Baked Eggs and Deluxe Spinach Salad

Baked Eggs

- Assorted veggies (mushrooms, red, green and yellow peppers, tomatoes, onion) chopped finely
- 1 Tablespoon of cheese
- 2 Eggs
- Bake @ 400 for 16- 20 minutes



I love this breakfast! It is so satisfying.

It is also perfect for someone like me who is terrible at making omelets!

Lunch was 1 slice of veggie pizza and an ice cream sandwich. I had a glo-bar later in the afternoon.

For dinner this evening I had some more veggie pizza (2 slices) with a bowl of my favourite spinach salad:





Deluxe Spinach Salad
(Recipe for 6 as a side dish)

- 1 Bag Baby Spinach
- 1/2 small purple onion - thinly sliced
- 1 cup fresh mushrooms sliced
- 1 cup dry curd cottage cheese
- 1/2 cup bacon (crispy and chopped up)
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese (optional)

Mix in Bowl.

Dressing:

- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/3 tsp mustard
- 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 tsp poppy seeds (optional)

Blend in blender. Drizzle as desired over salad and toss, just before serving.

I didn't include the optional ingredients today.



Cheese? Check. Bacon? Check. Sounds like a perfect salad to me!!

What are your favourite salad ingredients?

I am always afraid to add new things to salads, but once I try something different, I like it. I love berries in salad, and I also really like adding green onions.

Survey

The bachelorette party last night was a blast!! I ate some food:



Drank wine and punch:



And had fun visiting and dancing with the girls!!!

When I got home late last night, I wanted PIZZA! I ordered some veggie pizza and had a couple slices:



I definitely had a couple more slices for breakfast this morning :-) (Not cold though, because that is nasty).

For lunch I had a Booster Juice at the mall.

Dinner was some roast, with asparagus, potatoes and pasta salad:



I had 2 homemade cookies for dessert (oatmeal raisin, and PB):





I saw this fun survey floating around in the blogosphere, and thought it would be fun to do!

1. Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed?
It is usually open.

2. Do you take the shampoos and conditioner bottles from hotels?
Nope, never. But I do take the shower cap!!

3. Do you sleep with your sheets tucked in or out?
Both. I just like to sleep :-)

4. Would you rather be attacked by a bear or a swarm of bees?
Bees because I would probably survive.

5. Do you have freckles?
Nope.

6. What is your biggest pet peeve?
People who air their dirty laundry on facebook, people who talk during a movie at the theater, when people say "seen" inappropriately. Also when people say that something is "addicting" instead of "addictive."

7. Have you ever peed in the woods?
Many, many times.

8. Do you ever dance if there’s no music playing?
Not that I know of ... but perhaps. I definitely dance when there is music!!

9. Do you chew your pens and pencils?
Nope. Sick.

10. Is it ok for guys to wear pink?
Sure but it looks bad on most people. I don't wear it.

11. What do you dip a chicken nugget in?
Honey!

12. What is your favorite food?
Pasta, soup, Bernard Callebout chocolate, pirogies

13. What movies could you watch over and over and still love?
10 things I hate about you, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Forest Gump, Gone in 60 Seconds, Wanted, Dirty Dancing, Pretty Woman, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Little Mermaid ... and mostly ... Home Alone!!!!!!!

14. Were you ever a boy/girl scout?
I was a Girl Guide for 1 year, and I HATED it.

15. Can you change the oil on a car?
I have only done this once and it was in high school, so I probably forget.

16. Ever gotten a speeding ticket?
Yes, once.

17. Ever ran out of gas?
Yes, once.

18. Are you lazy?
Sometimes - when it comes to exercise and cleaning! Not when it comes to work/ cooking etc..

19. When you were a kid, what did you dress up as for Halloween?
Clown, princess, witch, nothing too exciting.

20. How many languages can you speak?
One.

21. Who is better…Leno or Letterman?
Ellen.

22. Do you sing in the car?
Yes.

23. Ever eat a pierogi?
LOVE them.

24. First concert?
Bush - with Verruca Salt opening.

25. Where would you be able to spend hours and be happy?
Laser Quest, Sitting around a campfire, in the kitchen, on the dance floor.

