Hey peeps! Hope you are all having a marvelous Monday!
I am sooooo excited about this post that I can’t even contain myself! Seriously, I am backspacing like an idiot right now because my brain is going faster than my little fingers can type!
Do me a favor…
Scoot your chair back from the computer…or if you have a laptop, pick it up and sit it a couple of feet from where you’re sitting!
Ok, got it?
Now make two fists…
Put them on each side of your face near your chin…
And continue reading while looking at the screen like this:
Ok…now we can carry on!
So apparently, I must think it’s my birthday or something. I’m typically not a big spender when it comes to shopping for myself…well, unless it’s groceries and then that’s a totally different story, but lately I think I’ve gotten on my good side, because gifts keep coming left and right. Hmm, I must be buttering myself up for something…
When I left you guys yesterday, I mentioned a little road trip to Nashville to get the “frog feet shoes” as my mother so lovingly refers to them. Well, let’s just say the trip was a success!
A veryΒ PINK success!
Kristina would be so proud!
I seriously ran (ok, I drove) to the gym last night an hour before closing JUST so I could try them out for the first time!
I only ran one mile and then did some time on the elliptical, but so far…
I LOVE them!
See Jess, you DO need a pair! π
What I didn’t tell you guys is that BEFORE my little excursion, I threw down some paper on something else that I’ve been quietly pining over for, I don’t know, the past 8 MONTHS!!
[source]
After MUCH debate/research/Twitter polling, I finally decided that the Garmin Forerunner 305 was right for me. ThanksΒ Mary and PresleyΒ for helping me FINALLY make up my mind!
Yep…come Wednesday, Amazon (slash the mailman) is going to make me
one. happy. lady!
And well, as if new running gear wasn’t enough of a gift to myself, I had to go and spontaneously plan a vacation…
in a week…
to CALIFORNIA!!
You guys, I have never been further west than Texas! This is HUGE for me!! Though I may be a little nervous about flying for only the second time in my life…
Note: Airplanes do NOT intimidate me…AIRPORTS DO!
So what’s in California you ask? More like what ISN’T in California?!
I’m just a small town girl…
*cue Journey cover band and a sea of lighters*
After talking vacation plans with one of my dear blogger friends, things just seemed to fall into place…so much so, that it was almost crazy NOT to plan a getaway to sunny California! I seriously cannot thank the beautiful Emilia enough for graciously opening her home (and her veggie stash) to me for 6 whole days of California lovin’! I’m so excited!
Now to decide on what to pack besides…
What can I say, I can’t live without my F.R.O.G. I even have the shoes to prove it! π
With all this celebration and gift-giving receiving in the air, there’s seems to be only one logical thing I can think of to do next… Perhaps it’s time to start shopping for gag mugs to add some humor to the festivities!
Have cake!
For breakfast?
Most definitely! π
Cake Batter Oats have returned to KMB, but this time, things look a little different…
Cake Batter Overnight Oats:
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese (or yogurt if your skeeved out by curds and whey)
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 1 Tablespoon yellow cake mix
- 1 Tablespoon chia seeds
- 3/4-1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Toppings: 1/2 banana, chopped fresh cherries (that I still haven’t froze), and MANDATORY coconut butter!
I’m gonna tell you right now, topping cold overnight oats with warm melty coconut butter is beyond amazing! It hardens once it hits the oats and makes a little sheet of coconut “ice” that you can crunch up and stir throughout the bowl…and when you get a bite with a piece in it, it’s like having white fudge AND cake batter for breakfast! π
Β Β Trust me on this one!
So, anybody in the San Francisco/Bay Area care for a little blogger meet-up? Shoot me an email {kissmybroccoli(at)gmail(dot)com} and we’ll see what we can do!
It’s always nice to splurge every once in a while. What have you “gifted” to yourself recently?Β
You are too, too funny girl! As I’ve said MANY times before and will say many times again, we will have quite the blast together. The two of us in the kitchen and at food stores will be TROUBLE, is all I have to say. I’m counting down the days and an super thrilled.
