Tag Archives: Lunch

My Colorful New Purchase

I am already thinking about my lunch today. That’s because I am having leftovers from an “oh so PERFECT” Summer dinner!

Texas Summers can be downright smoldering so the last thing I want to do is turn on the oven and heat the house up even MORE. This is when I am thankful for easy, simple but DELICIOUS dinners that can be thrown together in 20 minutes or less.

Even better when you find the recipe on the back of a pasta box! While I was grocery shopping this weekend I came across this new pasta from Ronzoni.

After taking a quick glance at the needed ingredients I stuck it in my cart and was off to find the other needed items! I wish meal planning could always be this easy:-)!

I prefer my pasta salad to be served chilled so while I stuck it in the fridge to let all the flavors meld, the hubby went to work grilling chicken breasts for some extra added protein.

Looks GOOD, doesn’t it?!

It doesn’t just LOOK good but it TASTES good too!!I am a fast eater(hate that) and this was gone in no time so I helped myself to a tiny little portion of seconds. Ahem….well, maybe not that tiny;-)

And just for fun, I caught the hubby mid-bite!! Doesn’t it look like he is saying “Ummmmm, good?” Okay, maaaybe it looks like he is saying”What the heck are you doing?”

RECIPE

Adapted from Ronzoni

Mediterranean Veggie  Salad

Ingredients

1 package Ronzoni Garden Delight Trio Italiano(or any tri-color pasta)

Sliced Salami, cut into strips

1/2 cup feta cheese

1/4 cup black pitted ripe olives, quartered(I also added some extra whole olives)

3/4 cup Greek or Italian salad dressing

Directions

Cook pasta according to directions on package. Drain well and rinse with cold water. In a large bowl, mix pasta, salami, olives and cheese. Add dressing and toss until evenly coated. Chill in refrigerator for 1 hour or desired amount of time.

Serve as a main dish or as a side. Most importantly, ENJOY!

Remember how I said I made an awesome purchase this weekend?

I have been searching for a while for a nice piece of furniture to add to my dining area but I had a hard time finding something that stood out to me. Sure, I saw some nice pieces but I was looking for something with character and something that not everyone had in their home.

Finally I found what I was looking for, courtesy of Craigslist!.  A buffet! Not just any buffet but a YELLOW one with a bit of distressing. Just like some of the items I have been coveting on Pinterest.

Now, I am no decorator. It actually stresses me out because I just don’t have that knack for putting things together and making them flow. I almost always need an example to make it work. But I took a chance and I am glad that I did. It took a day (and a few added decorations) for it to grow on me but now I am SUPER DUPER pleased with it!!!!

What do ya think? I promise not to care if you don’t love it. I know yellow isn’t for everyone!!

WORKOUT

Since I have taken almost a week off the workout train I am going to go with something simple but effective. My good friend and personal trainer, Jillian Michaels(I can pretend, right) is whipping me into shape today!! 30 Day Shred(level 2) and 15 minutes on the elliptical will round out my morning quite nicely. Ready, set……here I go!!!!!

Do you consider yourself to be a decorator or are you decorating challenged like myself?

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My Reading Addiction

I seriously have an addiction to books! Once I start a book(a good one that is) I CANNOT put it down(unless forced) until I am done with it. I become so engrossed that I forget that food exists and fore-go sleep so that I can read it from cover to cover. Obviously, since I am a mom of two, lack of sleep doesn’t work out so well but I can’t very well ignore them all day so that I can get my “fix”!

So, what is the latest book to cause my sleep deprivation?

This is the book of the month(May) for PBF (Peanut Butter Fingers) book club and since it was on sale through my Nook for $2.99 I hopped right on that bargain(someone is feeding my addiction here!!!). If you are interested in participating in the book discussion at the end of the month, just hop on over to her blog and discuss with us in the comments section!

Here is a brief synopsis of the book that I found on the Barnes and Noble website.

