Nomad's Adventures in Austin, TX

Even though Texas is pretty hot in the summertime, we're in no rush to leave. At the moment were situated in Austin, where we are house sitting for some good friends and enjoying this extraordinary city. We've discovered so many free or low-cost things to do here.

Highlights so far:

Deep Eddy pool, a glorious, crystal-clear swimming hole filled with spring-fed water:

 

Barton Springs pool, not as clear as Deep Eddy but also spring-fed - and you can look at fossils and chase little fish as you swim:

 

Cost for both pools: $3 per adult, $1 per child (for city residents... Which we aren't, but since we are house sitting, we counted ourselves as temporary residents)

The trail around Lake Austin, where I've been able to get in several enjoyable runs, including a four-miler with two of the women in my online Beachbody challenge group:

 

 

Cost: Totally free! Even parking near the trail is free. 

The Thinkery, a children's museum with an enviable outdoor climbing structure and loads of exploratory activities inside:

 

 

Cost: Free with the ASTC Travel Passport Program! (Totally worth it!)

And of course, many delicious and vegan-friendly places to eat:

Chi'Lantro, which is like a Thai version of Chipotle:

 

It was at Chi'Lantro that Trent ordered the famous kimchi fries... Picture an enormous pile of french fries covered in meat, kimchi, and squeezable cheese (he's an at-home vegan so he's always thrilled to go out and gobble up meat).

Sweet Ritual, a vegan and gluten free ice cream shop: 

 

Tacodeli, because can you go to Austin without getting tacos? I think not:

 

Summer Moon Coffee Bar, for coffee made with fire-roasted beans:

We're house sitting until the weekend and then we'll be moving back into the RV and settling in at a local campground. I'm thrilled that we have more time to explore this city! On the agenda for today: finally try some kolaches!

Meals on the Road: RV Oatmeal

A really kind person on Instagram (yes, we have an Instagram account! Follow us!) asked me if I would post recipes for some of the vegan/plant-based meals that I prepare. I thought I'd start with one of my current breakfast staples: RV oatmeal! It's sweet. It's tasty. It will keep you full until - if you are anything like me - second breakfast rolls around.

Keep in mind that all of these recipes are meant to be super simple, mostly unprocessed, and easy to make on the road. Many of them rely on, yes, the microwave. I like tasty, healthy, pretty food... but I'm not very good at preparing complicated meals. You'll have to look elsewhere for those. ;-) 

Ingredients required for 1 serving of RV oatmeal:

-1/2 cup old-fashioned oatmeal (not the quick-cooking kind)

-1/2 cup milk of your choice - I recommend almond or soy milk

-1/4 cup water

-Fruit of your choice! I like to select 2-3 types of whatever is in season; I usually include a banana.

-2 tbsp nuts or seeds of your choice

-Sweetener of your choice: drizzle of honey or agave or a sprinkle of sugar

Instructions:

1. In a microwave-safe glass container, stir together the oatmeal, milk, and water.

2. Place the container in the microwave and heat on high for 2 1/2 minutes. Keep an eye on it and stop the microwave if the mixture threatens to spill over.

3. Take the oatmeal out of the microwave and let it sit for a couple of minutes. This will allow it to thicken a bit. Then pour it into a bowl.

4. Top with cut fruit, seeds, and a small bit of sweetener (if you have ripe fruit in season, you won't need much additional sweetener).

5. Enjoy while admiring the view!