I just got finished experimenting for a recipe challenge and those Portabellas are the main event! Beautiful aren’t they? The photography shoot was intense. I will be revealing the recipe challenge on Tuesday August 31st (our wedding anniversary!) so stay tuned for the details. It should be fun!
In other news, my kitchen now looks like a bomb went off.
Thank you for all of your wonderful comments in this morning’s post! It was very inspiring to read your stories.
Lots of Teaopia Chai Mate + Four O’Clock Japanese Sencha was consumed today. Zoom zoom.
I realized I haven’t posted a lunch in a long time. Mid-day is the craziest time for me and my lunches are often over as quick as they begin, so it isn’t the ideal time to whip out a huge camera for a photo shoot. ;) Today, the camera happened to be sitting on the Kitchen table so I decided to snap a couple quick shots!
Today’s lunch featured a chickpea salad made up of 1.5 cups chickpeas, 4 cups mixed greens, 1 tbsp red pepper hummus, 1/2 a green pepper, and my Better than Bottled Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing!
Oh, and freshly ground black pepper of course. It was delish!
Dessert was half of a huge CSA Cantaloupe on its’ last legs (as you can see from the bruises). ;) It was SO juicy and I made a mess like the 7 year old that I am.
This lunch was super quick and easy. Only about 5 minutes to prepare if that!
My afternoon snack was a Heaven Glo Bar. I haven’t had this flavour in a while and I forgot how much I love it! It is filled with big chunks of walnuts, almonds, medjool dates, coconut, carob powder, etc.
Now it is time for another recipe from Saturday night’s Dinner Party for Six!
This salad was off the hook, my friends, off the hook.
Mandarin, Pecan, Almond & Cranberry Spinach Salad
Ingredients:
- 6-8 cups raw spinach, washed and dried
- 1 small can Mandarin oranges, drained
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds (optional), toasted
- 1-1.25 cup cherry tomatoes, washed and cut in halves
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- Better than Bottled Balsamic Vinaigrette (I believe I doubled the recipe!)
Directions: Wash and dry spinach and place in a large salad bowl. Chop all tomatoes and nuts and toss into bowl. In a small dish mix the salad dressing. Pour over salad and mix well. Serves 6 as a side dish.
Everyone raved about it. :)
The rest of the Dinner for Six recipes:
- Summer De-lite Chickpea Salad
- Lentil Rice Casserole
- Easy & Delicious Bruschetta
- Roasted BBQ Corn on the Cob
Rest Is Good: Update
I think I successfully averted a COLD by giving my body a couple more rest days! You know when you feel like a cold is coming on, but it hasn’t hit you quite yet? That is how I felt Sunday and Monday. I have not exercised since my long run on Friday. I am feeling much better today (almost 100%), but I figured one more day of rest would bring me back to 100% by tomorrow. I figure 4 days of rest is much better than getting a terrible cold for two weeks straight, right? If there is one thing I have learned with exercise it is that there will always be times in life when things don’t go according to plan and that is OK. All we can do is roll with the punches and do the best we can on any given day.
Well, I have the so not cool job of cleaning up my kitchen bomb. I would rather be reading or watching the Gossip Girl Teaser over and over. ;) In due time I guess! Goodnight.
Fabulous food photos! And yes, that salad recipe looks incredible, must try!
Girl, your recipes are awesome. I think it’s about time for an e-cookbook!!
Great job on listening to your body! If only I knew that rest was the key to averting a cold… I can’t wait for your mushroom recipe! :D
Last week before HLS I felt like I was getting a head cold. I was in the middle of a kickboxing class and I knew sticking around was NOT doing any good for me. I went home and rest for 3 days with lots of green tea, water and vitamin c. And I was good as new! Sometimes we just need to know when to stop!
The mushroom shoot looks so pretty and probably was tough to balance.
I agree with the whole resting BEFORE you get a cold philosophy. I used to be one who’d run myself ragged, and tell myself to keep going at my superwoman pace. I would always take cold medicine, so I just told myself to suck it up. Now, I haven’t gotten a full blown cold in months! If I even feel a twinge of something coming on, I take it easy, tone down my workouts, and drink lots of tea. Just another example of how the natural way is the best way!
Resting can be really hard, but it is so good for your body! I’m glad you avoided a cold.
I love your salad with the dried cranberries — they are my favorite addition to a salad. The whole meals sounds wonderful.
OMG………..just watched the preview for GG. OMGGGGGG.
That salad (both of them) look so good.
I am making your better than balsamic dressing for the first time for this upcoming weekend I’m pumped.
I always make a mess when attempting to cut and eat Cantaloupe! ha:) but its all worth the yummy mess! I really admire how you treat your body properly by giving it the adequate rest and care it needs! Listening to my body is something I’ve always and continue to have troubles with, however reading your blog and others have really helped me realize it’s okay to give your body the rest it needs!
Have a great night :)
Ooh, I’m loving the sound of that Glo Bar! Is it in the online store now?
The heaven glo bar caught my attention. It has all the ingredients I love.
Thru trial and error, I’ve learned when to listen to my body. I listen to when it wants rest and when it’s good to go for a workout.
Mind wants to workout, body says not yet….body wins!!
I love putting fruit on green salads – it’s a nice way to re-invigorate an old classic. The dried cranberries also add a fun twist!
On a side note, I just discovered that a portobello mushroom is actually a matured form of a crimini mushroom :)
That salad looks delish. I love livening up salads with Mandarin Oranges, plus the spinach looks incredibly tender!
Oooh, can’t wait to see what you’ve concocted with those bellas!
I completely hear you on the resting while sick deal. Sometimes I’ll do an *easy* run, but I think not over doing it, coupled with extra good nutrtion will stave off a cold!
I’m glad that cold didn’t catch you! :) Awesome dinner party pics, by the way. I’m going to try that lentil recipe soon.
I feel like I’m the only one, but I dislike mandarin oranges. The rest of that salad looks so good, though!
I adore Gossip Girl! The teaser is fantasic and I absolutely cannot wait until the Premiere! :)
That salad looks delicious, thanks for posting the recipe!
Nice work on skirting that cold. I am always challenged with finding the balance between boosting my immune system through exercise and recognizing when it’s more beneficial to rest. I am getting much better at reading my bodies cues though and less concerned with powering through my workouts no matter what.