Lunch Rut

Happy Monday Friends!!!!

Today’s post is mostly centering around our ( or at least mine)  LEAST thought out meal of the day. Many times Lunch is just ...inconvenient?? For me anyways lunchtime falls around the baby’s nap time so as I am finishing feeding him, changing his diaper, fixing a bottle, and getting ready for our nap time routine MY LUNCH is literally the last thing on my mind. Most days I will shovel something in my mouth just so I can spend more of the time doing something productive ( like write on this blog :)) rather then fix myself something nutritious. For many of you moms I am sure a NAP or cleaning the house is more on the priority list rather than making a mess in the kitchen...am I right?? I spent this weekend meal prepping a few meals so that even on the busiest of days when I am strapped for time.. I can eat something.. fueling. 

Here are some EASY ideas that can be prepped before hand 

 Brandon’s Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

1 rotisserie chicken off the bone and chunked

1 apple, peeled and chunked

2 stalks of celery chopped

3 boiled eggs chopped or sliced

8 oz of dill relish

s&p

Mayo to your liking

Stir and refrigerate!!!

This chicken salad is great on Ezequiel Toast or just plain by itself:)

Tuna Stuffed Avocados

Make exactly like the above chicken salad except substitute the chicken with Tuna. Stuff in an Avocado and you have yourself a protein packed easy lunch

Turkey Roll ups

I buy Boar’s head Turkey and roll it up with light baby swiss cheese.. Sometimes I stuff it in a lettuce wrap and call it a day. EASY!

Pasta Salad 

This takes some prep work..

Usually on a Sunday I will make this but it lasts ALL WEEK!!! It is simple, easy, and delicious..your kids will eat it too :)

1 package of whole wheat bow tie pasta.. cooked and drained

1 bunch of basil, torn into small pieces or chopped fine

shredded mozzarella cheese

2 grilled chicken breasts cut into chunks

1 small bottle of pesto 

1 box of cheery tomatoes sliced

olive oil 

salt and pepper

toss all of the ingredients together and enjoy!!! 

xoxxoo

Edmame Quoinoa Salad

This salad is packed with so many healthy additives its crazy! I found this recipe off of a cooking site and decided to try it. I made a HUGE batch and decided to munch on it for the rest of the week and pack some for Brandy's lunches as well.. it was a hit!

shopping list:
one frozen bag of shelled edamame
one frozen bag of corn
one cup of cooked quinoa ( it expands so it makes a lot!)
one red bell pepper diced
one small bunch of cilantro diced ( to taste.. I love cilantro so I added a lot)
two green onions diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
salt
dried thyme
chili powder
ground black pepper
dash of cayenne

Preparation:

briefly boil the edamame and corn until tender
drain and cool completely

in a large bowl combine the cooked quinoa, edamame, corn, cilantro, onions, and red pepper and mix

then in  a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, lemon and lime juice, black pep, thyme, salt, chili powder, and cayenne until well combined. Drizzle over the salad and toss to coat.

chill for two hours and enjoy!

Hometown Happenings and a Monday Beet Salad.

Happy Monday!! I wish I were saying Happy Friday.. these weeks are starting to run together. I am so happy that we had the opportunity to race home just for a night to see family and celebrate two birthdays that are very special to me. My D.G's and my bestie Lindie's 25th birthday! We ate some yummy Mexican food and had so much fun with friends. I always enjoy a quick trip home..and for lunch today I have a yummy beet salad on the menu!! Those who might be reading this are probably trying not to gag at the sight of the word Beet. Let me explain.. beets are SUCH a nutritious food selection and if seasoned with the right spices and paired with the correct flavors they can actually be quite enjoyable! I love fresh beets from the ranch but our farmer Felix didn't have any for us so I bought some at the grocery store in the produce section.

to prepare beets you need to:

soak them and scrub them
cut off the tops and then peel them with a vegetable peeler
quarter them into bite sized cubes
lay them evenly on a baking sheet
drizzle with EVOO
sea salt/pepper
fresh rosemary
fresh thyme
cook at 400 degrees for 40 minutes

** BEETS are very messy!! the beautiful crimson juice will stain your hands and while peeling so don't wear white pants :)!

for the salad:

fresh arugula lettuce
roasted pecan halves ( you can buy roasted or do it yourself)
a log of goat cheese or crumbled
a light and fresh vinaigrette of your choice

set your lettuce on a plate then top with the roasted pecans, crumbled goat cheese, and when finished, add the beets. Pour your favorite vinaigrette over this salad and enjoy!

Isn't it pretty?! The tangy goat cheese marries so well with the bitter beets. Try it its not terrible!

 

 

Some pictures from over the weekend :)

 

 

A pedi with mama!

 

and the Birthday Girl!

 

My hot date!

 

Happy 25th Birthday diff!!

 

Love at its finest :)

 

me with my stripe obsession coming from three different angles!

 



My Dolly's Peanut Butter BLT Sandwiches

I know what your thinking.. peanut butter and bacon..gross!! I promise I thought the same thing when I was a little girl as I curiously watched my great grandmother assemble this sandwich with its very intriguing ingredients. I was both pleased and surprised.  I have been eating these sandwiches since I was 5 years old..and my mom has been eating them her whole life.. and my grandmother.. and so on. You get the point right? Anyways this is such an easy recipe.. and I bet kiddos would even love it too!

Shopping list:

one package of center cut bacon

FRESH bread: the best that work with this sandwich I feel are ( Brioche, Ciabatta, Rye, or Pumpernickel)- I also recommend toasting the bread just a little to bring both a golden crustiness and a soft underbelly to your sandwich foundation.

Lettuce: When it comes to the lettuce, the goal is to provide crunch and flavor that can stand up to the rest of the mix. Greenery that I would choose would probably be romaine or butter lettuce. They are versatile and easy and taste yummy.

Tomato. The tomato AKA the "T" is an essential part of this amazing sandwich so its important to pick a good tomato. The type of tomato does not matter so much as the quality. Try and pick one with little or no cracks, intense color, and always slice these with a serrated knife!

and here it goes..instead of MAYO you add PEANUT BUTTER

I choose Jiff..but its totally up to you :)

There you have it .. the perfect BLT..
some additional add ons that taste great could be some really yummy farm house cheddar. This cheese will brighten up your sandwich and make your taste buds pop!!! ( I have really been watching to many cooking shows.. my vocabulary is totally GIADA DE LAURENTIS!)

ENJOY PEEPS!