can always use flavored Greek yogurt in your oats, but be careful of the sugar content. I avoid flavored varieties because they add a ton of sugar to them. I’d rather buy plain yogurt and spice it up myself!
I suggest refrigerating the oats overnight, however I have made these before work and they were ready to eat by 10:00am. A minimum of two hours is what I suggest for the chia and oats to soak up the milk and yogurt, otherwise the oats may still be too chewy.
If you are wanting more inspiration for flavor combos for overnight oats, then Google or Pinterest “overnight oats”. You will find a million different varieties! Try some out and see what you like.
Also, let me know if you have any suggestions for laptops (that are not super expensive, you know I am a cheap a**). I’d love to have a little more direction….
- 1/4 cup rolled oats
- 1 Tbsp chia seed
- 1/4 cup 0% Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk, or milk of choice
- 1 Tbsp vanilla protein powder, optional
- 1/2 cup cherries, pitted and chopped
- 2 Tbsp pistachios, shelled removed
- Combine the oats and chia in a mason jar or similar container.
- Stir in protein powder, greek yogurt, and almond milk.
- Top with cherries and pistachios.
- Refrigerate overnight, or for at least 2 hours before serving.
- Other fruits and nuts can be used in place of the cherries and pistachios.
- This recipe will create a very thick version of overnight oats. Add more almond milk to change the consistency.
Love the recipe and look forward to using it! I have a bad habit of skipping breakfast, but with a little one getting ready to begin kindergarten, I need to be prepared for both of us. 🙂 As for a laptop, I have a Surface Pro 3 that I absolutely love; it’s lightweight and extremely user friendly. It functions as a laptop and a tablet, which is great for those of us who go from desktops to iPads and get confused along the way. 🙂 Good luck!
Thank you so much Elaine! I looked at these and they are really nice. Thanks for the recommendation 🙂