Lazy Day

Well, it was inevitable. Sometimes you just need a lazy day at home before charging full speed ahead for the remainder of the week, as I plan to do. I have lots of little things to get done before heading back to Austin for good. But amidst all these errands and such, I plan on spending some quality time with my family, and I got a good start on that goal today.

Banana, peanut butter, and cinnamon on raisin bread

After waking up around 8, scrounging for something to eat for breakfast, and finishing Misty May-Treanor's biography, my little brother and I headed up the street to enjoy a delicious lunch at a relatively new-to-Houston restaurant: Zoe's Kitchen. I actually first had Zoe's in Austin, after a long day of shopping with Sarah, and I loved it, bringing my mom back when she came up to Austin a few weeks later. Daniel texted me telling me he had tried it (and liked it!) while hanging with some of his friends, so we decided that we would go once I returned to Houston.

We're an attractive pair, huh?

It was hoppin' today around 12:45 when we went, and after much indecisiveness from the both of us, we both ended up going with the kabobs, salmon for me and steak for him. I had some of his steak kabob and I know what I am getting next time! The steak was grilled to perfection, and the roasted veggies added a nice touch; however, my salmon kabobs were nothing to frown about. They came with a side of hummus and pita bread, which are two of my favorite things, so I was a happy camper. I have a feeling I will be visiting Zoe's once or twice more before I head back to Austin. I know what you're thinking, I have one in Austin, so why not visit Houston-specific restaurants? The Zoe's in Austin is kind of far from the UT campus, so I only really go there if I am in the area, which really isn't often. I really should keep it in mind, though, because not only is it tasty, it's healthy to boot!

Salmon kebabs

Steak kebabs

After returning home and doing a bit more lounging, I was once again hungry and after finding moldy strawberries and an empty container of cantaloupe, decided to pop a small bag of kettle corn, which I ate with a handful of oven roasted almonds.

I finally decided to be somewhat productive so I made a grocery list, mostly full of ingredients needed to create new recipes, and moseyed on up to the grocery store. I was unsuccessful in finding all of the ingredients I needed, but I did have what I needed to make two-ingredient cookies with some added mix-ins. These are super easy to make, so I feel as though they will be making quite a few appearances on the blog this next year. I mixed together one cup of oats, two mashed bananas, and added in some raisins, walnuts, and a little bit of cinnamon. I put the concoction in a glass pan and slid it into the stove, preheated to 350 degrees, for about 14 minutes. They smelled heavenly, and I will be having one (or two or three) with breakfast tomorrow morning.

Not the most beautiful recipe I've ever tried! 

After declaring today a rest day, as I was still pretty sore and just genuinely tired from all the back and forth I have been doing lately, I decided it was the perfect night for an evening walk around my neighborhood. I grabbed my headphones, and power walked my way through the streets of my 'hood. I was also greeted with this unbelievable sight, reminding me just how big my God is. 

He makes beautiful things

My hour-long walk was absolutely perfect, and now I am ready to hit the ground running tomorrow morning. Lots to do and not a lot of time to do it!