Pumpkin Gingerbread Smoothie and the Big Bang

Whew, I've been working my butt off! Yesterday, I ran 2 miles, then did a 1 hr. weights workout. Then, today, I went to kickboxing class! I'm going to enjoy my rest day tomorrow. :)

So this week, I haven't really posted. I've done some repeats. That Big Taco Salad is just so quick and easy!

I thought I'd give you a great smoothie recipe, though. I've been eating this one for breakfast. Surprisingly, it's kept me full until lunch.

Pumpkin Gingerbread Smoothie

-1 cup almond or soy milk
-1/4 cup rolled oats
-1 Tbsp chia seeds
-1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
-1 Tbsp molasses
-1 small frozen banana
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1/2 tsp ginger
-pinch nutmeg
-ice, if wanted.

-Soak the oats, milk and chia seeds for at least an hour or overnight. (I soak mine overnight. Obviously, less to do in the morning)

-Place the rest of the ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth.

Delicious!

In other news, I'd like you to meet my new favorite particle physicist, Dr. Brian Cox. (You'll always be my favorite theoretical physicist, Michio Kaku!)

He's British, and a professor at the University of Manchester. He does the series Wonders of the Universe and Wonders of the Solar System on the BBC. They are really good! He got me really thinking about the Big Bang.

I know this sounds stupid, but I thought the Big Bang created our solar system. You know, our galaxy. Seems legit. BUT NO! It created the entire UNIVERSE! Everything we've ever seen, billions of miles away, billions of light years away, and we were all created together? But if it created everything, then what was there before? Nothing? How could nothing make a bang? How massive it must have been! The beginning of time, literally. (or is it? Can time begin?)

Needless to say, it really blew my mind. I've been picking Nick's brain and he lent me Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time so I can figure out the universe.