a taste of france

Mold scares me.

I was a little more then concerned when I looked into my water bottle, only to see mold growing all over the sides and bottom.  It was a jungle.  An intensely dark, mold-infested jungle.  Thankfully, I’m still alive to tell the tale. 😉  But still.  Mold is scary and shouldn’t be fooled aorund with.  So, in celebration of the fact that I’m still alive (kidding…kind of), I’m sharing with you this warning to please check your water bottle.

Moving on…

Thankfully, there was nothing scary about breakfast.  Just the standard ol’ bowl of “un”overnight oats.  With coconut and a spoonful of almond butter.

These days, I’m enjoying my morning coffee with only a minimal amount of soy for color and froth.  Sweet breakfasts and bitter coffee go so well together.

AM snack: orange and almonds

If you’ve meandered your way around blog land, you have probably seen people eating salads topped with fried eggs.  At first I thought this was a completely odd idea.  I thought to myself, “fried eggs and greens do not belong together.”  And then I read a book on France, and discovered that eating a bed of greens with an egg on top is a pretty common dish after all.  One of France’s traditional dishes, the Salad Lyonnaise, is simply a bed of frisee lettuce, bacon, croutons and a poached egg on top.  I can’t decide if it was the fact that I was absolutely craving eggs today or if it was due to the fact that I have a not-so-secret obsession with France, but suddenly I wanted an egg on my salad.

I did, however, end up straying from tradition, and opted for a fried egg instead of poached. 

Greens, bell peppers, avocado, bottled beets, tomato, garbanzos, and the fried egg (1 whole egg + 1 egg white).  With a final drizzle of EVOO. 

Amazing.  I’ve officially been converted.

Dessert!!

Afternoon Snack: yogurt with flax and granola

Dinner

I literally spent the better part of my day doing homework.  I was researching various therapeutic diets for patients in the hospital setting, only to discover that I was starving by the time that dinner rolled around.  It was super nice having pasta salad in the fridge (made earlier in the morning), just waiting to be served with the roasted broccoli (2 tsp EVOO + sea salt…425 degree oven, 20 minutes, flip half way through).  So, so nice.  It was also nice being able to eat outdoors in 72 degree weather. 

Mmm…life is good.

This is one of my favorite pasta salad recipes because it’s brimming with crunchy veggies, tangy-sweet dressing, and protein-packed beans.  The flavor is right on the mark, it’s quick to throw together, and it makes enough to serve at least 8 people (probably more.)  Great for packed lunches too.

Pasta Salad Plus–Taste of Home’s Light and Tasty

• 12 oz. whole wheat spiral pasta: cooked, drained and rinsed with cold water
• 4 medium carrots, sliced
• 3 celery ribs, sliced
• 1 can (16oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (15oz) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 c. sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 medium green bell pepper, julienned
• 1 can (6oz) pitted ripe olives, drained and sliced

  “Dressing”

• 1/2 c. cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
• 1/2 c. canola oil
• 1/3 c. sugar
• 2 T. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 3/4 tp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper

1. Mix pasta with next eight ingredients up to olives. 
2. In a bowl, whisk dressing ingredients together.  Pour over salad and toss to coat.
3. ENJOY!!!! 😀

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Question: Are you a routine coffee drinker?

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