Overnight Oatmeal Recipe

My family loves oatmeal and I love this recipe!  I'm not a morning person and it always feels like everyone is rushing to get out the door in the mornings at different times.  My husband goes to work at O'dark:thirty and I know he loves to have a bowl of home cooked oatmeal all ready for him.  I usually set out bowls and oatmeal toppings next to the crock pot so it's like a buffet style.  For the toppings I usually do hemp hearts, dried fruit, banana chips, fresh fruit, peanut butter, nuts, seeds, and then there is always soy milk and regular milk in the fridge.  This recipe makes a lot and usually it will serve our family of 4 twice!  I have a huge crock pot so I make the whole recipe and keep the rest in the fridge to reheat later in the week but you could easily cut the recipe in half if you had a smaller crock pot.  Another tip is usually I put the crock pot on one of those light timers that you can find at walmart (we use them at Christmas time for our tree lights and when we go out of town) and set the timer for 6 or 7 hours before my husband wants to eat so that way it's not overcooked.




Overnight Oatmeal


2 cups steal cut oats
8 cups of water
1 cup applesauce
1 TBSP cinnamon
1/4 cup raw agave


Cook on low in the crock pot for 6 - 7 hours and serve with any topping that you like.

Can I really have it all?

OK, so I have to come clean and admit my dirty little secret.  I have really been slacking on the P90X schedule lately.  The first 40 days were awesome, I followed the schedule to the letter and ate super healthy.  The scale rewarded my efforts and I had lost 10 pounds!  Then spring break hit and we went to visit family.  I didn't do my normal P90X schedule and ate like crap and then when I came home it was really hard to get back into the swing of things.  I did great for 3 or 4 days and then we had out of town company stay with us so I was back to my slacking ways.  I have been struggling to get back into the stride of things for 4 weeks now and again, the scale was there to reflect my efforts.  No exercise and being lax with my eating = 4 pounds gained back.  Uhg!  I think the only way to get back on track is to get organized!  My plan is this.....

• When I get up in the morning, put on my workout clothes right away.  It's harder to procrastinate on the workouts if your shoes are on and you're ready to rock
• Make daily goals.  With all of the chores and upkeep around the house plus two kids in two different schools, if I don't have priorities and goals every day it's easy to stay busy with out actually getting anything done.  I think the easiest way to make daily goals is to write to-do lists.
• Remember all of the reasons that made me work so hard in the first phase of P90X.  I didn't want to dread taking my kids to the pool and I wanted to be able to wear shorts in the summer time without feeling uncomfortable in my own skin.  Those reasons are still out there, summer is right around the corner and before I can blink twice my kids are going to be asking me to take them to the pool again!
• Last of all, on the day's where I'm just really not feeling it and all that is going thru my mind is.... I'm sore, I'm tired, I'm too busy, exc.  The best thing that I can do when I can't talk myself out of making excuses is phone a friend.  I am lucky, I have a sister who not only totally rocks but is also on the same path that I'm on.  She's got my back and I know she'll kick my butt and tell me how I'm just making excuses for myself.  

Wake up with intention, make my to-do list, and if all else fails ask for help.  No more excuses for me, I'm off to kick some butt at Legs and Back and BRING IT!

What can you do in your life to make it easier on yourself to have it all?  How do you feel after a day where you know you kicked ass and took names?

What the heck to have for dinner?

Whenever I'm totally pressed for time and am looking for something fast and healthy to put on the table I make a frittata and serve with a side salad.  I usually have the ingredients on hand and you can use whatever veggies you have in your fridge!


Kara's Favorite Frittata Recipe


2 whole eggs
4 egg whites
1/2 cup asparagus, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 cup diced bell pepper
1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
1 - 2 TBSP parmesan cheese
1 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 400.


Saute the veggies (except tomatoes) in 1 tsp olive oil in a oven proof non stick skillet over med until tender.  Whisk the eggs together and salt and pepper to taste.  Add to the eggs to the pan and turn down the heat to medium low.  Cook until the bottom of your frittata is set (about 4 or 5 minutes) and then put the skillet into your preheated oven.  Bake for about 5 more minutes until the eggs are firm.  Top with fresh cherry tomatoes and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Family Yoga

I think the best and most unexpected part of P90X is the positive impact that it's had on my family.  When I get up on a Saturday morning and my daughter wants to join in on some Yoga X it makes my heart fill with happiness.  Not only am I taking care of myself (because let's face it once all of those excersise endorphins hit the blood stream I'm just a better happier mom) but I am teaching my daughter how to take care of herself.  What an amazing gift to give her!  


When I was growing up my parents set an amazing example (thanks, mom and dad!).  They chose to be vegetarian for health reasons and they both exercised regularly.  In fact my dad was running marathons in his 50's and inspired my husband to run with him and he's the reason I started P90X!  I didn't understand how much better taking care of yourself by exercising and eating healthy would make me feel until I fell out of all of the good habits that my parents had instilled in me.  By teaching my kids healthy nutrition and exercise habits early and setting a good example I hope that she will learn how easy it can be to be healthy and that being healthy = feeling good!

And you're doing this why again?

Sure my days are filled with all of the fun of being a stay at home mom to my 2 awesome kiddos so why in the world would I want to have a blog?  I suppose it comes down to accountability.  I want to be held accountable for the things that I say I'm going to do, plus I want provide encouragement and maybe even a few ideas for others that are going thru the same things that I am.  So, here is a little bit about me (which will give you a pretty good idea of what my blog will be about).  


I LOVE to cook, I have a passion for food and it makes me feel a great sense of accomplishment when what I cook satisfies both the taste buds as well as nourishes the body.  That's right, I'm talking slow foods here.  Sustainable, local, clean good old fashion foods.  The kind that you just don't find in a box.


Recently I realized that exercise is not at all what I thought it was.  I was under the distinct impression that I wasn't really a fan of sweating.  I was wrong, so very wrong!  My dad called in January wanting to talk to my husband about this great new workout program that he started and he just knew my husband would love it.  Well the exercise program turned out to be P90X.  You may have heard of it, and yes, it is everything that they promise!  It IS hard, it tests you, it pushes you farther than you thought you could go.  And you know what?  I LOVE IT!  I say BRING IT!  I am not done with the full 90 days but so far so good.  It is definitely my new obsession.  :)