…Don’t you think i’ll be eating PB- bbq and frog hollows concoctions. Or maybe I will. It’ll just take a lot of convincing to get me to enjoy it. π That won’t be hard with your amazing cooking! π
Btw, we’ll be twins with our garmin 305: I have one, too! What nerds we are… π
xoxo
Oh you just wait dear Emilia…you ARE trying at least one PB&J BBQ concoction! Haha!
I took the Garmin and the manual to work today and played with it non-stop…I can’t believe how much it can do! You’ll have to teach me any tips and tricks you know!
3 more days!! Ahhhhh!
Wow that’s amazing =D So much good and joy in your life! You’re probably going to have suchhh a blast in California!
Ah! I was just in the Bay area a month ago, wish I could be there again! you’ll have a fantastic time, it’s a foodie’s dream there π
I know! One of the first things Emilia and I talked about was how we HAVE to go to Cafe Gratitude…I’m such a foodie…first thought of vacation and I’m already picking out restaurants! π
#thelifeofafoodie π
weeee – look at those PINK shoes! I am excited for you – I’m a big barefoot runner (from like, jr high school!) and I look forward to seeing how you like it. TAKE IT EASY at first though, go slow getting used to them – only one mile for the first time was good. I love the pink, they’re pretty!
I wish I was going to be in Cali so I could see you – you’ll have a blast! π
You are just a little runner now aren’t you?
I am in love with the PINK vibrams!!!! Good color choice ; )
How exciting to go to Cali to hang with a good blog friend, isn’t it amazing how you make amazing friends through blogging?! I feel like I have some of the best friends now, its the best part of it all! You girls will have a blast! California is amazing, and WAY ahead of the rest of the world, lol! Im sure you will be in heaven with amazing eats and stores!
LOVE the oats, damn delicious those look, its just missing sprinkles on top!!
xoxo <3
DUUUUUUUDE! How did I forget the sprinkles?! Ugh…now I’m going to have to make them again! …oh wow, such a bummer! π
I absolutely LOVE how blogging has opened up so many opportunities to meet new people and form new relationships! It’s so weird for me…before blogging, I’d never had such close relationships with people I’d never met!
AHHHHH, SO EXCITING!!!! Everything!!! haha. I looked up Vibrams all night last night…I think I definitely need to take the plunge π Hopefully I’ll get the chance to escape to the shoe store tomorrow on my break to try them on. (Is it weird that I’m more nervous about trying them on, barefoot, in front of store employees, than anything else? I have a thing about my feet…) And the Garmin. Is just plain awesome. I wish I’d waited like…3 more months so I could have just gotten the 305! haha. Ah, well π
Haha! I have a thing about my feet too…I was more nervous about looking like an idiot TRYING to get them on, but if you have the right size, it’s really not hard at all to slip your toes in! Take the plunge girl! Can’t wait to see what color you choose…I know you wouldn’t disappoint me and just go with black! π
Holy happy day for you!! I wish I could say I was happy for you about your trip to Cali, but I’m just insanely jealous. Just kidding, I’m happy for you π California is one of my favorite places. I’d be lost without my Garmin.
Favorite vacation = Tie between my California roadtrip last summer and my trip to New Orleans the year before.
I just realized I answered a question from another blog I was just reading… oops! I’m sure you wanted to know my favorite vacations anyways π
Of course! You’re just giving me ideas for the future…I really would love to go to New Orleans some day! π
LOVE LOVE your new kicks! I really want a pair of those. And I just got a Garmin too–and love it! I went with the Forerunner 210, but I’ve heard fab things about the 305. And so exciting about Cali! Yay for splurges!! π
gosh, so many exciting things all in one post!! yayy so excited for you about, well, everything! haha
You already know this…but lovee your pink vibrams π And only one more day until that garmin arrives at your doorstep. eeeee! And a trip to cali too? You’re on a roll girl! Splurges are so much fun! Especially big splurges π
I AM SO EXCITED TO MEET YOU!!!
Hehe π Me too!
AND I’M SO EXCITED TO MEET YOU TOO!!! AHHHH! π
hip hip hooray!!!!!!!! and wow, beautiful recipe. as always. you are such a great food stylist.
