So apparently today is National Strawberry Parfait Day!
I decided to participate by making this beauty
Strawberries, Greek yogurt, oats, honey, repeat. I topped it with chia seeds for some Omega 3s.
Also today is my first day of work, so I am heading out early to make sure I don’t get lost (even though I practiced my route a couple times over the weekend-I just can’t trust my shaky sense of direction).
Ready to go!
Wish me luck 
I am headed to Charlotte again today to sign my lease and meet with a future coworker! Hopefully I will also figure out how to ride the light rail, who my boss will be, and if open toe sandals are appropriate (fingers crossed). I am excited everything seems to be coming together in my job/”real life.”
For breakfast I ate my newest baking creation: Greek Yogurt Blueberry Muffins.
This delicious muffin recipe is inspired by summer and all the abundant fruit! While it is not quite blueberry season in North Carolina, the grocery stores are packed with fresh berries. This lightly sweetened muffin is perfect for breakfast or a snack. If you want more of a dessert muffin, simply top muffins with a lemon glaze of lemon juice and powdered sugar.
Greek Yogurt Blueberry Muffins
makes 12
Dry
1 cup Whole Wheat flour
1 cup White flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
Wet
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
3 Tbsp. water (may need more if you are using fresh berries)
1 tsp. lemon juice
Mix-in
1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or thawed and drained (I used frozen)
Directions: Preheat the oven to 350. Combine the wet and dry ingredients separately. Add the wet to the dry; try not to over mix. Fold in the blueberries. Bake for 18-22 minutes.
Happy Memorial Day!
I hope most people are able to take a little break and catch some rays today
I just got back from a short run, and will hopefully be spending the rest of the day chilling by the pool with Perry and his family. it’s rare for Perry to have a holiday off, so we are going to enjoy this extra time together before he goes back to school.
Before I head out, I am going to sipping on a Key Lime Pie Smoothie to fulfill my morning protein needs. It is so light and fresh, with the smooth creaminess of key lime pie. The lime juice and sweet whey powder create the perfect tart balance. I love that the oats mimic the crust and provide some extra fiber. You could also throw in a handful of spinach to get a bright green color, and some added nutrients!
KEY LIME PIE SMOOTHIE
Ingredients
1 cup almond milk
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 frozen banana
2 Tbsp instant oats
1 scant Tbsp Lime juice
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (whey gives the sweetest creamy taste)
Directions: Add the oats to the almond milk and let sit in the blender for a few minutes. Then add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.
Also, chicken coop update:
The boyfriends (Perry and David) helped us tremendously (in part because they are both over 6 feet tall) in constructing the chicken pen yesterday.
Perry helping put on the wire roof
David holding up the roof beam
Claire and my dad put the finishing touches and screen door on this morning.
Now we just have some little touch ups to do before it is totally completed!
Happy Friday!
It is hard to believe that only a week ago, I was in the Bahamas. This week has been packed with school work, meetings, job decisions, and my thesis. But mainly my thesis.
I have been writing bits and portions of my thesis for over a year now, but it never seemed like I would ever reach a final product. Well, I still haven’t. But my first full draft was due yesterday, so my brain has been in overdrive trying to get it all together. And here it is (drum roll, please):
It makes for a nice beach read, if anyone is interested 
With all this HUGE deadline hanging over me, my plans for the week literally ended on Thursday morning after I turned in my paper.
notice how Friday didn't even make it on the weekly schedule?
So instead of doing any of the suggested agenda items (that I had advised myself should be completed on Thursday instead of waking up super early on Friday to do them before class), I went home and made chicken salad. And it was delicious.
Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad
Adapted from Sally Spins
Ingredients:
1 cup shredded chicken
1/2 med. apple, diced
1/2 bell pepper, diced
2 Tbsp dried cranberries
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
Combine the yogurt, lemon juice, and mustard. Mix all of the remaining ingredients together. Pour yogurt mixture over the chicken salad mixture and combine. Enjoy in the other half of the pepper, or bread if you want to be normal boring.
