Getting Creative and Being REALLY Thankful!

I arrived at FPO yesterday! I was so excited to unpack everything in my own room. Living out of a suitcase for so long really gets old and I have never been so thankful for drawers in my life! I had some time in the afternoon to just get settled in, which was nice. I have also enjoyed seeing the friends I made at conference again! A bunch of us stayed up and played Apples-to-Apples in the common room last night. I don't know why I haven't played that game sooner!

The only downer is I was really hoping to be able to cook during my time here to avoid the nastiness they serve in the cafeteria. When I visited Taylor and Heidi, they were in a quad, which is four apartments joined together by a big living room. Each apartment has a mini kitchen. When I got here, however, they told me all the Western Europe people with no children are in the dorms where there is one super mini kitchen per hall. I was really disappointed...especially considering I had some beef and chicken bones in my trunk (I know, that's really creepy) ready to be made into broth! So, I decided I want to write a Nourishing Traditions for the Dorm Room Life and just get creative! Thankfully, there is a wonderful Whole Foods right down the street! After a dinner of "beef-groseenough", my friend Jennifer and I made a run! I got avacados, pears, bananas, yogurt (they had a really neat kind that has 6 grains soaked in it. I had it for breakfast...it is really, really yummy!) oatmeal, espresso, and a locally made spelt bread that is FABULOUS! It tastes super fresh. I also got a bar of dark chocolate that will probably be gone by the weekend.

My plan is to soak the oatmeal overnight in yogurt and cook it in the morning. Megan says it cooks really fast if you do it like that. I'm going to steal some raisins from the dining hall. (to follow the honey I stole last night!) I've got a blender, so I am also planning to make some smoothie type things too. I have had several people tell me that banana with avacado and either mango or pineapple is really good! I think I'm going to try it!

I am kind of laughing at myself...I'm not usually this much of a health nazi...and I know Amanda is laughing right now too since we topped of my last night with them with a dozen donuts from Krispy Kreme! I think after traveling so much and having a cold for the last week, I am really wanting some good food. It also makes me feel a little more "settled" if I can cook myself anyway.

Does anyone have any ideas for what I can do? It can't require anything else besides a blender, a small stock pot, a salad bowl type thing, one pan, and one pot. I am trying to limit my use of the fridge to the tub of yogurt already in there and maybe one other small thing.