Breakfast Burritos...sans the spicy sausage

The hubby was playing in a golf tournament on Saturday, so I decided to give some meatless breakfast burritos a whirl.   I wasn't real excited about this, because I was convinced that the hot ground sausage we normally put in them is what makes them good but nevertheless, I plowed forward.  OMG...they were actually BETTER this way!!!  I swear it!!!!!  YUM!! The rotel gave them a nice spicy kick which I think took the place of the spice from the sausage...and who knew avocados could be so good with eggs?!?!

For just me, I used the following:

-2 Small flour tortillas (70 calories each)
-2 Scrambled eggs
-1/2 Avocado
-1/4 cup Rotel
- 2 or 3 TBS Mexican cheese (LOVE the Sargento off the block 4 Cheese mexican)

Soooo good...and easy too!!!!!

a ;o)

Tuscan Bean Salad

I was headed to Amelia Island, Florida a couple of weeks ago for an awesome girls trip  and we stopped at a Houlihan's in Savannah, GA for lunch on the way down there.  They had a Tuscan salad on the menu that was to die for!!  I made a version of it for lunch today, and while it may not have been quite as good, it was pretty darn close, and healthy...I feel my cholesterol dropping as we speak! ;o))   I'm not sure I can technically call it a Tuscan bean salad since I used the left over chick peas from yesterday instead of white beans, but we'll pretend!

 - 3/4 - 1 cup of spinach and mixed greens
 -1/2 cup chickpeas (or Cannellini beans)
 -1/2 cup fresh diced tomatoes 
 -1 or 2 TBS crumbled feta or goat cheese

Dressing:
 -1 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar, salt, and fresh basil

Layer the greens, peas, tomatoes and cheese.  Mix up the ingredients for the dressing and drizzle over salad and  top with a healthy dose of cracked black pepper!

Bon Appetit!

a ;o)
 
 

 

What the he#* was I thinking??

I should have walked away before I published my first post and thought about it for awhile...I can't believe the first post I made was for such a lackluster, boring, and what many will actually think a disgusting lunch!! What a way to start a new blog??!!  DUH!!  I really just wanted to start keeping track of what I eat so I can make sure I'm really getting some "good stuff" in my diet.  This way when I cook a cheesy, yummy Italian pasta I can look back and see how good I was at lunch every day!

...a ;o)

Chickpeas and Cottage Cheese w/ Ground Flaxseed

So, this is my first post to my blog...ever.  I love food, I love cooking, and when my husband and I travel (which we love to do) the focus of our  trips seems to be all the different restaurants we are going to try!

Last month, my Doc said I had high cholesterol and that I either needed to go on a vegetarian and fish diet; or go on meds.  He said no red meat, no chicken, no cookies...WHAT???  I told him I'd opt for the meds, but upon further reflection and research decided I would start exercising and try and add lots of good stuff to my diet and see what happens!  

Not only will I not be able to give up my bed time snack of cookies and (fat free) milk, but I will not be able to give up red meat completely as the very enjoyable weekend tradition with the hubby is red meat on the grill, potato, a large healthy salad and some good red wine!!  However, I'll opt for leaner cuts and smaller portions and try my best to add lots of healthy foods to my diet each day!

According to the Mayo Clinic the following foods are at the top of the list for lowering cholesterol:

-Oatmeal, Oatbran and High Fiber Foods (steel cut oatmeal, apples, pears,     barley, prunes, bananas)
-Fatty Fish and Omega 3's
-Nuts - walnuts, almonds, pecans, peanuts (1.5 oz and make sure not coated in salt and sugar)
Olive Oil

 I will try and add albacore tuna to my weekly lunch schedule, but because I'm not crazy about fish (except for fried, which apparently negates the the value of eating the fish - LOL) I am opting to add ground flax seed to my food each day as it is high in fiber and Omega 3's.

Today for lunch, I mixed up:

1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
1/2 tsp ground golden flax seed
lots of black pepper

It was actually good and very filling! I read that 1-2 TBS per day of flax seed is optimal, but to start slow because of all the fiber in it.  I'll work my way up!

No candy or cookie afterwards either, but have an apple waiting for my afternoon snack!

a ;o)