na-cho ordinary taco salad

tomorrow night, we were supposed to eat out at my favorite mexcian place, but the boys have hockey practice from 6:30 to 8:00.  second best thing?

taco. salad.

this is not any old ordinary taco salad.  this is the taco salad that went to every family function or potluck i ever went to.  it's list of characters is always the same.  don't try to change it.  it is what it is.

they include:
lettuce
shredded carrots
corn
kidney beans
diced chicken
shredded cheddar cheese
crumbled nacho doritos
dorothy lynch dressing (you can't skip this part!  it always includes dorothy lynch dressing.)

my mom says i've ruined it because i add cukes and avocado to my version, but i think it makes it better.  you won't find this taco salad in a restaurant; this will blow your mind and leave you begging for more so make plenty.  skip the ground beef, the fried tortilla shell, the sour cream, the black olives.  try this version instead!  (you'll thank me, i promise.)  it's sweet and crunchy and tangy and delicious.


**what do you normally add to your taco salad?

strawberry chicken salad for one

 

delicious, light and crisp

4 oz leftover rotisserie chicken
1 diced celery stick
2 medium diced strawberries
2 oz  2% fage greek yogurt
1 teaspoon honey
1 splash lime juice
pepper

tortilla wrap with melted cheese and butter lettuce

 

my goto meal when i don't feel like cooking

nachos!

yours?

a look at yum!

here's what i ate yesterday:

breakfast - 310 calories

 cinnamon pecan cereal, milk, banana

lunch - 495 calories

 venison and mushroom spaghetti, green beans, raspberries, sun tea

supper - 636 calories

three types of lettuce, cheese, salmon, blue cheese dressing (would have been good with some red peppers)

what do you eat when you are camping?

as the title indicated we are camping!  not any kind of camping, though.  rv resort camping.  it is the very best kind.  :)  no roughing-it-while-sleeping-on-the-ground-and-not-getting-to-shower for this girl.  no.  we have a cabin.  with a kitchen (and a shower).  and a heated pool.  and tennis courts.  and mini golf.  and a lodge to watch movies/play cards in.  and tons of places to cycle.  the perfect camping experience.

so what do you eat when you are camping?  we try to eat as simply as possible.

here is our plan:
Breakfast
f - blueberry bagels with butter
s - cocoa crispies with milk and bananas
s - blueberry bagels with strawberry cream cheese
m - raisin bran and bacon
t - cocoa crispies with milk and bananas
w - pancakes and sausage
t - raisin bran and bacon
f - cocoa crispies with milk and bananas
Lunch
f - hotdogs, chips, yogurt, fruit cup and lemonade
s - lunchable, string cheese, apple with peanut butter
s - peanut butter and jelly sandwich, chips, pear
m - lunchable, string cheese, green grapes
t - roast beef and green pepper sandwich, chips, snack pack pudding
w - lunchable, string cheese, cherries
t - turkey and cheese sandwich, chips, fruit cup and hi-c
f - lunchable, string cheese, orange
Supper
f - nachos with beans, cheese and jalapenos
s - frozen chicken alfredo meal, salad
s - snack bar and ice cream (half-marathon)
m - grilled cheese, tomato soup, canned green beans
t - snack bar and ice cream (potluck with friends)
w - blt's, cucumbers with dip, canned corn, s'mores
t - canned soup, potato salad, salad
f - clean up any leftovers or eat at snack bar

celebrate good times

ryan's birthday was yesterday. he is nine. we had his friends over for a party last weekend, but yesterday was just us.  him.  us.  fine, him.  geesh.

i went in to school and met him for lunch, played with him for recess and read to his class, then handed out brownies.  he had wanted me to bring strawberry shortcake but that was just too difficult.  after school we went home and he got to open cards and presents (legos and hockey stuff).  for supper, he wanted to barbequed ribs and shirley temples, so we went to bennett's.  we surprised him with a trip to coldstone creamery for ice cream cake on the way home.

it was a good day.

back to the beginning

my weight is exactly where it was 2 years ago.  exactly.  why was i able to maintain all last year, but struggle with gaining this year?  i am up another 3 pounds from here.

i bet it has something to do with my food choices. 

the nice thing about logging my food is that i can see trends.  normally, i am pretty proud of my trends.  not so much right now.

my top food list includes:
Krispy Kreme Chocolate-Iced Glazed Donut
Oregon Chai Tea
Pacific Gold Turkey Jerky
Claussen Pickle
Campbell's V8 Original Vegetable Juice
Idahoan Instant Loaded Baked Mashed Potatoes
Kraft Mac and Cheese
French Bread
Dipping Oil with Spices
Mexican Restaurant Order of Chips and Salsa
Restaurant Fruit and Cheese Plate
Restaurant Blue Cheese Dressing
McDonald's Filet of Fish Sandwich
Pizza Hut Pepperoni Pizza
Smashburger Sweet Potato Fries
Eel and Avocado Sushi Roll
Taco John's Apple Grande
Moscato Wine

what happened to my veggies?  my fruit?  my healthy dairy?  instead, i have been snacking and eating out.  and gaining weight.