How exciting! My garmin is for sure one of my best friends, he’s such a smart little dude π
and vibrams, I’m so tempted to try them.. but they kind of intimidate me.
You will have so much fun in cali!
I was a little intimidated at first too…hence the reason it took me MONTHS before I actually bought them! But as soon as I tried them on, I was amazed with the comfort…I really thought they would feel “too weird” to me, but they’re so light and the fabric is really breathable so it really does feel like you’re barefoot! If you ever have a chance to just try them on at a store, definitely do it!
Ahhh im going to California in october and im flipping excited as well! they have vegan ice cream like normal ice cream places there which is going to make me OD on soy ice cream. holly yumski. π
What part of CA?
Sounds like you will have a great time! Can’t wait to see the details of your trip!
Can’t wait to hear all about your CA trip! You’re going to have so much fun and CA is sooo beautiful!!! π Love the pink vibrams!!
I love those Vibrams! I almost bought hot pink running shoes on Sunday- if they had fit, I would have π
I’m so excited that you’re coming to California! I hope we can meet up. Let me know your whereabouts next week!
Definitely! It would be SO great to finally meet you!! I’ll send you an email today with some of our plans and see if you can work something out!
I have to add cottage cheese to my overnight oats! Looks so yummy π
Oh look at you going on a big trip! You much be so excited! I’ve only been to California once before and it was for a convention to work with Tony. I want to travel more! I hope I can in the near future. I don’t think you and I live far apart…we should meet up some time in the near future!
Oh and I love the pink shoes and I enjoyed some F.R.O.G tonight on my oats…delicious!!!
We should DEFINITELY get together someday Sarena…and maybe even get HEAB to join us! That would be so much fun!
I’m SO glad you’re loving the F.R.O.G. preserves! I’m still not sure how I lived life without it before! Haha!
i had a packaged filled day today as well weeeeeeeeeeeee. its always fun to get packages in the mail regardless of what they are.
stop in arizona on your way to cali! if only planes made pit stops. tee hee. have a great vacation!!
Haha! Yeah, that would be nice wouldn’t it? Excuse me, Mr. Pilot…I just need to get off here for an hour or so and you know, stretch my legs…meet up with a blogger…have lunch…” Lol!
And getting stuff in the mail ALWAYS makes me feel like a kid on my birthday…even if it’s just a magazine subscription! π
pilots are totally lax these days, i’m sure they would do it π
Woooohoooo! YAY for you! You’re going to have an amazing time out here in CA! Emilia already told me the news and I’m going to try to come down and join you ladies at some point during your visit. I’m only about 2 1/2 hours north of Santa Cruz so I might be able to swing it. I hope so! <3
Yay, that’s awesome! I can’t wait to finally meet you!!
ok so i have a random question. for your oats you say mandatory coconut BUTTER, and then talk about the coconut OIL. Is the butter mixed it and oil on top? I ask because the topping looks amazing so i bought a little pack of coconut oil and want to make sure i got the right thing, haha.
Oh my goodness, I totally misspoke…er mis-typed? I meant to say coconut BUTTER both times. Coconut oil would still be good, but to get that rich, decadent, I-feel-like-I’m-eating-fudge effect, the butter is the way to go!
ok! well poo i got the oil, although im sure i will find plenty of things i can use it in, i will go get the butter next time i am at the store because it just looks and sounds delish!.
thanks for clearing it up for me. π
No problem! If you have a food processor, you can also buy unsweetened shredded coconut and make it yourself…comes out just as good!
Do you have a Facebook page or Twitter? Would love to follow you there, I’m on my iPhone and love reading your stuff!
Thank you! I have both a Facebook and Twitter account…you can click on the buttons on the right sidebar to access the links!
Where can I find coconut butter? Do they carry it at Safeway?
I’m not sure, since we don’t have Safeway stores around here. I know you can usually find it at Whole Foods or if you don’t have one of those, you can get it online. iHerb.com always has a pretty good price and you can use my coupon code (QQQ940) for a discount! π