Veggie Burger Salad

Veggie Burger Salad

• 2 cups organic spring mix lettuce
• 3 slices hothouse tomato
• 4 cherry tomatoes
• 1/3 cup bell pepper chunks- I used orange, red and green
• 1/4 cup (heaping) avocado chunks
• 1 tablespoon dried tart cherries
• 1 tablespoon unsalted sunflower seeds
• 1 tablespoon pepitas
• 2 nectarines sliced to line the plate
• 1 hard boiled egg, sliced
• 1 veggie burger cooked according to instructions- check to make sure it's gluten free if necessary

What A Week!

What a week it's been! I know it's not even Friday but so much has happened that I don't know where to start!

Monday at my internship I went out with a photographer and reporter to shoot two stories. I love going out in the field because I hate being stuck in the office in a cubicle all day. I don't do well in a confined space where I'm not active, my dad used to tell me I had ants in my pants as a kid- I still do. 

The reporter let me do my first on camera stand up and film a tease for the story! I was so excited and it was by far the best day I've had at my internship so far.

The ten hour shifts in the news room make for a long day and then I have almost an hour drive home, but when I get to see sunsets like this it makes the long day worth it. 

Today Cora and I enjoyed the beautiful sunshine even though it was a bit windy. Cora loves being outside, she'd stay outside all day if I let her. She loves playing Frisbee, chasing any and everything, playing with the neighbor dogs, and her favorite thing to do outside is swim. I can hardly keep her dry!

To top off the week before a long weekend for Memorial Day I made a Raspberry Coconut Smoothie. It makes two servings so I kept the second serving for another day.

Raspberry Coconut Smoothie

• 3/4 cup raspberries- I froze the raspberries to make the smoothie thicker
• 1.5 cups Coconut Milk
• handful of ice cubes
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon- if desired

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. 

I hope everyone can get out and enjoy the beautiful weather this holiday weekend! I have a few recipes to get up on the blog this weekend and I will post pictures from my Memorial Day weekend fun!

Cuckoo for....OATS!

Do you remember the old commercials for cocoa puffs with the crazy bird who was cuckoo for cocoa puffs? I certainly ate a bowl or two of cocoa puffs as a kid. 

I'm not cuckoo for cocoa puffs anymore, but I certainly am cuckoo for overnight oats. They are seriously the easiest thing ever and it takes less than five minutes to make. I usually make up a few at a time so I can grab and go throughout the week. 

Last night I made one up for today, which I ended up eating as part of my lunch after an intense workout. Today's was definitely one of my favorite's I've made so far!

The layers are:

• 1/4 cup Dannon Lit and Fit Vanilla Greek Yogurt
• 1/4 cup steel cut oats (gluten free)
• handful of blueberries
• handful of raspberries
• 3 large strawberries, sliced
• more greek yogurt
• more steel cut oats (gluten free)
• 1/2 small banana, sliced
• 2 large strawberries, sliced
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon sprinkled overtop

Want more overnight oats? Try these easy overnight oats recipes

Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Overnight Oats

Vanilla Espresso Overnight Oats

Buff Bake Overnight Oats

Exam Cram Overnight Oats

If you make them tag me on instagram and use the hashtag #thesimplelife and go like my new page on Facebook!