my week in food

crackers, cheese and pastrami with a v8

lime chili panko chicken with cauliflower and broccoli and an orange

shirley temples

beef and peppers stirfry

green chili and tomato pizza

cheesecake

sliders with mushroom, peppers, tomatoes and feta with broccoli and cauliflower

chips and salsa with margaritas

smoked salmon blt with yellow tomatoes and chipotle mayo

chicken parmesan (the boys made this for us!)

carb loading

 taco time.  need i say more?  *eyebrow wiggle*

small super potato ole.

apple grande.  yum!

you wanna eat at my house

no really. you do. i make good eats.


purple and orange cauliflower


crusted parmesan garlic pork chops, cauliflower and broccoli, orange


unchipped chicken nachos


sweet potato and carnitas burrito, green beans, dirty rice with zucchini and black beans, kiwi


spinach salad with walnuts, craisins, corn, chickpeas and feta


chicken enchilada soup with avocado


chicken taco, salad


pear, refried bean, cheese and veggie quesadilla, salmon, caesar salad


ham and pea alfredo casserole, strawberries, cucumber

banana splits

have you ever had banana splits for supper? growing up, we would do this about 4-5 times a year. i plan our weekly meals here, and i try to be fairly healthy, but sometimes we throw the menu and health out the window. eating banana splits as supper was the best treat! i am passing this tradition on to my family as well.

here's the ingredients:



here's the happy kids:

more 5280 food pics

plans get changed. it happens. we ended up switching around a few restaurant during 5280 week.

the edge
lola's
ninth door
texas de brazil
grappa
vesta dipping
wine and cheese

we didn't really love ninth door. texas de brazil has the most fabulous lobster bisque in the world. grappa's food portions were inconsistent. vesta dipping grill was amazing (and probably hubby's favorite)! the service was exceptional at wine and cheese.

here are some of my favorite photos:

my favorite time of the year

my favorite time of the year in denver is the two week period, called 5280 week, when higher end restaurants open their doors to the lowly and offer a three- or four- course meal for two for the tiny price of $52.80. ahhh, it makes me all tingly just to think about it.

http://www.edgerestaurantdenver.com/menus/denver_restaurant_week_2012/
reservation was sunday, feb 26 at 7:30
- the wait-staff was amazing. here's our food:












http://www.denver.org/denverrestaurant/menu?id=379&LOLA&c=yes
reservation was tuesday, feb 28 at 5:30
- this is one of my very favorite restaurants in the metro area. it is my go-to place when i don't know what i want, but i know i want to eat out. here's our food:
















http://www.denver.org/denverrestaurant/menu?id=84&9th+Door&c=yes
reservation set for thursday mar 1 at 7:30
- i have been harassing my husband to take me here for months now. i am confident that we are going to love it!


http://www.denver.org/denverrestaurant/menu?id=694&Barolo+Grill or http://www.denver.org/denverrestaurant/menu?id=544&Caf%E9+Brazil&c=yes
saturday mar 3
- where we go will depend on which one my in-laws prefer.


http://www.denver.org/denverrestaurant/menu?id=526&Grappa+Bistro&c=yes
reservation set for tuesday, mar 6 at 7
- i can't wait to try the open faced lobster ravioli with sun-dried cherries, spinach and fresh mozzarella in a light curried lobster sauce. divine!


http://www.denver.org/denverrestaurant/menu?id=1190&Axios+Estiatiorio&c=yes
reservation set for thursday, mar 8 at 7
- this is the restaurant i am most excited about only because it is so close to our house and it would be nice to have a go-to fancy-shmancy place nearby. okay, okay, we already have several, but fancy-shmancy restaurants nearby are just like diamonds. you can never have too many.

preparing for lent

yesterday was fat tuesday. we indulged all day. polish paczki for breakfast. italian for lunch. pie for dessert. sushi for supper. it was decadent. it was over-the-top. it was tradition.



today is ash wednesday, a day of fasting. preparing our hearts and minds for easter. i love this time in the church. i love the sacrifice i can do during lent to show my commitment to Christ. i love how he takes my weakness and makes me rely on him more. i wish i could be this focused all the time, but i fall short and become distracted. i am glad i have a yearly reminder of God's goodness and mercy to me.

all you get to see is an empty plate

...because hubby and i were in too big of a hurry to eat and i forgot to take pictures of our valentine's day supper. :) you'll forgive me i'm sure when you hear what it was. beef cheeks with spicy ragu over a quinoa cake with brussel sprouts and asparagus. you would not have been able to control yourself either.



my husband and i had agreed not to get each other anything and just stay home for valentine's. i was all set to make nachos with heart-shaped homemade chips. instead, he surprised me by taking me out for supper at one of my favorite italian restaurants. he is a stinker, but i will keep him. i can't wait to surprise him back.

supper was amazing! we split:
butternut squash soup with gorgonzola
bruschetta with goat cheese, strawberries, arugala and a balsamic vinegar reduction
the aforementioned beef cheeks



oh, and don't forget the bottle of wine from silver vines winery that was dessert.



what a lovely night out with my valentine.




how was your evening?