Healthy lunch

I'm trying to eat a little cleaner at lunchtime.  As of late I am scarfing hummus and chips or a smoothie and then find myself starving an hour later.  So I'm working on new options.  I usually lift weights on Wednesdays and it has me extra hungry.  Today was kale salad with strawberries and mango and blacked chicken.  

Sick

Our house has been hit with a terrible cold/virus/something.  All we have had are soups for about a week.  Kleenex has exploded everywhere and all of us are high on cold medicine.  Yesterday and today are the first days we've all started to feel normal again.

New cookbook

Santa brought me this cookbook and it's turning out to be a winner.  Every recipe I've made so far is a hit.  And the best part is each recipe gives you a breakdown of the calories, fat, protein and carb count you are eating.  

Yum!

My friend Meredith is crafty.  She made me this stuff...and I haven't shared it with anyone in my house... and it's almost gone.  I might just lick the insides of the mason jar when it's all said and done.  Yep, this stuff is legit.  But calories don't count because it's the holidays right? 

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Because I just can't seem to have enough sweets this week.  Ah!

Chex Mix

I spent nap time today making holiday treats for the neighbors.  I may or may not have consumed a large portion of this Chex mix.  Ugh. So. Good. 

Dinnertime

This cookbook arrived yesterday and I've been pouring through it drooling over all the recipes.  There is a whole chapter dedicated to freezer meals and I'm determined to set time aside next weekend to make a couple and stock up on freezer dinner options.  

Bacon Buns

Monday was my husbands birthday and he asked for one thing - bacon buns.  If you have never had one let me tell you...you are missing out.  They are in a word amazing.  They are basically a brioche role stuffed with a chopped bacon and onion mixture.  They are also not on my eating plan.  (Hello four pounds of bacon and one pound of butter.). I spent most of Sunday making them and it's Thursday but my house still smells like bacon.  Yum.

Butternut Squash Muffins

Today I made these butternut squash muffins...to me they taste just like pumpkin.  I'm on a constant quest to get Lee Ann to eat more veggies.  She gobbled these up so I'll consider them a hit.  The muffins are a take on Jessica Seinfeld's "Do it Delicious" style.  She recommends making a bunch of veggie purée and adding it to a variety of recipes.  So far I am a huge fan!

Whole wheat cheddar crackers

Testing more recipes for Lee Ann's lunches.  These are Weelicious Cheddar crackers - an alternative to the Pepperidge Farm Goldfish.  They are quite tasty and Lee Ann seems to enjoy them.  

Dinner salad...again

We are really enjoying salad for dinner.  This picture is not high quality, but I can assure you the meal was very tasty.  Mixed greens, grilled chicken, smoked gouda (just a tad for me), walnuts, pearl couscous, and roasted butternut squash with shallots.  Yum!

Dinner

This was our dinner last night - grilled chicken and goat cheese salad with apples.  It's my take on a salad from Ruggles.  It's a little bit of a cheat for me since it has cheese...but only an ounce. Very tasty!

Kitchen towels

I want these kitchen towels!  I also want some that say "What would Julia do?"

Breakfast for Lee Ann

My toddler is a pretty decent eater...with the exception of breakfast.  Something changed a few months ago and I'm struggling to find things she will eat in the morning aside from a smoothie.  Tomorrow I'm going to offer up these banana muffins...they are made with spelt flour and only sweetened with maple syrup - not refined sugar.  Hoping they are a hit.  I used some fancy muffin cups with the hope that this will make the breakfast even more appealing.  

Spelt Flour Banana Muffins

Oops I did it again

Really these heirloom tomatoes are amazing.  I could eat them at every meal. Can't stop won't stop.

Butter, Wine and a Side of Chocolate

I'm reading a couple of books right now - one is all about toddler behavior and how to manage it,  and this book - My Life In France.  I bet you can guess which one is more interesting.  The toddler book is necessary and helpful - but Julia Child in Paris is WAY more fun.  The problem is I'm "clean and sober" on dairy and alcohol until Labor Day.  (Sidebar: This is a choice I made over Memorial Day weekend in an effort to try to get back to my post baby self.) In almost EVERY chapter so far Julia describes in detail how amazing all the French food is...and it ALL has butter and wine.  Tons.  I love butter and I love wine and regardless of going almost three months without it - I still love it.  I still crave it.  I still desire it. (Sidebar: You know all those people who tell you if you stop eating certain foods for awhile you'll stop craving them?  Liars.)  I'm loving this read but it's torture.  Last night I dreamt of chocolate croissants.  Not kidding. 

Lunch Options

I'm on a quest to find new and healthy lunch options.  I tend to eat smoothies for lunch because they are fast and easy to make, and as a bonus I can drink one while feeding the kids.  But they get boring.  And I like to chew things.  I really like to chew carbs.  Carbs and sugar.  Sugar and even more carbs.  You see where I am headed...I digress. I saw this quick lunch on a blog the other day and decided I had to try it.  It's a sprouted whole grain muffin (half) topped with smashed avocado and a large slice of an heirloom tomato.  I drizzled olive oil on top with salt and pepper.  It. Was. Amazing.  I mean it's not chocolate, but it was very tasty and a great change of pace from the usual smoothie.  I actually ate two of these...but scarfed the first one before I took the photo.