On the day she was abducted, Annie O’Sullivan, a thirty-two year old realtor, had three goals—sell a house, forget about a recent argument with her mother, and be on time for dinner with her ever- patient boyfriend. The open house is slow, but when her last visitor pulls up in a van as she’s about to leave, Annie thinks it just might be her lucky day after all. Interwoven with the story of the year Annie spent as the captive of psychopath in a remote mountain cabin, which unfolds through sessions with her psychiatrist, is a second narrative recounting events following her escape—her struggle to piece her shattered life.

You think there is a book club discussion out there for 50 Shades of Grey?!!! I admit it, I have been SUCKED into the trilogy and will read the next two very shortly. Maybe I will get brave enough to let you in on my thought on that one at a later time;-).

After getting my kiddos off to school I knew I had to fuel up if I were going to finish my book this morning. I am telling ya, I read and turn pages so quickly, I get quite the workout…..in my fingers:)

BREAKFAST

A crunchy mix of Dolce De Leche Cheerios(YUM) and Kashi 7 Grain Puffs. I ADORE cereal mixed together!!

And a beautiful bowl of juicy, sweet strawberries!!

Once I finished my book I figured I had better get some stuff done around the house. I certainly don’t want people to think I sit home reading all day(HA!!…NOT POSSIBLE for a STAY AT HOME MOM). After tackling some laundry and straightening the house I was ready for some lunch and a MUCH NEEDED pedi! Okay, I do sound a BIT spoiled but I promise, a day like this is RARE!!

LUNCH

 Honey Wheat Wrap from Honey Bee Ham!!! This was seriously SOOOOOO good!!! I am already craving another one!!!

Honey Wheat Wrap from Honey Bee Ham

And this is how I ended my day: Relaxing by the pool, showing off my pretty little toes!!!

Have you read any good books lately? Share some of your favorites?

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Cake for Breakfast

Shhhhh, what is that I hear? Silence? Could it be? YES, it is!!! Both of my kids are off at school which means there is complete peace in my house right now. No cartoons, no little boy telling me he is ready for me to clean his hiney(the joy) and no bickering. These moments are rare so they should be celebrated as such. That is why I chose to have cake for breakfast this morning!!

No…not this kind of cake!

Chocolate-Cake-2006-Jan-04

Chocolate-Cake-2006-Jan-04 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)oNO

I made a DELICIOUS chocolate cake batter SMOOTHIE! It actually contains no cake at all but it tastes just as yummy, especially when consuming it for breakfast!

I tried many times, with no luck to get a nice picture of it but that was a big FAIL. I suck as a photographer, especially when I am limited to a little point and shoot or camera phone. So sorry. No need to panic though, you can find the recipe and several very lovely, mouth watering pictures of it here.

I wish I could rave the same way about my lunch but sadly, it was a let down. The company was great, as I was with a great friend but the food, eh….not my favorite. I was craving Sushi and because it is pretty healthy I decided it was a good option. We decided to try a new (to us) Sushi bar and let’s just say we won’t be going back any time soon. I had a Miso soup which was fine(how can you mess THAT up) but my California roll was about a 5 on a scale of 1-10. I even sent the first one back because the crab was mixed with some sort of “special sauce”. I admit, I don’t eat tons of Sushi but that was a first for me. Keep mine clean and simple, please!!

Here I am enjoying my soup

The soup wasn’t so bad.

It doesn’t look bad, but it didn’t taste so good. Sad:(

WORKOUT OF THE DAY

Today was a take-it-easy kind of workout day. I am pretty sore from yesterday’s workout so I decided a kickboxing class with lots of punching and kicking didn’t sound very appealing. However, I still felt like doing something, I needed it for my mood. The winner: The Elliptical machine. I only put forth 20 minutes of effort but it left me sweating and my legs aching so I will take it. Not every day can be 100% so today I was okay with 70%. Go me:)

What is your favorite breakfast food? Do you ever eat foods that are out of the “norm” for breakfast, lunch or dinner?

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Filed under Fitness, Food and Recipes, Sweets, Uncategorized