26. What’s your favorite kind of doughnut?
No fave. I am not a big fan of donuts.

27. Do you have any tattoos or piercings?
One hole in each ear. No tattoos.

28. Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone?
My hubby I think.

29. Are you still friends with the people you knew in middle school or high school?
Yes!!

30. What is the last thing you ate?
A cookie

31. What did you want to be when you grew up?
A teacher or actress.

32. Name three things that are close to you:
Camera, magazine, stapler.

33. What was your best subject in school?
In high school it was English. In university it was Cognitive Psychology.

34. What is your favorite restaurant?
I love Korea House in Regina, and Pastis in NY.

35. Any hidden talents?
I am really good at memorizing things ... and I can double roll my tongue (looks like an "m").

36. What is your favorite girl’s name?
I have a few. Can't tell you though because they may be future baby names!!!!

37. Would you rather be a rock star or a famous athlete?
Rock star!!!

38. What are you wearing right now?
PJ's.

39. Did you graduate from college?
Yes, twice. Once with a Bachelor of Education, and again with a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology).

40. Do you have any nicknames?
Jo

41. How do YOU de-stress?
Go for a massage, shop, sleep, watch TV.

42. What’s the longest amount of time you’ve gone without food?
A day or two when sick.

Now it's your turn!! Choose a few of the questions above to answer about yourself!!

Shower and Bachelorette Party!!!!!

Yesterday was the most BEAUTIFUL day!! I woke up bright and early and enjoyed a whole wheat waffle with 1/2 a banana and syrup to dip:



I then packed a lunch (1 turkey sandwich, 1 glo-bar, and another granola bar) for a long day out at the Badlands with my class. We had a GREAT time!!!!





I love field trips :-)

Dinner yesterday was lazy man lasagna (done in the slow cooker - recipe from The BIG Cook):



With an orange for dessert:



This morning I ate some oatmeal and 2 eggs:





A big breakfast to keep my fueled until my friend's bridal shower at 2:00.

At the bridal shower I nibbled on some food, and had a glass or two of punch:



This evening is the Bachelor and Bachelorette party!! The hubby is already gone to the bachelor party. He made the cake all by himself this afternoon.

I think he did a great job!!!!!



I am getting ready to head out with the girls now.

I am enjoying this lovely guy while getting ready:



How are you spending your Saturday?

Wheat Grass

It's what's for breakfast.

I bought this lovely stuff yesterday and thought I would try it out with my breakfast.

I threw the following into my Vita-Mix:

- 1 apple
- 1 orange
- 1/2 banana
- 3 kiwi
- 1 couple tablespoons of wheat grass (I just cut it off)



4-5 fruits for breakfast. Not bad.
It tasted just like kiwi!!

I also had a glo-bar with my coffee on the way to work:



I picked up some sukiyaki beef from Edo Japan for lunch (Beef on top of veggies, and rice):



I also had 1/2 cup of yogurt, with 1/2 cup of strawberries and 1 T granola.

Dinner was full of spinach!

I had a spinach salad, as well as some spinach pizza:




(Dr. Oetker frozen spinach pizza)

Dessert was a spoonful of PB&Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams:



This evening the hubby and I listened to some excellent live music at Starbucks. Fox Elipsus was playing, and he was great!! I had a skinny latte while enjoying the performance. He is touring Canada now, and all his shows are free. He sleeps in his car, and lives off of CD sales. If you get a chance to check him out now in Canada, or later on this year in the US, you should!

What is the best live show you have ever seen? Do you go to a lot of concerts? Do you prefer to sit, or stand? Do you mosh :-)?

One of my faves was Alverstone, a band that opened for Mariana's Trench at the Distrikt in Regina. They were incredible, and I hope to see them again very soon.

Ask Me Anything ...

It's been a while since I did an "Ask Me Anything" feature. Have a (friendly) question for me that you want to ask anonymously? Click here to do so, and I will share some Q and A with you all as the questions come in. Just be sure to click on the anonymous box if you want to remain anonymous!

Did you miss Q and A Part 1? Or Part 2?

