Making Do

It occurs to me that I stopped taking and posting photos of my morning coffee because I figured it was pretty boring for you guys…but so many people are fans of my bigass mug collection that I thought maybe I’d start featuring them again. 

If anyone ever wants to exchange for a Canada or Vancouver Island Starbucks mug, please let me know!! 

After a lengthy Facebook chat regarding green smoothies I couldn’t let another morning go by without making one of my own.  Besides it’s time to put my brand new bag of chia to use.

Into the blender: ice, 1/2 banana, 2 huge handfuls baby spinach, 1/4 cup whole oats, Orange Dreamsicle Amazing Grass, flax meal, chia, and 1 cup vanilla flavoured So Delicious Coconut Milk.

Lunch looks familiar no? 

Fully loaded tuna salad with veggies and bagel chips.

Sweet treat.  That ridiculous one-pounder is disappearing rapidly.

Afternoon caffeine fix.

Being as the fridge is now essentially a barren wasteland I had to dig deep into the freezer for dinner.  The last remaining serving of Tortellini Lasagna…slightly mushy but filling enough to get me through photography class.

Probably should have reached for an apple for my evening snack but the Aussie candy couldn’t be ignored.

Those puffy little strawberries are magically delicious.  Probably a good thing they are all gone. ;)

Not Now

See this gorgeous orange?  Isn’t she a beauty?

Doesn’t she scream fresh and sunny?  Wouldn’t you be excited to eat her?  Yes, me too!

Sadly, she tasted like azz. Bitter and yucky. Booooo. 

Thank gawd for the uber-delicious peasant bread with sunflower butter and bananas.  Almost made me forget about that dirty, disappointing orange.  Almost.

Coffee helped too.  I must have been too busy mourning the citrus to capture the coffee.

For lunch I decided to make a snack plate because there was fresh shrimpies to use up and multigrain Wheat Thins just crying to be cracked into.

After stating I had just bought my first ever bottle of sriracha sauce for the Tom Yum soup I received multiple comments about how it’s unbelievable I’ve made it this far in life without it.  So I decided to take Ingmarie’s suggestion to mix it with mayo for a quickie shrimp salad.

Don’t worry, I added more.  Just started out small. :)  Sadly I don’t have any pickles or green onions so the shrimp salad was tres basic…but still delicious scooped on my favourite crack-ers…alongside light cheddar, carrots sticks, and perfect red grapes.

There was still coffee left in the pot so I made an after lunch misto using UVAB and a smidge of vanilla syrup.

And snacked on a flattened banana during a Skype call to discuss a new project I’ve taken on to make a couple of bucks and help a friend out.

The call intervened on my gym time (I’ve had my gym clothes on since about 3pm…guess I’m not going!) but it was nice to sort everything out and I was able to get through the first part of the project tonight.

Before tackling the draft I whipped up a batch of soup.  Every single time I check my Google Analytics without fail the most searched term that leads people to my blog is “healthy broccoli soup”.  I decided the other day that it’s stupid I’ve only ever made such a popular recipe once (!!) and picked up the super simple ingredients to make it again.

So quick and easy!!

In order to make it cheesy I made a fast and light cheese sauce on the side and then drizzled it into the soup.  Worked perfectly…smooth and lovely…no lumpy cheeeese! 

Light Cheese Sauce:

• 1 tsp butter
• 1.5 tsp corn starch
• 3/4 cup skim milk
• salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste
• 3/4 cup grated light cheddar
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan (optional)

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan melt butter over medium heat.  Add corn starch, whisk thoroughly and let cook approx. 30 seconds (keep whisking).
2. Gradually whisk in the milk 1/4 cup at a time.  Adjust heat if boiling…should just be a quick bubble.  Season.
3. When desired thickness is reached, remove from heat and stir in cheese.
4. Serve!

I’ve used this sauce on baked potatoes, steamed veggies, atop chili or to make nachos.  Nom.

After dinner I got back to work on my project and ended up breaking into these candies leftover from girl’s weekend.  I find it hilarious that talking hearts now have VERY different sayings than when we were kids.

How very 80s!

Traditional.

What the heck?  Now that’s not very friendly.

LOL.  What is that?  The old married couples sweet heart? ;)

All Skyped Out

Apparently I need to wash dishes because my trusty new Vegas mug wasn’t prepared for my morning jolt.  And lord knows I can’t possibly wash a dish before getting caffeinated.

Maybe I should have freed up a bit more time this morning though because that was the last I saw of my kitchen until around 2:40.  I got caught up on Skype calls for work for literally my entire day.  I actually missed a call because I had to step away and make lunch before I started eating my Post-it notes.

Spinach, tomato and buffalo mozzarella salad.  Drizzled with olive oil, balsamic, fresh pepper and coarse salt.

What I wouldn’t have given for fresh basil!

With more of those deeeeelish bagel chips (soon to achieve “crack chip” status) with crack hummus.  I think I have issues.

After lunch I was DYING for a latte but I am trying desperately to break the $5 habit so I made a pot of coffee instead.  Shocking.  It worked.  :)

Helpful in keeping the snacky sweet tooth at bay was also the additional Skype time.  I was back on there for another couple of hours.  Insane.  Time for a cordless headset me thinks.

If I hadn’t still been in my pj’s (yes all day!) take-out or drive thru may very well have made the menu…but since I was too lazy to put on real clothes I sucked it up and concocted dinner here.

Red lettuce, carrots, celery, red onion, walnuts, Craisins, white wine vinegar and honey…

With dill & asiago scrambled eggs and multigrain Silver Hills toast.

Beat that, drive thru! :)

Sadly the sweet craving never went away.  Happily I have been hoarding these Coconut M&M’s since my first day in Vegas.

Danger, Danger!!  The pretzel ones really did nothing for me, but these coconut ones are freaking deeeeeelish.  Seriously wishing I’d brought more than one stingy little packet home. :(

That’s right, my friends bought Coach purses as their souvenirs and I came home with a Starbucks mug and American candy. 

Typical. ha!