Okay, I'll admit it. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed these days. I can't attribute it to any one thing, just several things, that when you bundle them all together, start messing with my psyche.
Makes me wish I was back at the ranch,
playing peek-a-boo with the deer,
or simply relaxing beside the campfire.
But that was last week.
I went down to help my SIL prepare for her son's wedding reception. He got married in Vermont last month and since Vermont is a bit of a drive from Texas, most of their friends weren't able to make it to the actual nuptials.
So, we celebrated them in Texas style.
Or maybe that should be Star Wars style.
Hans and Lea never looked so good.
These were made by a good friend.
Talk about cute!
But we also had real food that didn't come from a galaxy far, far away.
Things like ham, sweet potatoes, pumpkin bread and fruit salad.
And lest we forget dessert.
Apple quiche (must get the recipe), pecan tassies and lemon bars.
Makes me want to stuff myself silly.
Actually, I think I did.
So now it's back to the good stuff. I mean good for me stuff.
Low-carb, no carb and yummy in its own right.
I have a new quickie go-to lunch I want to share with you. And while it may seem a little strange, trust me when I say it tastes just like a taco salad, but without the guilt.
Four ingredients.
Lettuce, low-fat cottage cheese (3/4 cup), black beans (1/3 cup) and salsa (1/3 cup).
Ta-dah!!
Mix it all together and dig in.
So simple. So tasty. So good for you.
Of course, it's getting difficult to think about salads when the temps are plummeting.
Ruthy, are getting gobs and gobs of snow? Jan?
Here it looks like we'll beat our average first freeze by a week. And it does appear that we're going to stay chilly for a while. Which means stews and soups will be appearing a lot at my house.
So long as I intersperse it with some chicken fried venison, my boys should survive.
What's up with them not liking soup, anyway?
Maybe if I made it something exotic like gator noodle soup, they'd be more interested.
Hmm... tastes like chicken, right?
Oh I have those ingredients! Thanks for a great idea.
ReplyDeleteAnd I love the Star Wars reception!
Or as my SIL called it, an autumnal Star Wars theme. You should have seen the life-size cutouts of Luke and Leah.
DeleteDon't you love it when you have the ingredients on hand, Julie?
You had me at Chewbacca!!!! #starwarsnerd #lovehansolo #maytheforcebewithallofus !!!!! Love that whole theme, and the cake is stinkin' adorable.
ReplyDeleteI hear you about the food thing and weight conscious (but not crazy, which is why I think things like Trim Healthy Mama rock the big Kahuna!!!) My older kids thought I was crazy when I started doing low-carb about ten years back, and I'll never be skinny, (I don't care about that) but I want to be healthy and I'm Catholic enough to be totally guilted if I don't make my own efforts to keep the resting spot of the Holy Spirit in some form of good shape... I think that's part of respecting the gift of life.
But then I fall down and MANGIA!!! on cookies and cakes and have to climb back on the low-carb bandwagon again, but that's okay as long as we're doing what we can, when we can.
So this low-carb lunch looks marvelous! I'm looking at Thanksgiving like a food free-for-all weekend.... and then good again for two weeks until family Christmas party.... REPEAT.... and then hit the New Year's not totally overwhelmed.
Does anyone else plan like that? Am I a freak of nature???
Please say no.
Your friend,
Ruthy (mmm... another egg!!!! Hoooooray!!!!) Laughing!
Your plan sounds great, Ruthy. And much like mine. On holidays and parties and such, I can let myself enjoy without guilt. knowing that the next day, I'm back to eating right.
DeleteAnd Ruthy, you gotta stay in shape so you can keep up with all those little ones. Then again, this is you, coffee addict that you are. Perhaps it's the kiddos who can't keep up with you.
You wouldn't have believed all the Star Wars decorations my SIL brought out. I already mentioned the life-size cut outs, but she had movie posters, a model of the Millennium Falcon and who knows what else. The cake toppers were especially cute, though, since they were bobble heads. I had to keep bumping the table so they'd wiggle.
Back to eating habits, since I'm eating "clean" much of the time, I do notice on those occasions when I splurge just how my body reacts. I feel sluggish, like there's a lead weight sitting somewhere in my midsection. And that's okay. Serves as a great reminder. Because if it made me feel good, well I'd just be eating like that all the time. ;)
Isn't it weird how that happens? Although I'm willing to risk it for pie!
DeleteWhat interesting combo for a salad. Think I'll try it. Nice that there's protein in it as well. And I wonder if there's a dairy free alternative to the cottage cheese? My daughter is allergic to dairy and has been looking for quick, protein stacked lunches. I'll have to go on line and see. Maybe something tofuy? 'Cause this would be a quick fix for her lunch dilemma. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteWe've escaped the snow so far but out west they got dumped and I head it was bad for most of the states. It's actually going to be a balmy 13 today. And sunny. But my friend in Calgary said it was -27 with the windchill.
13? YIKES! We're looking at a high of 45 with a stout north wind. Fine, so long as I don't have to go anywhere. But then, that's what God created coats for.
DeleteKav, you'll have to let me know what you find out about an alternative to cottage cheese. Like you, my first thought was tofu. Shoot, they make tofu everything else, why not this.
What a fun wedding celebration!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recipe! I would never think to put those items together. But I can see how it would be good. I'll give it a try!
I was a skeptic at first, Missy, but it really does taste like a taco salad. And we all need a little Mexican in our diets now and then.
DeleteRight now I'm eyeing the leftover chili in the fridge for lunch. Too chilly for a salad. My fingers are cold. And once my fingers or toes are cold, the rest of me is cold. Guess it's time for another cup of tea.
That salad looks so EASY! That's the first thing it has going for it. And then we can add healthy, lo-carb, and all those other wonderful things.
ReplyDeleteBut we're out of salsa. I found a jar in the back of the fridge last night, opened it, and something waved at me.
Does anyone else have a side-by-side fridge? Do you lose things in it like I do? I think if we had fewer people living at home it would be easier. Or if it was like the old days when the children were young. I had control over the fridge then. :)
Weather! Yes, we got about 6" of snow yesterday, but the big news is the cold. It was 7° when I got up this morning, and we're expecting a low of -3° tonight. I just checked - it's 9° right now.
The wood stove is working overtime :) And I'm so thankful we have it!
Jan, that is definitely not salad weather. Then again, I once had a boss who ate soup for lunch every day, even when it was 110. Now that's just crazy.
DeleteWhen we lived in Rapid City, we went through two bouts of bone-chilling cold. We're talking daytime temps in the -20s and nighttime temps in the -50s. The furnace never stopped running. I was so glad we were in base housing and didn't have to worry about an electric bill.
We used to have a side by side fridge, but now we have one of the French door ones. I still lose things, though. Of course, sometimes it's because a teenage boy has already eaten whatever it is I'm looking for.
And waving condiments are never good. Salsa doesn't last long enough to go bad around my house. That and jalapenos are a staple for my guys.
Jan, Lord willing, your electricity will stay on this time. Sounds like it might be time to move your desk beside the wood stove. If it isn't already. Oh, and you can keep a nice steaming pot of your favorite hot beverage on top of the stove, so all you have to do is reach for and pour. :D