Today was a beautiful Wednesday. I had a great day at work, the sun was shining, and life was good. I started my day with a Green Monster (2 giant handfuls spinach, 1/2 frozen banana, 1 T almond butter, 1 pack chocolate Amazing Grass, 1 scoop Hemp/ Cacao/ Maca powder, 1 cup almond breeze):



I had lunch at the Career Fair that I took my class to. I had an egg salad sandwich, 1 piece of cheese, and a couple carrots and an Oreo cookie. I also had a bite or two of chocolate throughout the day.

After work I was haaaaaaaaaaaangry! I ate 1/2 cup of vanilla yogurt with chocolate banana granola (thanks again for the granola Diana - I am loving it!!)



This evening I went shopping with some girlfriends. We were picking out a little something, something for a friend's bachelorette party on the weekend! The shower is Saturday afternoon, and then the bachelor and bachelorette parties are in the evening. I can't wait!!

After our shopping we went to Beer Brothers for dinner. I had a pulled pork pizza, and ate most of it.



Tell me about the best wedding shower or bachelorette party you have been to? Best gift you have seen? Best game? If you are married, what did you do for your shower and bachelorette? Do you love these events like me, or do you dread them? Would you ever want to host?

Nut Butter Parsnip Fries

ver since I read Angela's recipe for nut butter crusted parsnip fries, I knew I had to try 'em! Could parsnips really be turned into fries!!!?? Aren't they like carrots!!?

Tonight for dinner I whipped up a batch of the parsnip fries to go with veggie burgers.









They did not disappoint!

When they were cooking, the hubby thought it smelled like chocolate chip cookies in our house (He is slightly unstable - clearly it smelled like PB cookies).

I had a small serving with 1 veggie burger. It was a delicious and satisfying dinner.

Rewind to lunch ...
(I will spare you the ugly pictures. I might do that from time to time - K?)

2 pieces of toast
1 pack of edamame
1 orange
1 cheese stick

Rewind to breakfast ...




(1/3 cup coffee, 2/3 cup almond breeze, 1/2 cup quick oats, 1 T Dark chocolate PB, 1 T granola, 1 tsp coconut).

What is your favourite type of fry? Sweet potato? Regular?
And how do you like to eat them - salt? ketchup? Poutine?

I am a sucker for sweet potato fries with a chipotle or mayo mustard dip. I also love a good, melty poutine now and then!!

Please don't tell me you don't eat fries.

Or I will think you are deranged.

;-)

It's Easy Being Green

ood and nutrition are my passions.

I have done more research in this area than anything I ever done in school for Education or Psychology - see this old post for some photos of some of my many "foodie" books! I am always looking for new reading material in the foodie area ... do you have any recommendations for me?

In all of my research, one simple dietary guideline stands out - EAT AS MANY FRUITS AND VEGETABLES as you can! Not rocket science!

Today, I did.

Breakfast was a Green Monster:

(3 giant handfuls of spinach, 1 cup almond breeze, 1 T almond butter, 1/2 banana, 1 pack amazing grass, 1 pack wheat grass, 1 scoop hemp/ cacao/ maca powder given to me by Navitas Naturals) - Approx. 5 servings of fruits/veggies.

Lunch was some Mac and Cheese, a bunch of strawberries and 1/2 cup of vanilla yogurt.

(1.5 servings of fruit)

For dinner I made a chicken, portobella, and asparagus curry served on bulgur.

(1 serving of veggies)

My snack this evening was courtesy of my impulse purchase after work today ....

A VITA-MIX!!!!!

Costco was demoing them, and I just couldn't resist.

Say hello to my little friend:

I made a pretty fantastic juice with it this evening. The best part about "juicing" with the Vita-Mix is that you don't have any waste. You are getting the ENTIRE fruit or veggie. I pulverized 1 cup cantaloupe, 1 kiwi, 1 apple, 1 yellow pepper, and a handful of spinach:

(4 servings of fruits/veggies)

BOOM!!

How's that for nutrients?

Total fruits and veggies today: 11.5

Do you read foodie books? Magazines? Did any book change the way you think about food and nutrition?

What is one dietary guideline that you have read a lot about? (Bogus or not).